This month I thought I would address the subject of "procrastination".

      Lets just admit it, at sometime or another we all have put something off that we know we should be doing or should have done.

So why do we wait and keep putting it off?

After doing some research on the subject, I have found that it is so universal, because the human brain, it turns out is wired for it.

Without getting to technical, the front of our brain gets the job done, but not automatically, you have to kick it into gear. For example,(I have to organize my closet). The moment you're not consciously engaged in a task, your limbic system (one of the oldest and most dominant portions of the brain) takes over, you give into what feels good -you procrastinate.

The solution for procrastination is to outsmart it.

Here are a few ways to do this.

DO THE WORST THING FIRST

Attack the hardest task first when your energy is high, this will give you a better chance of success.

It may not be the biggest task (decluttering the basement), but it may be the worst (going through the piles of papers on your desk).

MAKE THE JOB SMALLER

Instead of trying to clean out the entire closet, start with a small drawer, that should give you a sense of satisfaction to continue.

Don't be disheartened by how much you can't do, look at how much you can.

GET A BUDDY SYSTEM

It's easy to not get something done when you have to answer to yourself, but if you have someone else you need to be accountable to, it can become a powerful motivator.

PUT YOURSELF ON THE CLOCK

Try setting a timer for 10 minutes, work in a focused manner for that short stretch, and see what happens. If that works try 30 minutes, you may end up working longer.

DON'T ALLOW FOR INTERRUPTIONS

If you get pulled away by a ringing phone or children needing you, ask for help from family members to fill in for you until your task is done.

Remember, other people aren't interrupting you, you are interrupting yourself.

I hope this helps you tackle that job, you should have done months ago, and the old saying of "I'll do it tomorrow" can be a thing of the past.