Procrastination is a big reason back pain doesn’t get resolved….

Often we have treatment for back pain, read around the subject and even look at the gym membership or classes, however all too often we get back into our old routine and the swing of daily rituals and nothing changes.

Our back pain re-occurs and the cycle starts again, what we need to do is take action, to look at the why and how to resolve our back pain. 

Here are some great tips:

1. The First 30 Minutes Of The Day Is For You

Take time to for you and plan it into your day, make a commitment to your health. Do your exercises, make a smoothie plan. If you would rather join a class plan them  with conviction.

2. Become More Self Aware

Understand how you think, reflect on your actions, procrastination usually comes in two forms. There’s:

• Difficulty in starting a task
• Getting distracted whilst working on a task

They both follow a similar pattern of self rationalisation.

• You tell yourself “I really need to get started on this.”
• You feel stressed.
• You feel an urge to do something else, so you tell yourself “I’ll get started soon, but I can afford another 5 minutes doing this one other thing.”

Giving yourself this little reprieve relieves the stress temporarily and reinforces the neural pathways associated with procrastination, making it just a bit easier to fall victim to procrastination again, 5 minutes later.

Try this next time you find yourself facing this never-ending cycle. Next time you’re about to start a task and you feel a voice in your head telling you to “check your email, it might be important!”, or “I wonder if anyone commented on my Facebook status”, resist the urge. Tell yourself you’ll just resist it this one time.

You’ll find that the urge does pass once you acknowledge it for what it is – a sudden impulse driven by your reptilian brain.

3. Block Out Distractions

Create a space and environment to carry out your exercise routine, put your mobile on airplane mode so not to get any interruptions.

4. Embrace Imperfection and occasional lapses

Sometimes it simply does not go to plan, exercises are hard or sorting out an appointment can be a hassle, or not work into your routine, thats ok just work with it and persevere. Getting through  a daily routine of ten minutes is better than doing nothing, and once you get started, you’ll often find you have more energy than you thought you did.

5. Make Yourself An Appointment

Often when it comes to important tasks like going to the gym, looking for treatment or getting up a little earlier to do some rehab exercises, we’ll just set vague goals and feel perfectly comfortable pushing back our self-imposed deadlines.

Start scheduling your important tasks and showing up every time, no matter what. You wouldn’t bail on a meeting with a friend just because you feel a little tired, would you? So why do you do it with the gym? If you want to go to the gym 3 times a week, instead of just telling yourself you’ll go 3 times this week, pick 3 days and 3 times that you’re going to show up, and don’t miss those appointments no matter what.

If it’s an exercise routine 10 minutes day, plan it and make the appointment, set the alarm and do it.

All in all making a commitment to yourself and any injury you have, will, improve your chances of becoming pain free. 

If you have any question we are happy to help , just give us a call..

Deansgate Osteopathic Clinic
Tel:01204 522133