For the last few years, Rahul has been trying kick one of the few bad habits he has – procrastination. His teachers, friends, relatives and parents, all agree that Rahul has qualities which make him suitable for bigger and better things in life. His habit of putting things off till tomorrow has, however, costed him dearly. He misses out on most opportunities that come his way because he is simply not ready for them.

Rahul realises this too, and wants things to change. But, he feels that there is no hope for him. He is wrong.

A majority of us procrastinate at some point of time or another. There is nothing wrong with that. The problem is that a few of us, like Rahul, make a habit out if it. What makes things worse is that people who procrastinate realise what they are doing wrong, and they feel miserable. As a result of their procrastination, they suffer both on the personal front as well as the work front.

If you are one of those who have made a habit out of procrastinating, then it is time you stopped. Here are a few things you could do to get rid of the habit:

Plan Ahead: Planning is a crucial element for succeeding in any endeavour, and living your life is no different. You can use a daily time table, or a “To-Do” list, or any other method that suits you, but make sure that you have your day planned beforehand. Your plan should be a realistic road map for achieving the things that are expected from you, and things that would leave you feel satisfied at the end of the day. Here, it would do you a world of good if you kept the famous acronym S.M.A.R.T in mind. The things that you set out to do should be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time bound.

Keep Negative Emotions in Check: Anger, desire, frustration, and delusion are some of the emotions that hamper your productivity. They interfere with your ability to take in the present, and make you focus on either the past or the present. Though, you can not control these completely, yet an awareness of these, and a deliberate attempt to keep them in check, will make you more productive, and help you accomplish more in the given time.

Focus on the present: The past is gone. The future is yet to come. The present is here, and you can accomplish most if you act now. It is not without reason that they say, “The smallest of actions is greatest than the greatest of thoughts.” Think big, act small, and act now.

Avoid multi-tasking: While multi-tasking may provide you with a false sense of being busy, you actually achieve less than if you had focused on one task at a time. Have you ever wondered how time flies when you are busy doing 4-5 things at a time. When you look back, you find you have not been able to complete even a single thing. Focusing on a single task at a time helps in improving the quality of the job done, and also helps in reducing the time in which the job is done.

Step Away From that Computer: That may sound harsh, and a difficult thing to do, but give it a try. You won’t regret it. People are spending a lot of time on the computer today; while earlier there was only email, now you have twitter, facebook, myspace, etc. These sites can be addictive, and lead you to believe that you are doing something worthwhile. It is not a bad thing to use these sites but, like excess of even a good thing is bad, an overdose of these sites can eat into your productivity and prevent you from getting any useful work done. Moreover, an excessive use of the computer can lead to physical problems like eyestrain, backaches, soreness in fingers and wrists – these further hamper your productivity. Take regular breaks from the computer and use the time to recharge your batteries.

Share Responsibility: It is a very difficult thing to criticise yourself for work not done. It is easier to find an excuse and tell yourself that it was not your fault, even though deep inside you know it was. To make things easier – or complicated, as some would say – ask a close friend, a parent, or a relative you trust, to monitor your progress. You won’t be able to make any lame excuses to them.

Reward yourself: Lastly, when you do a good job, and do it well in time, reward yourself. Though a job well done is its own reward, yet it would not hurt to indulge yourself once you have accomplished something. Celebrating a success makes you look forward to similar successes and celebrations in the future. Again, it is not without reason they say,”Nothing succeeds like success.”