Putting off procrastination

	Trade perfectionism for realism. Do the best you can in the time you have.
	Face your fears: once you identify why you're procrastinating, you may be ready to get started.
	Work on the most difficult projects at times when you have the most energy.
	Make quick decisions about minor things; minor decisions aren't worth much time.
	Divide large projects into small segments and schedule time with yourself to tackle each one.
	Do it now! Putting off the inevitable only increases your anxiety and makes the task seem even more daunting.
	Divide and conquer projects by number (for example, clean three files per day) or sequence (for example, work on last year, this year, then next year).
	Set a fixed block of time each day to work on a particularly challenging project.
	Complete unappealing tasks early in the day.
	Delegate, barter, or collaborate (say to yourself, "I must get this job done" instead of, "I must do this job").
	Have a friend telephone periodically to check on your progress.
	Reward yourself for each step toward your goal of completion.
	Concentrate on how much better you'll feel when the chore is done.
	Create a deadline for yourself, then meet it.
	Make boring tasks fun: compete with yourself to do them quickly or make a game of doing them a different way.
	Work to improve your skills in areas where you're least comfortable. Skip the task.
	Try the sandwich technique. Spend twenty minutes on a pleasurable activity; then work for an hour on the task you've been avoiding; finally, reward yourself with something else fun to do.
	List all the steps required to complete the task. Check off each step as you complete it.
	Begin anywhere. If you prefer, do the easiest piece first. Continue from there.
	Play soothing music while you're working to make that project more appealing next time.

[back]