Procrastination is my middle name...

So yesterday was meant to be a day dedicated to writing. No reading. No surfing the internet. Simply writing. But somehow the ‘procrastination bug’ got to me and wouldn’t let me go. Instead of writing, I watched a an episode of ER that I had taped earlier in the week, then I watched Fox News and CNN, then I watched the rain fall…. But I kept my promise - I didn’t read and I didn’t surf the internet. And eventually, I did get in a couple of hours of writing. Not nearly enough, which means I’ll just have to work even harder over the weekend…

But I'm not alone. According to a study done by Piers Steel, Canadian industrial psychologist, procrastination is becoming more and more common. Why ? A lot of it has to do with the increase in the amount of ways to get distracted - TV, play stations, MP3, cellphones, email, internet, blackberries, etc, etc. Everything is just a click away…

But if you think procrastination is harmless, think again. Occasional procrastination is okay, but watch out if it starts to become a habit. The study has found that chronic procrastination makes people poorer, fatter, and unhappier. Which doesn’t sound so appealing.

So STOP THE PROCRASTINATION NOW!!!

How? Piers Steel offers the following recommendations:

- Pre-commitment. Force yourself to do what needs to be done.
- Do unpleasant work when you have the most energy, early and in the morning.
- Get attainable goals and do the work in steps.
- Unplug distractions, such as television and computers.
- The five-minute rule. Commit to doing the job for five minutes. At the end of five minutes, commit to another five minutes.
- Examine the reasons you procrastinate. Ask yourself what makes doing the work too difficult and why would it get easier with time.

I have a further recommendation - promise yourself a treat when you’re finished. Think chocolate, good coffee, dinner out, champagne, a holiday…

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