Even before the pandemic, many of us struggled with procrastination. And now that we have lost the predictability and structure of our daily routines, many of us say that our motivation to get things done is waning. So, how do we combat this habit to delay tasks?

Just a few short weeks ago, we were asked to stay at home and not go out unless we absolutely had to. Decisions were made for us about what we could or could not do. We may not have liked it, but our decisions were easy. That’s because we understand “on/off” thinking or “dichotomous thinking”. But, what is it really and how does this type of thinking hold us back when it comes to positive behavior changes?

I don’t know about you, but maintaining my usual level of optimism is becoming increasingly difficult. The daily news cycle alone is often enough to send me down a path of negativity that leaves me seeing the world in shades of grey. And with the reality of what’s going on, it is totally understandable and can be expected. However, even with this new reality, losing our positive expectations about the future can have serious consequences.

The other day I heard an interview with Scott Kelly. Scott is a former NASA astronaut who is best known for spending almost a year on the International Space Station. Now, that’s social isolation. A reporter asked him, “How did you handle being alone all that time?”. He said that he journaled every day. Let’s dig in to the research behind this powerful practice…