Weight-Loss Drugs: Are They Overused?

Weight-loss drugs may help persons lose weight. However, they do not eliminate the need for exercise, a proper diet, and adequate sleep.

Furthermore, often proper diet, exercise, rest, etc., can be effective in attaining and maintaining the proper weight—without using any drugs.

Also, only certain persons are typically eligible to be considered for prescription weight-loss drugs. These include persons with high body mass indexes (BMIs over 30 or over 27 with certain underlying  conditions).

Harmful Side Effects of Weight-Loss Drugs

An Obesity Medicine Association article [1] and a Drugs article [2] are two of many articles that discuss potential harmful side effects of several weight-loss medications.

Diet, Exercise, and Rest Are Important

A UC Davis Health article [3] notes that “exercise is beneficial for everyone,” adding that “it’s nearly impossible to maintain weight loss without it.”

A National Institutes of Health article [4] states: “Medications don’t replace physical activity or healthy eating habits as a way to lose weight. Studies show that weight management medications work best when combined with a lifestyle program.”

A Mayo Clinic article [5] notes: “you need to use prescription weight-loss drugs in addition to — not instead of — a healthy diet and exercise.”

Numerous websites also point out the importance of getting adequate sleep in order to attain and maintain a healthy weight, including the National Institutes of Health article cited earlier.

Various options are available for exercise and diet. Personally, I enjoy bicycling. If your neighborhood has a safe place to bike, I urge you to consider bicycling too. Below are a 2023 photo of my bicycle which I still ride at least occasionally and an October 30, 2025 photo of some foods I eat.

Closing Thoughts

I am not a medical professional or a dietician. I cannot give any medical or dietary advice. However, here in the United States we often seem to seek drugs for an easy fix to health issues or their symptoms, rather than making lifestyle changes that could be more effective with fewer negative side effects.

Persons who eat a healthy, nutritious diet in moderation, exercise regularly, get adequate rest, and maintain a healthy lifestyle in other respects may not need to take a weight-loss drug to maintain a healthy weight.

Ultimately, I think the highest righteous power, which I call God, has control over our health and destiny. But we have a free will to make choices that impact ourselves and others for better or worse. As I see it, seeking to eat a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and engaging in other aspects of a healthy lifestyle help us maintain a healthy weight.

I've never taken any weight-loss medication. God has blessed me to maintain a healthy diet without it, even though I confess I'm not perfect at eating, exercising, resting, etc.     

Weight-loss drugs are a supplement that only those who need them ought to seek to take. It's debatable whether or not weight-loss medications are overused. Personally, I feel that they are.   

ENDNOTES:   

[1] Weight Loss Medication Side Effects: Know Before You Start; Obesity Medicine Association; January 20, 2024; webpage accessed November 7, 2025;  https://obesitymedicine.org/blog/5-common-weight-loss-medications-their-side-effects-obesity-medicine-association/ 

[2] Anderson, Leigh Ann (medically reviewed article); “Side Effects of Weight Loss Drugs; Drugs.com; ; last updated February 3, 2025; webpage accessed November 7, 2025; https://www.drugs.com/article/side-effects-weight-loss-drugs.html 

[3] Can weight loss medications really help you lose weight?; UC Davis Health; August 28, 2024; webpage accessed November 7, 2025; https://health.ucdavis.edu/blog/cultivating-health/can-weight-loss-medications-help-you-lose-weight/2024/08 

[4] “Prescription Medications to Treat Overweight & Obesity”; National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney  Diseases; National Institutes of Health; last reviewed June 2024; webpage accessed November 7, 2025; https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/weight-management/prescription-medications-treat-overweight-obesity 

[5] Mayo Clinic Staff; “Prescription weight-loss drugs: Study the pros and cons of medicines to treat obesity.” Mayo Clinic; October 29, 2022; Webpage accessed November 7, 2025; https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/in-depth/weight-loss-drugs/art-20044832 

The Thanksgiving/Christmas Season: The Best Season of the Year

I declare November 1^st to be the beginning of the Thanksgiving/Christmas season. Yes, I put both Thanksgiving and Christmas together.

Thanksgiving and Christmas both remind me of wonderful family fellowship and God’s innumerable blessings to be thankful for. Both holidays encourage compassion, generosity, kindness, and love for others.

Extended family being together and mom’s homecooked food made a nice combination. Gift exchanges often occurred at Christmas too.  

I cherish marvelous memories of Thanksgivings and Christmases together with family. Others did the cooking for the fellowship meal. But at mom’s I was usually the one who added the extra chairs in the dining room. I wanted everyone to have a seat in the same room.

If you’re not able to get together with family or friends for Thanksgiving or Christmas, perhaps you can enjoy nice fellowship and food at some church or community gathering.

For some, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and/or other holidays are a sad or even depressing time due to a loved one that has passed on, bad memories, etc. Numerous resources offer articles that may help. These include a UC Davis article, [1] a Johns Hopkins Medicinearticle, [2] a Mayo Clinic article, [3] and a Mental Health America of Wisconsin article.[4]

But for me and I hope most others, it’s a joyous, wonderful time of year.

Christmas Music

Christmas music helps get me in the Christmas spirit.

In Lexington, Kentucky, where I live, one radio station (94.5 FM) often begins playing Christmas music on the evening of October 31^st. I love it!

During the Christmas season I often play either the radio tuned to that station or one of my CDs or audiocassettes. I still have more audiocassettes than CDs. In 2016 I wrote a Blogger article about Christmas music that lists 133 Christmas songs.

My Christmas Decorations

Yesterday, November 2^nd, 2025, I put up my Christmas tree and some of my decorations. Today I put up more. However, I’ll wait till the Friday after Thanksgiving to put up my outdoor decorations out of respect for my neighbors who are not yet ready for the season.

When to take them down? I sometimes take mine down on December 26^th, but I often wait till January. I wrote a Blogger article in 2013 about when to take Christmas decorations down.

Below is a photo of my decorated Christmas tree. Not visible in the photo are some candles, greenery, and snow globes in the background. It’s a small tree, less than one foot tall. But it adds nicely to my apartment’s décor.

More About Christmas

Christmas means a lot to me, as I discussed in a 2016 Blogger article.

Snow at Christmas makes it even more special. Here in Kentucky a white Christmas (one with at least 1 inch of snow on the ground) seldom happens. But when it does, it adds a calm, peaceful, seasonal aspect to the atmosphere. The “Let It Snow” banner pictured below is in my apartment. I plan to put a second one up on the outside of my apartment door after Thanksgiving.

The birth of Jesus may often be sidelined, and indeed Jesus likely was not born on December 25^th. Still, I think it’s a great tradition to celebrate his birth on that day. I look forward to putting the Nativity scene pictured below on my door after Thanksgiving.

Relatively few persons still send out Christmas cards. But I enjoy sending and receiving them. I post those received in my apartment.

I also send Facebook and email greetings, as well as making phone calls. However, there’s something about a colorful Christmas card with a beautiful scene--and a personal note added—that is special.

I hope  you agree with the message on the plaque that is pictured below.

Christmas is for everyone. The teachings of Jesus are appreciated by many who are not Christians. Furthermore, lots of others love the festivities and “Christmas Spirit” of the season.

If there is a friend, neighbor, or relative you’ve not been in contact with recently, Christmas (or Thanksgiving) is an especially wonderful time to renew that relationship with a visit, phone call, email, Facebook message, Christmas card, gift, etc. Christmas is also a nice time to donate to worthy charities.

Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas, everyone!          

ENDNOTES:

---

[1] “10 tips to reduce stress and take care of yourself during the holidays”; UC Davis; December 12, 2023, updated December 19, 2024; webpage accessed November 3,  2025; https://health.ucdavis.edu/blog/cultivating-health/10-tips-to-reduce-stress-and-take-care-of-yourself-during-the-holidays/2023/12

[2] “4 Mindful Tips to De-Stress This Holiday Season”; Johns Hopkins Medicine; webpage accessed November 3, 2025; https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/4-mindful-tips-to-destress-this-holiday-season

 [3] “9 tips to fend off holiday stress”; Mayo Clinic; December 3, 2021; webpage accessed November 3, 2025; https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/fend-off-holiday-stress-with-these-tips

 [4] “Holiday Depression & Stress”; Mental Health America of Wisconsin; webpage accessed November 3, 2025; https://www.mhawisconsin.org/holidaystress.aspx

NOTE:

I work part-time at a retail store that offers many items related to Thanksgiving and Christmas among the numerous things it sells.

Alcoholic Beverage Sales: Ban Them Permanently For Those Now Under Age 21

Evidence is mounting about the harmful effects of alcoholic beverages—even consumed in moderation.  More about this is mentioned later in this article.

I support prohibiting the sale of alcoholic beverages to those under age 21 permanently—even after they reach the current legal age of 21 to buy them.

It might be better to prohibit the manufacture and sale of alcoholic beverages to all. However, the millions of persons who currently consume them legally might seek to buy them illegally, as happened during the Prohibition of the 1920s and 1930s that is discussed in the next section.  

Prohibition of 1920-1933

The United States tried totally banning the manufacture and sale of alcoholic beverages in the 20^th Century. The passage of the 18^th Amendment to the United States Constitution led to a ban on the manufacture and sale of alcoholic beverages from early in 1920 to the ratification of the 21^st Amendment to the Constitution in December 1933. During the Prohibition years substantial illegal alcoholic beverage manufacture and sale took place, as well as other accompanying criminal activity.  Accurate records of how many illegal purchases occurred probably don’t exist.

Permanently Prohibiting Sales to Those Now Under 21 Is Different

Preventing persons from drinking alcoholic beverages before they start is easier than helping alcoholics or even occasional social drinkers kick their habit.

Many under age 21 currently drink illegally, occasionally at least. But even those who do so lack the years of addiction that alcoholics in their 30s, 40s, 50s, and older often have. Furthermore, the percentage of underage persons who drink such beverages is declining significantly, as reported by Responsibility[1] and other sources. A National Institute on Drug Abuse survey was cited as the source of the information on the Responsibility website.

Why Prohibition Is Beneficial

A U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) article [2] states: “If you don't currently drink, don't start for any reason.”

The same CDC article goes on to add: “Some past studies had suggested that moderate drinking might be good for your health. But scientists highly debate these findings. More studies now show that there aren't health benefits of moderate drinking compared to not drinking.

“Many past studies did not consider other factors that could have influenced the results.”

Similarly, a Mayo Clinic article [3] states: “Drinking alcohol in any amount carries a health risk.”

TheAmerican Heart Association states [4]: “If you don’t drink alcohol, don’t start.”

Worse is the fact that many who seek to only drink moderately end up binge drinking at least occasionally or become chronic alcoholics.

Virtually everyone I’ve asked who drinks alcoholic beverages admits to having overindulged at least once—often far more frequently. Some have vomited, driven motor vehicles drunk, forgotten what they did when they were drunk, etc.

A National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism article [5] discusses numerous harmful effects from overindulging.

Personal Perspective and Closing Thoughts

Personally, I am a teetotaler. But I have many friends who drink and/or have drunk excessively. During my college years I saw lots of other students drunk and getting drunk. I disliked seeing the vomit in dorm hallways and on sidewalks. I disliked seeing beer cans, beer and bourbon bottles, etc., littering up areas. Glass from the broken bottles is a problem, but drunken driving and chronic diseases from alcohol abuse can be much worse.

Below is a photo of a beer can I picked up from a roadway and then photographed in a safe place. 

I sympathize with persons who overindulge in alcoholic beverages. I’m grateful for organizations like Alcoholics Anonymous that seek to help with the addiction, as well as various recovery centers.

However, I’d prefer persons never get started drinking alcoholic beverages. Let’s seek to spare the next generation from the alcohol problems experienced in the present and in the past.       

ENDNOTES:

[1] "New Report Shows Underage Drinking Reaches Record Low Levels"; Responsibility.org; December 17, 2024; webpage accessed November 2, 2025;  

https://www.responsibility.org/new-report-shows-underage-drinking-reaches-record-low-levels/

[2]  “About Moderate Alcohol Use”; U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; January 14, 2025; webpage accessed November 2, 2025; https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/about-alcohol-use/moderate-alcohol-use.html 

[3] Mayo Clinic Staff; “Alcohol use: Weighing risks and benefits”; Mayo Clinic; June 21, 2024; webpage accessed November 2, 2025; https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/alcohol/art-20044551 

[4] “Is drinking alcohol part of a healthy lifestyle?”; American Heart Association; last reviewed September 30, 2025; webpage accessed November 2, 2025;  https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/nutrition-basics/alcohol-and-heart-health 

[5] “Alcohol’s Effects on the Body”; National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health; updated June 2025; webpage accessed November 2, 2025; https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohols-effects-health/alcohols-effects-body

NOTE:

I work part-time at a retail store that offers beer as one of the numerous products it sells.    

 

Make Standard Time Permanent: Eliminate Twice a Year Time Changes

I dislike changing time twice a year.

Most others do too. Polls (discussed below) indicate that far more persons in the United States support eliminating the time changes than support keeping them.

I especially detest in a sense losing an hour of sleep in the spring with the moving ahead one hour. I support making standard time permanent.

Medical professionals generally also seem to feel that it is better for our health to avoid the time change and to keep standard time, as pointed out in an American Medical Association article [1] and other articles.

Eliminating the time required to manually set certain clocks back or ahead (such as the clocks pictured below) is another (though perhaps minor) reason to stop the time changes.

Polls

A January 2025 Gallup poll [2] found that a majority of persons desired to eliminate the time change. It also found person preferred standard time over daylight saving time.

An October 2025 AP/NORC poll [3] also found persons preferred eliminating the time change. However, that poll found more persons preferred daylight saving time to standard time.

My guess is that since the Gallup poll was taken while standard time was in effect and the AP/NORC poll was taken while daylight saving time was in effect, the dates of  the surveys biased the results. 

Perhaps persons preferred to keep the time then in effect, rather than changing. But that’s just my guess.     

Permanent Daylight Saving Time Was Unpopular

When daylight saving time was made permanent year round in the 1970s, numerous complaints occurred, as noted by an NPR article [4] and numerous other sources. One problem is that schoolchildren were waiting for buses in the dark. In Florida “eight schoolchildren were hit by cars in the dark” according to a CNN article [5], as well as a Time article [6]. “Permanent” daylight saving time did not last long.

Permanent Standard Time

My view is that permanent standard time will be much more popular than permanent daylight saving time was. As mentioned earlier medical professionals seem to dislike both changing time and permanent daylight saving time, citizens prefer avoiding the time change, and the 1970s experiment with permanent daylight saving time failed.

Many sources note that before the 20th century there was no daylight saving time. Standard time was standard. Let's make it that way again.

Federal law allows individual states to keep standard time year round, but it doesn’t allow them to keep daylight saving time year round. If federal legislation isn’t passed to make standard time permanent, individual states can decide to go to permanent standard time.

If numerous states do so, it would put more pressure on federal legislators to take action. Currently Hawaii and all of Arizona except the Navajo Nation are on standard time year round, as noted by numerous sources. 

Permanent standard time will provide more daylight in the morning hours as students are going to school than daylight saving time. Furthermore, it will still be daylight when the school day ends.

I strongly advocate Congress passing legislation to make standard time permanent. I’ve emailed my two Senators and my Representative urging such action. I urge readers to do so also. Together, I’m confident we can get this change accomplished.    

ENDNOTES:

---

[1]  Smith, Timothy M.; “Sleep doctors’ orders: Use standard time 365 days a year”; American Medical Association; March 5, 2024; webpage accessed November 1, 2025; https://www.ama-assn.org/public-health/prevention-wellness/sleep-doctors-orders-use-standard-time-365-days-year

[2] Evans, Mary Claire and Jones, Jeffrey M.; “More Than Half in U.S. Want Daylight Saving Time Sunsetted”; Gallup; March 4, 2025; webpage accessed November 1, 2025; https://news.gallup.com/poll/657584/half-daylight-saving-time-sunsetted.aspx

[3]   Hajela, Deepti and Sanders, Linley; “How Americans feel about changing the clocks, according to a new AP-NORC poll”; APNews; updated October 30, 2025; 8:54 a.m.; webpage accessed November 1, 2025; https://apnews.com/article/daylight-saving-time-clocks-back-08069f6389b26db6ee27313f116069cb

[4] Davis, Susan; ”The U.S. tried permanent daylight saving time in the 1970s — then quickly rejected it”; NPR; March 19, 2022, 5:00 a.m. ET; webpage accessed November 1, 2025; https://www.npr.org/2022/03/19/1087280464/the-u-s-tried-permanent-daylight-saving-time-in-the-1970s-then-quickly-rejected-

[5]  Hetter, Katia and Mays, Stephen; “Daylight saving time is controversial. Here’s why the US kept it”;  CNN; updated October 29, 2025, 1:54 p.m.EDT; webpage accessed November 1, 2025; https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/05/health/daylight-saving-time-explainer-wellness

[6] Waxman, Olivia B.; “The U.S. Tried Permanent Daylight Saving Time Before. Here’s What Happened”; Time; March 17, 2022; webpage accessed November 1, 2025; https://time.com/6157915/daylight-saving-time-history/

Eat Cheap: Buy and Prepare Low-Cost, Nutritious Foods

Many years ago, at one time my kitchen food inventory consisted of flour, baking soda and/or baking powder, sugar, cooking oil, and some spices. 

My next meal was going to be shortbread cookies or sugar cookies. That's not a good situation.

I hope you are not at that point and never get there. Of course, I wasn't desperate then. I had resources available to help me. I could have sought help from relatives, friends, my church, a food pantry, food stamps, etc.

But I wanted to be self sufficient when reasonably feasible. And I'm confident work would have come along in due time too as I sought harder for it.

It usually takes money to buy food. But there are ways to reduce food costs. 

It’s possible to prepare low-cost, nutritious foods at home. Furthermore, this often requires relatively few ingredients and can be prepared without devoting a whole day to the kitchen.

The USDA Scientific Report of the 2025 DietaryGuidelines Advisory Committee[*] recommends a diet focused on fruits, vegetables, whole grains and other grains, beans, lentils, nuts, legumes, and seeds, accompanied by dairy (or fortified soy dairy-alternatives). Such a diet can actually be much cheaper than a traditional U.S. meat-based diet and healthier too.

The government report recommends we limit intake of “red and processed meats, sugar-sweetened foods and beverages, refined grains, and saturated fat.”

The food suggestions I list in this article basically abide by these government guidelines.  

Below is a photo of some of the components of my personal diet, followed by a discussion of various food groups.

Fruits

Fruits can be cheap in supermarkets. If bananas sell for 60 cents per pound and it takes two bananas to make a pound, that is a cost of only 30 cents per banana. That’s tasty, nutritious, and much cheaper than a candy bar.

Some variety of apples is typically on sale each week. And at least one other type of in-season fruit is also typically on sale each week.

Canned and dried fruits are also relatively cheap per serving.

One advantage of fruits is that they may be eaten raw, requiring no cooking. However, they can also be baked in recipes.

Vegetables

This week I bought a ten-pound bag of potatoes for $5.99 at a Kroger supermarket. Potatoes can be baked, boiled, mashed, fried, or put into a soup. They’re a versatile, nutritious vegetable.

Carrots are also relatively cheap per serving. Furthermore, each week some other type of fresh vegetable is usually on sale at supermarkets at reasonable prices, often including some type of dark green vegetable.

Frozen and canned vegetables are also relatively cheap per serving.

Whole Grains and Grains

Whole wheat flour, cornmeal, oatmeal, spaghetti, macaroni, and wheat farina are all relatively cheap per serving. Many other grains exist too.

Whole wheat flour can be used for biscuits, pancakes, quick breads (cinnamon-raisin bread, banana bread, etc.), and homemade cookies, among other things. I use cornmeal to make cornbread. Spaghetti is tasty with marinara sauce. Macaroni goes well with cheese.

Popcorn, quick breads, and homemade cookies sweetened with applesauce or raisins are delicious snacks.

As for myself, I love chocolate chip cookies! I rationalize that if I use whole wheat flour and a very small amount of 100% stevia as a sweetener, and dark chocolate chips, that the cookies are not too bad if eaten in moderation. 

Beans, Lentils, and Legumes

I grew up in southeastern Kentucky eating a lot of pinto beans and cornbread. Pinto beans are tasty. But many other types of beans exist too: black beans, kidney beans, lima beans, cranberry beans, navy beans, great northern beans, etc.

Personally, I don’t consider cooked lentils as tasty as beans. But lentils don’t need the presoaking that most beans do, so they can be prepared more quickly. I enjoy them occasionally as a change from beans.

I also enjoy peanuts, either dry roasted or in peanut butter. Officially peanuts are legumes, not nuts.

Nuts and Seeds

In moderation nuts are nutritious. I buy mixed nuts and try eating them in moderation,  since they are relatively high in fat. In addition to mixed nuts, I sometimes buy bags of walnuts, cashews, almonds, and other nuts.

I also enjoy seeds, such as sunflower seeds, which I eat either raw or roasted. I also often sprinkle ground flaxseeds on breakfast cereal.

Nuts and seeds will keep for months, so buy them on sale. Most are relatively cheap on sale.

Final Thoughts

I’m not a dietician or a medical professional. I cannot give dietary or medical advice. However, I feel that the foods mentioned above can be a significant part of a well-balanced, nutritious diet.

Personally, I also take a daily multivitamin as well as a daily capsule that offers a vegan algae source for omega-3 fatty acids. Since I’m seeking to adhere to a vegan diet I use enriched, unsweetened soymilk as a substitute for dairy milk.  Both the soymilk and the multivitamin include vitamin B-12.

Yes, you can eat a nutritious, low-cost diet.

ENDNOTES:

[*] “Scientific Report of the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee”; United States Department of Agriculture; webpage accessed October 31, 2025; https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2024-12/Scientific_Report_of_the_2025_Dietary_Guidelines_Advisory_Committee_508c.pdf

NOTE:

Much of this article is adapted from a Google Blogger article I published on October 24, 2016, titled “Eat a Vegan Diet for Under $5 a Day” with  https://oneopinionsomeviews.blogspot.com/2016/10/vegan-diet-for-under-5-day.html as its URL.

Procrastination: Some Ways to Reduce It

 I’ve dealt with procrastination for years. Over time, I’ve found some ways to reduce it.

Those of us who are procrastinators can perhaps take comfort in the fact that we are not alone. A Solitaired study^[1] indicated that “99% of Americans admit to procrastinating tasks.”

Numerous resources exist online that discuss what procrastination is, what causes it, and that offer suggestions for dealing with it. A SolvingProcrastination website article^[2] includes numerous statistics on procrastination gathered from studies. The website includes other useful articles related to procrastination on topics such as why persons procrastinate and how to stop doing it.

I've also read or skimmed numerous books seeking to help with this over the years. Below is a photo of some of those.

Two Main Reasons I Procrastinate

Personally, I feel that two of the main reasons I procrastinate are (1): I want to delay doing something I dislike, and (2): I sometimes feel that even if I avoid procrastinating, that I’ll still be taking a long time to finish a project, to get it correct, so delaying the work doesn’t delay the finish. I seek perfection. Many feel that perfectionism is one of the major causes of procrastination. I agree.

One thing that helps me with reason #1 above is “the Five-Minute Plan” that various sources discuss, including the books Overcoming Procrastination[3] and Doing It Now.”^[4] If there’s a task I don’t want to do, I set a timer for five minutes. Then I begin working on some aspect of the job. Often I find that once I start, I desire to keep going and devote much more than five minutes to it—which is what the two books state frequently happens. Interest and momentum seem to help carry me on.

Overcoming the second reason I list above is often more difficult. However, if I budget a certain amount of time for a task and seek to avoid devoting too much time to correcting it by going on to some other task, it helps.

To Do Lists

One step toward overcoming procrastination is the creation of a “To Do List.” However, while “To Do Lists” are good for remembering what to do, by itself they don’t lead to one doing the things on the list. I know that from personal experience.

Prioritizing the items on the “To Do List” and setting aside specific times for each helps. But again I know from personal experience that I can allow other things to change plans, often unnecessarily.

Still, “To Do Lists” help me, especially when combined with the “Five-Minute Plan” and exerting discipline to devote a certain amount of time to a project to help deal with perfectionism.

Prayer

I am a nondenominational Christian. I find specific, genuine prayer is helpful. If I prayed more frequently and more fervently it could be more helpful. Above all, I seek to pray for God's perfect will to be done.

But prayer must be followed by action.

A Good Question to Ask

We need to commit to using our time effectively and to seek to follow through. In the book How to Get Control of Your Time and Your Life,^[5] Alan Lakein urges persons procrastinating to ask the question, “What is the best use of my time now?” Asking this question is often helpful for me. I even posted the question in my apartment.

The “Urgent” Versus the “Important” and Closing Thoughts

Numerous writers have discussed the importance of distinguishing between “urgent” things that seem to need done now and “important” things that may not have an immediate deadline. Some things are both urgent (need done now) and important, but usually the two things differ—unless one puts off an important task until it’s almost due, making it both important and urgent.

Personally, I often find myself procrastinating on tasks I consider important, such as work on my fourth book. Instead I do “urgent” tasks such as grocery shopping, cooking, washing dishes, doing laundry, showering, replying to emails, sorting papers, reading an entertaining book, surfing the Internet, etc. This is a big problem if such procrastination leads to the book not being finished in a timely manner.

The week before I schedule publication, that book may be both urgent and important. But if I work on the book regularly ahead of time, its quality will be better, and I’ll feel less rushed.

Following the suggestions I mentioned earlier in the article helps me focus on the important and avoid rushing into doing “urgent” tasks that aren’t truly urgent. Often “urgent” tasks can be delayed. Some can even be skipped entirely. I certainly could reduce the time I devote to surfing the Internet.

I don’t claim to have defeated procrastination. But I’m making progress. The tips in this article may help you to do so also.

ENDNOTES:    

---

^[1]  Taparia, Neal; “The States with the Worst Procrastinators”; Solitaired.com; April 30, 2024;https://solitaired.com/states-with-the-most-procrastinators

 webpage accessed October 23rd, 2025.

 ^[2]  Shatz, Phd., Itamar; “Procrastination Statistics: Interesting and Useful Statistics About Procrastination”; Solving Procrastination.com;  https://solvingprocrastination.com/procrastination-statistics/

 webpage accessed October 23rd, 2025;

[3] Ellis, Albert and Knaus, William J.; Overcoming Procrastination; pages 100-101; copyright 1977; read in Signet paperback edition first published in 1979.

^[4] Bliss, Edwin C.; Doing It Now; copyright 1983; pages 24-25; read in Bantam paperback edition published October 1984.

 ^[5] Lakein, Alan; How to Get Control of Your Time and Your Life; copyright 1973; page 97; quote taken from Signet paperback printing.