Procrastination is the counterproductive delaying of completing a work or making a decision. Not only does it prevents us from reaching our objectives, from doing what we have to do to doing what we should do to perfect our lives, but it also creates unnecessary guilt about it.

There's probably no way around procrastinating once in a while, but we aren't powerless about it. Here are some advices to fight procrastination:

• Make one (or many) to-do list: it helps visualize how much work you have to do and checking a completed job gives you a feeling of fulfillment that will keep you going. You can put them on paper or use one of the many online organizers.
• It's also a good habit to write down at the end of each day the list of stuff you have done and those you'll undertake the next day.
• Break down big or annoying tasks into smaller ones. This gives you more tasks to check as completed, and a greater sense of progressing toward completion.
• Start with the most difficult tasks first, then move on to easier ones. As each upcoming job looks easier, you'll feel more compelled to pick it up.
• Have reasonable expectations: some things don't need to be perfect, just to be done. The harder you make it out to be, the more likely you won't get started with it.
• Make it a routine: if you have to do it regularly (ie: cleaning, paying bills), set yourself a regular day to get it done.
• Create reasonable deadlines: not needlessly tight but short enough to remain a firm commitment.
• Force yourself to deal with incoming stuff right: of course it's easy to pile up incoming mail and defer the moment you have to sort it out, but the bigger the pile the less likely you'll do something about it. It's better to actually deal with every letter or item as it arrives.