
I will start this later.
That kind of “put it off” reasoning about projects and things I needed to get done but felt overwhelmed by, defined my life–from weight management to bill paying to organizing my house.
So, what happened? I lived in a state of perpetual chaos and self loathing–never feeling like I was moving forward in my life.
In fact, I was drowning in my own inability to get started or keep going.
If you are experiencing any of the “Get it done later” blues that I am talking about, you are going to love today’s Thin Thinking episode where I interview Dr Christine Li–Productivity coach and expert–she is going to discuss the 3 big mistakes that we are making when it comes to being productive.
And some of these mistakes may surprise you!
So grab your to-do list, and come on in. Let’s get it done.
In This Episode, You’ll Learn:
How perfectionism affects one’s productivity.
The danger of delaying things and how it truly affects one’s productivity.
How you think and see yourself directly affects the outcome of your actions.
Links Mentioned in this Episode
If you’ve ever said, “I’m just going to start tomorrow,” you’re not alone. For years, that was my life motto—around weight, money, organizing my house, even opening my mail. I could put things off like a pro.
The problem? I lived in a state of constant chaos and self-loathing. My to-do list got longer, my guilt got heavier, and my belief in myself shrank. It felt like everyone else had it together… and I was just trying not to drown in unfinished projects and broken promises to myself.
In this episode of the Thin Thinking Podcast, I invited back one of our most popular guests, Dr. Christine Li—a clinical psychologist, procrastination coach, and host of the Make Time for Success podcast. She’s spent decades helping people move from underperforming and overwhelmed to calm, focused, and productive.
In our conversation, she shared three big productivity mistakes that quietly keep you stuck—and the simple mindset shifts that can unlock more ease, focus, and follow-through… not just in work, but in your weight and health journey too.
In this article, I’m breaking down those three mistakes, how they show up in everyday life, and what you can do today (not tomorrow!) to shift out of the “Start It Tomorrow Blues.”
What are the three productivity mistakes keeping you stuck?
Most people think they struggle with productivity because they’re “lazy,” “disorganized,” or “just not disciplined enough.” But as Dr. Li and I discussed, those labels are usually stories we’ve told ourselves for so long that they feel like facts.
Underneath the story, there are often just three sneaky mistakes at work:
- Believing that delay will somehow help.
We tell ourselves, “I’ll be more rested tomorrow,” “I’ll be more organized next week,” “When things calm down, then I’ll start.” Delay feels like relief in the moment—but it quietly grows our stress and to-do list behind the scenes. - Being unclear about what we actually want.
If your only “goal” is “be more productive” or “get my life together,” your brain has no real map. Without a clear destination, everything piles into the attic of your mind: work tasks, home projects, health intentions, all jumbled into one overwhelming heap. - Labeling everything as “hard.”
When we look at a task and say, “This is so hard,” our body believes us. The project suddenly feels heavier, scarier, and more dangerous than it really is. “Hard” becomes a stop sign, not a helpful description.
The good news? None of these mistakes are your personality. They’re learned habits—and habits can be rewired. When you start seeing delay, fuzziness, and scary language as patterns (not proof that you’re broken), you can begin to change them.
Let’s look at each mistake more closely—and how to flip it.
Why doesn’t “I’ll start tomorrow” actually help you?
“I’ll start tomorrow” feels soothing in the moment, but it’s one of the biggest productivity mistakes we make.
When you delay, your brain experiences a tiny burst of relief:
- You get to escape the discomfort of starting.
- You avoid the possibility of doing it “wrong.”
- You protect yourself from feeling overwhelmed—for now.
Emotionally, that delay makes perfect sense. Logically, you and I both know it doesn’t. But feelings beat logic in the moment, every time.
Here’s what really happens when you delay:
- Your stress grows even if your task doesn’t.
- Your to-do list quietly expands while your trust in yourself shrinks.
- You burn extra energy later trying to re-start the very thing you stopped.
Restarting is the expensive part. When you stop completely—close the laptop, abandon the project, flee the kitchen—your brain has to climb a steep hill next time:
- Convince you that you can do it
- Fight off the “see, you always bail” thoughts
- Re-create the focus and momentum you had before you ran
That’s a lot of willpower… and willpower is a limited resource.
A gentler, more effective approach: don’t stop—divert
Instead of slamming on the brakes, Dr. Li suggests a tiny but powerful shift:
- Take a short diversion, not a full escape.
- “I’m going to stretch for 3 minutes and come back.”
- “I’ll refill my water, then do 5 more minutes.”
- Stay in relationship with the task.
You’re not saying, “I’ll do this tonight” or “tomorrow.” You’re saying, “I’m coming back in five.” - Aim for “stay in the game,” not “push through at all costs.”
Think of yourself as the athlete who doesn’t walk off the field in the 3rd inning just because you’re losing. You might be tired, but you’re still playing.
This matters for your weight and health too. That “I’ll be good tomorrow” thought around food or exercise is exactly the same pattern: short-term emotional relief, long-term chaos.
Try this instead:
“I’m uncomfortable right now—and I’m still going to take one small step today.”
Maybe you don’t clear the entire closet; you clear one shelf. Maybe you don’t plan the entire week of meals; you decide what’s for dinner tonight.
Momentum loves small, honest steps more than big, delayed promises.
If the ‘start tomorrow’ pattern shows up in your weight journey too, you’ll find a ton of support in Episode 84: “Stop Starting Over: How to Break the Weight Loss ‘Start Tomorrow’ Cycle.”
How does having fuzzy goals sabotage your productivity?
Vague goals are productivity quicksand. When you’re not clear, everything becomes “stuff I should probably do,” and your brain doesn’t know where to begin.
Dr. Li sees this all the time with students, professionals, and creatives:
- They know they “need to be more productive.”
- They know they “should really work on that project / weight / finances.”
- But they haven’t decided what success actually looks like—today, this week, this month.
When your goals are fuzzy:
- Any task can jump into your day and feel “urgent.”
- You’re more likely to overcommit and then under-deliver.
- You end the day feeling like you were busy, but not sure if you actually moved forward.
It’s just like that spare bedroom or attic that becomes a catch-all clutter room. Because it doesn’t have a clearly defined purpose, everything ends up in there: holiday decorations, old clothes, forgotten hobbies, random paperwork. Eventually, you don’t even want to open the door.
Your brain works the same way. When you don’t assign a clear purpose (“this time is for X”), your mental space gets cluttered with:
- unfinished tasks
- random ideas
- worries
- other people’s priorities
Get specific: give your brain a map
You don’t need a five-year plan. You just need simple, specific direction. For example:
- Instead of “I need to be more productive this week,” try:
“This week, my main work goal is to finish and submit X.” - Instead of “I need to get my health together,” try:
“This week, I’m going to walk for 15 minutes after lunch, Monday through Friday.”
A few tips that came up in our conversation:
- Define “full performance” for yourself.
Ask: “What would my fullest, honest effort look like in this situation?” Not perfect—full. - Use feelings as part of the goal.
For a job interview, you might aim for:
“I want to leave feeling like I held my power, connected deeply, and expressed who I really am.” - Let your brain pre-wire the path.
When you picture the outcome—almost like creating a mini mental “vision board”—your brain starts nudging you toward it. You’ll naturally notice opportunities and make decisions that match that vision.
The clearer your goals, the less room there is for clutter, confusion, and self-sabotage. You give your mind the equivalent of a GPS: “Turn right here. Take a small step now.”
Is your language making everything feel harder than it is?
One of the most surprising productivity mistakes is simply the words we use.
When you look at a task and think or say:
- “This is so hard.”
- “This is impossible.”
- “I can’t do this.”
…your body reacts as if you’ve just walked into a danger zone. Your shoulders tighten, your breath shortens, your brain goes into threat mode instead of creative mode.
In our conversation, Dr. Li talked about how powerful it is to notice these “loaded words”:
- hard
- impossible
- should
- can’t
They’re like emotional sandbags you’re hanging around your own neck.
Swap “hard” for more helpful language
The task itself hasn’t changed. Only the label has. And labels matter. Try testing new ones:
- Instead of: “This is hard.”
Try: “This is new.” or “This is a challenge I can grow through.” - Instead of: “I can’t do this.”
Try: “I don’t know how yet, but I can learn the next step.” - Instead of: “I should have done this already.”
Try: “I get to take action on this now.”
You’re not pretending everything is easy. You’re simply choosing language that keeps you open and curious, instead of closed and scared.
Dr. Li also reminded us that people who struggle with procrastination are often incredibly self-critical. They beat themselves up over everything—from how they brush their teeth to how they answer emails.
But your brain and body are actually trying to protect you. That anxious voice, that “this is too hard” story, is your system doing the best it can with the tools it has.
When you start treating your mind like a brilliant but overwhelmed teammate instead of an enemy, everything softens:
- Tasks feel more neutral.
- Setbacks become information, not proof that you’re a failure.
- You’re more willing to try, because you’re not terrified of your own judgment.
Next time you catch yourself using a loaded word, pause and ask:
“How can I describe this in a way that keeps me moving, instead of shutting me down?”
That one question can change the energy of your entire day.
How does productivity connect to your weight and health goals?
Productivity isn’t just about work, emails, or a color-coded calendar. It’s deeply tied to your weight, health, and self-care.
Think about it:
- “I’ll start my plan tomorrow” with food is the same pattern as “I’ll write that report tomorrow.”
- “This is too hard, I’ll never lose the weight” uses the same loaded language as “I’ll never get caught up.”
- “I’m such a mess, I can’t stick with anything” is the same self-story, no matter which area of life you’re looking at.
That’s why I’m so passionate about Thin Thinking and the Shift Weight Mastery Process—we work at the level of your mind, not just your meals. Once you understand and gently rewire the patterns behind procrastination, you can apply that freedom everywhere.
Here are a few ways the three productivity shifts we’ve talked about can support your weight journey:
- No more “I’ll restart Monday.”
Instead of writing off the whole week after one overeating episode, you learn to divert (“I’ll take a walk and drink some water”) instead of slam on the brakes. - Clear, compassionate goals instead of vague pressure.
- Vague: “I need to lose weight.”
- Clear: “This week, I’ll eat a nourishing breakfast by 9 a.m. on weekdays and stop eating by 8 p.m. most nights.”
- Supportive language instead of self-attack.
- Old story: “I’m hopeless. I have no willpower.”
- New story: “My brain has been wired for quick comfort. I’m learning new ways to comfort myself that also support my health.”
When you combine better productivity habits with a kinder internal voice, weight release stops feeling like a punishment and starts feeling like self-leadership.
You’re not trying to bully yourself into a smaller size; you’re learning to lead your mind, one small decision at a time.
Productivity & Procrastination FAQ
1. Why do I always say, “I’ll start tomorrow”?
Because “tomorrow” feels safer than “right now.” Delaying temporarily lowers your stress and protects you from feeling uncomfortable, unprepared, or imperfect. The problem is that every delay increases your future stress and erodes your trust in yourself. A better approach is to take one tiny action today—even two minutes counts—so your brain learns that starting is safe.
2. How do I stop procrastinating when I feel overwhelmed?
Instead of asking yourself to “do it all,” ask: “What is the next small step?” Set a micro-goal: open the document, write the first sentence, sort one stack of papers, plan just tonight’s dinner. Keep yourself in the game with brief diversions instead of full stops. Overwhelm shrinks when you break tasks into pieces your nervous system can handle.
3. Is perfectionism making me less productive?
Often, yes. Perfectionism can be a subtle form of procrastination. When you believe there’s only one “perfect” way to do something, it’s terrifying to even start. You hold everything “under review” instead of releasing it. Shifting from “perfect” to “honest, full effort” opens up more options, more experiments, and much more done.
4. How can I be more productive if I work from home?
Give your brain clear containers:
- Time blocks with specific purposes (e.g., “9–10 a.m.: deep work on Project X”)
- Simple rules (“no email during the first 30 minutes of work,” “walk while I listen to calls when possible”)
- Visual cues (a dedicated work corner, a written list of 3 priorities for the day)
Clarity reduces the mental clutter of “I should be doing everything at once,” so you can focus on one thing at a time.
5. What’s one phrase I should stop using if I want to be more productive?
Start with the word “hard.” Notice how often you say, “This is so hard,” and gently replace it with, “This is new,” or “This is a challenge I can grow through.” You’ll be amazed at how different the same task feels when you change the label.
6. How does being kinder to myself make me more productive?
Self-criticism might seem motivating, but it actually drains your energy and makes starting scarier. When you talk to yourself like a supportive coach instead of a harsh critic, you:
- recover faster from setbacks
- feel safer experimenting and learning
- spend less time spiraling and more time doing
Kindness isn’t letting yourself off the hook—it’s giving yourself the emotional safety you need to show up consistently.
7. Can improving productivity really help my weight loss?
Absolutely. The same mental muscles you use to:
- start without delay
- set clear, realistic goals
- choose supportive language
…are the ones you use to plan meals, follow through on movement, and navigate emotional eating. When you upgrade your productivity patterns, you’re also upgrading your self-leadership, which is the core of long-term weight mastery.
What’s your next small step today?
You don’t have to fix your entire life, schedule, or weight journey by 5 p.m. today. You only need to practice one tiny shift:
- Catch one “I’ll start tomorrow” and do two minutes today instead.
- Clarify one fuzzy goal into a simple, specific outcome for this week.
- Swap one “This is hard” for “This is new—and I can grow through it.”
These may seem small, but over time they rewire your brain away from procrastination and toward calm, steady productivity—the kind that supports your health, your work, and your happiness.
If you’d love more support using your mind for you (instead of against you) in your weight journey, I invite you to:
Explore the Shift Weight Mastery Process and the Thin Thinking Podcast library for tools, hypnosis, and mindset strategies that help you release both the weight and the mental clutter that’s been weighing you down.
You’re not “bad at productivity.” You’re learning new ways to lead your beautiful, brilliant brain. And you don’t have to wait until tomorrow to start.
Want to learn more? Check out my free masterclass, How to Stop The “Start Over Tomorrow” Weight Struggle Cycle and Start Releasing Weight For Good.
If you found this episode helpful, you might also enjoy these related Thin Thinking episodes: