BSD

GETTING READY FOR THE HOLIDAYS

PREPARATION/PROCRASTINATION 

The Sabbath comes around every week so most of us have the preparation down pat.  I know some super organized people that do their shopping on Tuesdays, the baking, desserts and all foods that can be prepared in advance, on Wednesdays.  The fish, soup, chicken etc.. on Thursdays and last minute stuff for Fridays-But not all of us are like that-MANY OF US ARE PROCRASTINATORS!

Holiday time, a family occasion or any time that calls for orderly preparation can always be challenging.

FAILING TO PREPARE MEANS PREPARING TO FAIL!

If we are talking about preparing for the Sabbath, which we have every week.  Holidays, which come around every two months or any special occasion in order to end up enjoying these special times and still, be able to continue a healthy regimen we need to learn how to do

ADVANCE PRPARATION.

It has been researched and proven that stress can have a direct affect on the development and control of diabetes and diabetes health related issues. Another good reason to put things in the right prospective and to work on keeping them there!

Some of the excuses that we use for procrastinating might be:

 I perform better under pressure.

 The work I do when I'm not in the mood to work isn't very good.

 I cannot do anything well unless I am feeling tiptop.

 I will get to it when things quiet down. Then it will be done quickly.

Uh-oh, you have the earmarks of a procrastinator. Of course, you have lots of company. Twenty percent of people identify themselves as chronic procrastinators. These are people who do not pay their bills on time, miss opportunities for buying tickets to concerts and leave cooking and meal preparation of holidays and special occasions for the last minute. Let us not even talk about income taxes!

Advance study courses seem to bring out the procrastination in people. In these situations, up to 70 percent of students identify themselves as procrastinators.

Of course, it will not help you get things done any faster to know that procrastination is not good for your health. However, it is important to recognize that putting things off creates higher levels of stress and sends all those stress hormones coursing through your body, wearing it out faster. In addition, it puts you at risk for poor health, because you are just as likely to delay seeking treatment for medical problems, as you are to delay everything else.

Procrastination actually weakens your immune system. It keeps you awake at night. In addition, it does not help much with your relationships either. It makes loved ones resentful, because it shifts the burden of responsibilities onto them.

Both the good news and the bad news is that procrastinators are born not made. Good because it is a learned response and what is learned can be unlearned or changed. The bad news is that while it is possible to change, it takes a lot of psychic energy and effort. Even after all the effort, you do not necessarily feel changed internally.

Some people who think of themselves, as procrastinators really are not. In a world of unending deadlines, they just put too many things on their To Do list. They are not avoiding tasks, the mark of a bona fide procrastinator. They are getting things done, just not as many as they would like.

It is easy to tell whether you are a real procrastinator. According to Joseph Ferrari, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology at De Paul University in Chicago, real procrastinators tell themselves five lies, they:

Overestimate the time they have left to perform tasks.

Underestimate the time it takes to complete tasks.

Overestimate how motivated they will feel the next day, the next week or next month whenever they are putting things off.

Mistakenly think that succeeding at a task requires that they feel like doing it.

Mistakenly believe that working when not in the mood or pressured will not work.

Do things for the wrong reason.

Procrastinators also actively look for distractions, especially ones that do not take heavy-duty commitment on their part. Checking email is tailor-made for this purpose. The dirty little secret is that procrastinators distract themselves as a way of regulating their own emotions, such as fear of failure.

So, face it. Some tasks are never going to be thigh-slappers no matter how long they marinate on your desk. You have to do them now.

How to tackle procrastination? Dr. Ferrari recommends these strategies for reducing procrastination:

Priorities: What comes first? Make a list of everything you have to do. Leave out the impression jobs, the things you want to do to, such as:

Ø Impress your mother-in-law

Ø Impress your guests

Ø Impress your neighbors

Ø Impress your kids and their friends

Ø Impress your husband maybe this one can stay in

Ø Impress yourself

Write a statement of intention. Know why you're doing things and that you can really do it.

MAKE LISTS!!!!!

Set realistic goals.

Break it down into specific tasks.

Make your task meaningful.

Never start a second task until the first one is finished.

Promise yourself a reward. Even if it's just a good cup of coffee!!

Check off items that are finished and eliminate tasks you never plan to do. Be honest!

Estimate the amount of time you think it will take you to complete a task. Then increase the amount by 100 percent.

PREPARING FOR THE SABBATH, A HOLIDAY OR ANY SPECIAL OCCASION IS A MITZVAH. A GOOD DEED MAKE IT FUN, ENJOYABLE AND MOST OF ALL MEMORABLE! 

© Copyright 2026 Jewish Diabetes Association/Nechama Cohen please notify us when using our articles