Ever wonder how to stop procrastinating?

I was recently talking with a friend who said, "You know, I need to have guests over to my house more often." "Why is that?" I asked. "Because that seems to be the only time I really clean my house," she responded.

Isn't that the truth! Deadlines and commitments have a wonderful way of forcing us to get things done which have to be done. It is easy to procrastinate about doing something when there is no one to hold you accountable.

Think about it!

You may be the worst procrastinator on earth about certain things like housework or dreaded work projects but chances are you file your tax return on time ever year.

This is because the federal government has placed a deadline on filing tax returns and they hold us accountable if they are not done.

If you want to stop procrastinating in your life try setting yourself deadlines for projects you have been putting off and finding ways to hold yourself accountable for meeting these deadlines.

Here are some ideas of how you can use this strategy to stop procrastinating at home and in your work.

1. Write it Down.

The act of simply deciding when you plan to complete a task and writing it down on your calendar can be very effective in creating a sense of a deadline.

2. Schedule something that forces you to take action.

For example, invite guests over to your house. If you have been putting off cleaning the house this will force you to clean and put things in order.

Another example, might be if you have been putting off visiting someone you know you should visit then give that person a call and let them know you will be visiting on a particular day.

Once you have made this commitment it will likely be more difficult to not follow through. Simply by putting this person on notice of a visit will create a deadline with accountability.

3. Put someone on notice that a project will be completed on a particular date.

If there is a project at work that you have been procrastinating about. Send your boss a note telling him or her that they can expect the project on a certain date.

This will create a deadline for you and your boss will likely hold you accountable by asking for the project if in fact it is not delivered by the date you promised it.

4. Leave yourself no way out.

Leaving yourself no way out is in a sense burning the bridge behind you so that you have no choice but to complete a task which you have been putting off.

If for instance, you need to buy a new vacuum because the old one has had it. You have the money saved for the new one but you have just been putting off going shopping for one.

Burn the bridges behind you. Give your old appliance away to a local thrift shop. Then you have no choice but to buy that new one.

You can put a stop to procrastination by simply setting yourself deadlines and holding yourself or having someone else hold you accountable.