It’s amazing the things we can come up with on our to-do lists to avoid doing something we don’t want to do. We’ve all been there, right? What are some of the reasons that we procrastinate?

• We dislike the task
• The task is overwhelming
• We don’t know where to start
• We struggle with perfectionism

These are just some of the reasons for putting things off. Let’s explore some strategies that you can use to minimize procrastination in your world:

Divide and Conquer - Break large, complex tasks into smaller “bite-size” pieces. One of the most common things we hear from new clients is that they are overwhelmed by their situation and they don’t know where to start. The first thing we do is to help them break their goal (to get organized) into smaller, more specific tasks. If you have a large task, make a list of the steps you need to take to complete it. Then tackle one step at a time until you’ve finished. It is much easier to motivate yourself to do several smaller tasks rather than one large task.

Eat That Frog! – In his book, Eat That Frog!, time management expert Brian Tracy encourages us to start each day with the our toughest task first. I couldn’t agree more. Whether it is making sales calls, doing laundry, or writing a monthly newsletter (who me??), start your day with that task and everything else on your to-do list seems easy after you’ve "eaten the frog".

Just Do It! – Nike is onto something! If you are having a hard time getting started on a task, commit to spend just 15 minutes on it and get started immediately. Set a timer and you might just surprise yourself and go longer. If not, that’s ok too. You are that much further along.

Schedule an Appointment - ...with yourself. If you are having trouble getting started, schedule an appointment on your calendar. Block off the time you need to get it done. You don’t break appointments with co-workers, so don’t break one with yourself.

For me, writing this newsletter is a task that I procrastinate on each and every month. As I've been writing, I’ve managed to check the results of my football picks from last week, call my husband, check email, return a couple of phone calls, etc. It looks like I still have some work to do in this department! Whether you find yourself procrastinating at home, at work, or both, try implementing some of these strategies and watch your productivity soar! I'll do the same.