027- Break the Procrastination Cycle: Simple Steps for Busy Women

In this episode of Smash the Crash, we tackle procrastination—why it feels so easy, how it impacts your energy, and, most importantly, how to stop it. Melissa shares relatable stories, science-backed insights, and three simple steps to break free from the procrastination trap. By the end of this episode, you’ll have actionable tips to reclaim your energy and get stuff done without the stress.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why procrastination feels like a quick fix but actually drains your energy
• How mental clutter and stress impact your productivity
• Three simple steps to overcome procrastination: small wins, the 10-minute rule, and delegating

Start Smash Week Today

https://melissahinman.thrivecart.com/smashweek/

Grab your FREE Energy Tune-Up
https://www.melissahinman.com/tuneup

Request a Topic or apply to be a Guest on the Podcast
https://www.melissahinman.com/podcast

Connect with me on social
https://www.instagram.com/itsmelissahinman/



Disclaimer:  I am not a medical doctor. The information and recommendations provided during our coaching sessions are intended to support your overall health and wellness and are not a substitute for professional medical diagnosis or treatment. Always consult with your physician before making any changes to your medication, treatment plan, or if you have any concerns about your health. 

Transcript

Breaking the Procrastination Cycle

Speaker 1 2:28

Hey friends, welcome to the new year, happy new year and welcome back to Smash the Crash, where we tackle all things midlife, energy and the sneaky bad habits and the sneaky habits that keep us stuck. If you're new here, I'm Melissa Hinman and I am a midlife, perimenopause and menopause health coach and I am here running through midlife head on with you. Here we go. Today we're diving into a topic that we know all too well and we all wrestle with and, like I said in my last episode, if you were here with us, it is my middle name. I said in my last episode, if you were here with us, it is my middle name procrastination. Now, I used to think that procrastination was just about putting off boring and or annoying tasks, but I think it's so much deeper than that. So let me paint a picture for you If you don't already know, and again if you're new here.

Speaker 1 3:35

One thing I absolutely despise is folding laundry. I can wash and dry all day long, but I will throw that basket of clean clothes on the couch and it will sit there and it will pile up and it will get bigger. And the bigger it gets, the less I even want to look at it, the less I want to fold it, the more I turn my eye to it and want to focus on something else. But every time I come downstairs to my basement to do my workout, to sit here and record my podcast, to whatever it is I'm doing here in the basement, and I see that pile, it's like staring me in the face, like staring into my soul, or scooping my chicken coop. I have chickens and, yeah, you know we're in winter season, so they're spending a lot of the time indoors in their coop because you know they go in at night when it gets dark and they stay there into the morning and then they come outside. So the more they're inside, the more poop they accumulate. So scooping the floor and um, uh and cleaning off their poop shelf is a chore that needs to happen. But you know, again, it's just like the laundry pile. And then I go out there and I go to look at my chickens, to feed them water or food, and they're like staring at me and I can see into my soul. But does this sound familiar?

Speaker 1 5:17

This procrastination thing is not just about the task itself. It's about the mental load that it creates, the energy it drains and the stress it piles on top of everything else and the stress it piles on top of everything else. So why does procrastination feel so easy? Let's break it down and call out the sneaky fox for what it really is.

Speaker 1 5:42

Procrastination feels like a break. It tricks us into thinking we're avoiding stress, but in reality we're just putting it on a mental tab that our brain has to pay later. And as busy women we know we're juggling family and work and after school activities or community events or whatever it is. And on top of that we are in the hormonal swing of life. And those tabs they add up fast because it's not just one tab. Whatever you're procrastinating on is just one tab. Add everything else. We're like tab, tab, tab. I have too many tabs open in my brain.

Speaker 1 6:26

But every time you look at that unfinished task it's like your brain whispers hey, you still haven't done that. The mental clutter doesn't just sit there, it weighs you down, plus the stress of putting things off triggers your body's fight or flight response. You know that uptight chest feeling like am I going to run, am I going to stay Like? What am I doing? And it releases cortisol and that's the stress hormone. And now you're stressed out. Tab over tab, over tab and the next person who looks at you weird or says what feels to you is the wrong thing, or that 10th email from the same person who truly just wants to do a good job has another question. It turns you from taffeti into tikka. You from taffeti into tikka. You know the lava lady.

Overcoming Procrastination

Speaker 1 7:37

For midlife women, cortisol is especially tricky because our bodies don't process stress the way it used to, and the high cortisol can leave you feeling foggy, more exhausted and even more overwhelmed. So you procrastinate, you stress out and you feel too tired to deal with it. And this is the vicious cycle. Here's how procrastination makes everything harder the longer we avoid a task, the more daunting it feels. And when we finally do tackle it, we're often in a rush, or too totally frazzled, or you're way overwhelmed because there's too much of it, aka my laundry pile sitting on the couch, that chaotic energy. It doesn't just drain you, it steals time from the things that actually matter your family, your workouts, cooking that new recipe that you wanted to try, that next chapter in your book, or even a guilt-free relaxation. It becomes the spiral of avoidance. One thing gets pushed off, then the other, and suddenly you're in quicksand. Don't panic though. I've got your back. We've got a couple of small, simple ways to break this cycle. We're working on three steps. Three steps to stop procrastinating and ultimately regain some energy back right. That's what we need here. We are busy women, we got things to do, places to be, and the last thing we need is to be running low on energy.

Speaker 1 9:11

All right, step number one break the big tasks into tiny wins. So huge tasks can feel impossible, so don't take them all at once. Don't take it on all at once. Start with something small. So, instead of cleaning out the entire closet, pick one category. Start with shoes. That small win creates momentum. In my case, one laundry basket, just one laundry basket worth of clothes.

Speaker 1 9:42

Step two set a timer to aim for, for focused action. So use a 10 minute rule, set a timer, dive in work for 10 minutes, put on some music or maybe a show in the background, or a podcast, and once the timer's up, you can stop. And chances are, though, you're going to keep on going a little bit longer, because the hardest part really is just getting started. And even if you do stop at 10 minutes, that's 10 minutes that you weren't doing before. So either way, it's a win-win.

Speaker 1 10:19

And step number three ask yourself can this be delegated or deferred? So not everything has to be done right now, or by you. Right now, or by you, can you ask your partner, can you ask your kids, can you ask a friend and sometimes in my case, my mother-in-law or my mom for help. If it's not urgent, schedule it for later. Lighten your load when possible.

Speaker 1 10:50

Now I have to say I did utilize these three steps. I'm not just talking out of my bum. This weekend I focused on one basket at a time and here I had some. I had a podcast in that I was actually catching up on. And once I got through one basket, I walked upstairs and I put it away. And I came back downstairs and I was like, oh wow, that actually made a dent in the clothes on the couch. Let me do another one. So here's your homework. Pick one thing you've been procrastinating on. Yes, just one.

Speaker 1 11:30

Remember I'm big on micro habit changes, small sustainable action steps, for that is sustainable over time, and I want you to tackle it today, and if not today this week, even if you just spend 10 minutes on it, I promise you'll feel a difference. And then I want you to send me a message on Instagram at itsmelissahinman. I want to hear what you accomplished and how it felt, because we're all about feelings in 2025. How do you want to feel? Accountability and knowing that you're supported is where the magic happens, my friend. So, before we end, I want to remind you that procrastination is not about being lazy. It's often about fear, perfectionism or just plain feeling overwhelmed. The good news, though you have the power to pivot. Start small, celebrate the progress and feel your energy grow. All right, thanks for hanging with me today. You've got this. Now go tackle that task, and I'll catch you in the next episode.