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Last week I heard a quote that really resonated with me.

It was along the lines of: Nothing is ever as important as the person experiencing it right now believes it to be.

Ok, so I’ve butchered it a little. And I don’t know who to credit it too… however I’m sure you get my drift.

It’s applicable from the seemingly insignificant: Perhaps that delicious bowl of wedges that everyone else is demolishing and you’re steadfastly ignoring however WOW your conscious ignoring is pretty hugely all consuming!

Those gorgeous, hot, crispy, comforting wedges seem pretty important in this moment. They’re not though. We both know they’re not.

Or of more obvious significance: The house you just missed out on. The promotion you didn’t get. The failed relationship. Now these can be size-able set-backs. Worthy of mourning.

Though honestly, when you look back on some of your disappointments of the past? Were they really as detrimental and debilitating as you imagined they would be? And if they were, did they have to be?? 

Or perhaps, by accepting full responsibility, could you have chosen to make your experiences mean something else? Or mean less disappointment? You know that often the subject matter of my podcast is something I’m currently dealing with.

(if you don’t… now you do!)

So when I mention Lazy Thinking please also know I’m first and foremost speaking from experience and speaking to myself! 

I’ve been tackling some of my own lazy thinking recently. It’s also something I’ve discussed in previous shows and posts on overwhelm.

I believe overwhelm is lazy thinking. It’s allowing yourself to dwell on EVERYTHING. Generally focusing especially on those things that are not within your control. When really all you ever need to focus on is what you can control. And what is the number ONE next most important thing to do right now.

Reflecting on my recent lazy, ineffective and UN-fun thinking I’ve realized how easy it is for your un-coralled thoughts to stampede off in detrimental directions. They’ll gather momentum swiftly and become self perpetuating. If you let them.

With reining in your (and my!) UN-fun thinking in mind, today I’m sharing:

3 Tactics To Tighten Up Lazy Thinking. 

For fun I’m going to model todays show on A Day In The Life format. Like I did way back in show #185 on: A Day In The Life Of An Effective Fat Loss Mindset. Also in show #223 A Day In The Life: REFRAMES revisited. I’ll link to both in the show notes for today.

Let’s get rolling with 3 Tactics To Tighten Up Lazy Thinking…

One: Control The Energy / Fuel You Give A Thought / Experience. 

It’s stupid o’clock and little miss lazy thinkings’ alarm shatters her blissful slumber. “You’ve got to be kidding” miss lazy moans “I feel like I just went to sleep! I’m exhausted.”

At this point miss lazy has two choices. She can continue to fuel her sleep hazed UN-fun thinking: “How can I be expected to be productive when I feel like this? If I skip the gym I can get an extra hours shut eye. And a muffin and large cappuccino should spark me up a bit for my first client.”

OR, she can tighten up her lazy thinking: “That’s it! I am not waking up like this again. Tonight I will be in bed at least 7 hours before my ideal wake up time. In fact I’ll even set a go to bed alarm. Now what is the best fuel I can feed my body before I hit the gym?”

Two: Overcome Overwhelm.  

Midway through the day little miss lazy thinking is swamped with tasks that demand to be handled. They ALL seem urgent and important. “Where do I even start?” miss lazy grumbles “It’s too hard. I’ll never get it ALL done. What’s the point of even trying? Maybe it’ll seem more doable if I just chill for a bit with another coffee… and a biscuit… while I suss out what’s happening on Instagram…”

OR, as I cover in show #013 Overwhelm is lazy thinking she can tighten up her lazy thinking by first: Admitting she will never get it ALL done. I hope that sounds freeing. It’s meant to! Then it simply becomes a matter of prioritization. Here are 3 steps to follow:

Step 1. Prioritize what is most important to you.

These are the big rocks in your life. The things that keep you happy, healthy and effective. Also the things that pay the bills.

Perhaps: Sleep. Meal Prep. Exercise. Meditation. Time with loved ones. Time in nature. Oh yes, and your career!

Step 2. Lock and load your big rocks into a schedule.

Although it makes sense to make time for all those things you just thought of that keep you happy, healthy and effective… and it’s rational to give them the time they deserve. The fact is we don’t always act rationally. Ok, I’ll speak for ME! I certainly don’t always act rationally. There are too many other factors at play. Emotions. Other peoples emotions. Hunger. Despondency.

A daily discipline quota that feels all used up by 12pm!

That’s why a schedule is valuable to help you make time for your most important big rocks. 

Step 3. Set up the systems, tactics or little mind games you play with yourself to make sticking to your schedule of big rocks happen.

Sometimes a perfect schedule isn’t enough. Especially when you’re dealing with a habit you have not made stick yet. A set day and time helps however some consequences, rewards and accountability are also often necessary. I’m also a fan of using:

The Anti-Mentor: that person you really don’t want to be! I dedicate the #230 show to the anti-mentor.

The Reframe. I dedicate the #031 show to the power of the reframe.

I cover one of my fav little mind game tactics to tighten up lazy thinking next in the third tactic…

Three: Utilize Complex Equivalence. 

As the busy day draws to a close little miss lazy thinking can’t help but reflect on the days disappointments. “Does only getting to the first item on her to do list mean she’s a slow, ineffective worker?” “Could an afternoon slump mean she’s just not a disciplined person?” “Or does it mean it’s time to joyfully ditch that low processed carb, primarily one ingredient food focused approach to eating her personal trainer advocates? Surely her trainer is too extreme!”

OR, she can tighten up her lazy thinking by using complex equivalence to her advantage. A complex equivalence is when you make something mean something else. Two meanings are considered to be synonymous… even though this might not be factual. It does not matter whether your complex equivalence are true or factual. It only matters whether they are effective. More effective complex equivalence are:

Only getting to do the first item on a to do list MEANS it’s vital to continuing prioritising what is of most value and therefore first on that to do list.

An afternoon slump MEANS enough sleep the night before, great fuel and adequate water are non-negotiables.

Every single day survived without resorting to processed carbs MEANS one day closer to when eating primarily one ingredient food just happens naturally and sustainably.

Now some of these tactics may sound like a bit of a stretch. And of course they are manufactured. Mind games you play with yourself to get a better result. The thing I remind myself is: Does playing little mind games with myself mean I’m a little bonkers?

OR, Could it rather mean I’m more focused on the results I get to achieve when I tighten up my lazy thinking?

To get actionable today, is there a particular tactic you could use to rein in your most UN-fun, lazy thinking? To recap,

One: Control The Energy / Fuel You Give A Thought / Experience. 

Two: Overcome Overwhelm.  

Three: Utilize Complex Equivalence. 

That’s it for me today. Thanks so very much for hanging with me today. I appreciate it.

If you liked, 3 Tactics To Tighten Up Lazy Thinking you’ll also like: Overwhelm is lazy thinking

If you’re yet to share the Healthification love – just click here to zip over to iTunes and leave an honest rating and review. It’d help me out big time. With gratitude, Kate.