You have played this game, right?  You know, there is a hint of resistance emerging in your gut or possibly a “oh no” that starts whispering around corners of your neo-cortex.  You have a project that must be completed in the next two hours and you are now subconsciously rooting for another, worthy, use of your time.
            Regardless of your age, if you do not want to do something, you will delay, slow down, loiter, dawdle and, you know, procrastinate. 
            Tired of this game?  Are you worn-out because you are emotionally and physically exhausted from “just keeping my head above the water”?  Do you believe your “procrastination phase” should have resolved itself in eighth grade along with zits and passing notes between classes?
            If you are a mature adult who continues to play this childish game of “putting off until tomorrow what you should have done today,” read on.
            What follows are ten strategies to call a halt to your delay tactics. 
            First, live life in eight minutes segments.  If you are wondering why eight minutes, think about the most significant nurturing source in your life.  That’s right, television.
            The attention span of most adults is eight minutes because we do not watch television for more than eight minutes before there is a commercial interruption or radical change in “scene.”  So, instead of putting off a difficult task, set your timer for eight minutes.  Getting the task started is the most daunting part of most demanding chores. 
            Second, ask this question, “What is the worst thing that could happen if I started this project right now?”  You may respond, “I will get tired,” or “I will not get something else done,” or “I will destroy my personal life.”
            So…you may be right on some of those answers and some are just…just horse feathers!  You know, we sit around and freeze-frame our brains with all the worst things that could happen.  There is no “worst thing” and inventing it is a wonderful excuse for not placing our posteriors in a chair and doing the hard work.
            Third, physically eliminate all distractions.  Clean off the top of your desk so that when you do not want to work on something, you cannot find an alternative.  The empty, gleaming desk top will scream back to you, “Stop staring and get to work.”
            Fourth, when you are mentally distracted, use post-it-notes.  If you are procrastinating your mind will generate all the other tasks you should be doing at that moment.  When your subconscious starts churning out new demands, just grab a post-it-note, jot down your next to-do item, slap the note on the wall next to you…and go back to your original task. 
            Fifth, use voicemail, signs and schedules.  If you are being paid to produce work that requires thought and research, why would you have to apologize for staking out uninterrupted time to complete a project?  Send your telephone and cell phone calls to your voicemail, put a sign on your door that states, “Please do not disturb until 10 a.m.” and post your schedule so your coworkers know when your door will be closed.

            If you say, “I can never be ‘unavailable’” you may have control issues that are larger than your penchant for procrastination.
            Sixth, remind yourself you are too mature and important to be playing this game.  Try a little “mirror time” when you look yourself in the eye and say, “You are a grown-up…so suck it up and get it done.”
            Seventh, ask yourself this question, “Would I procrastinate if I had six months to live?”  No one has a guarantee of another sunrise.  That last sentence will slap your brain around and scream, “This game is not worthy of you.”
            Eighth, decide not be tired until the task is completed.  Exhaustion is a wonderful procrastination tool.  The one gold-standard excuse for not getting a task done is, “…this is costing me my health.” 
Exhaustion is often learned behavior.  What is your response to these questions? Can you put yourself to sleep by reading in bed a few pages of a novel?  Is there a particular reclining chair in your home where a nap is always possible?  Do you sleep in on holidays?
Your answer was probably “yes” to those questions.  Why?  You have learned to “program” your body to be tired at certain times and locations.  Are you using this same ability when you do not want to complete a difficult task?
Ninth, journal each day.  By keeping a personal journal and then reading it six months later you will discover an “overview” of your life.  If you excavate a lot of complaining, you will also unearth the fertile soil for procrastination.  When we are basically unhappy about the present status of our lives or work, procrastination becomes the drug-of-choice.
Tenth, write a contract with someone you trust.  Do you need another adult, who you trust, to give you a quick kick in your rear end?  Do you need someone to come up to you and say, “You told me you had an important project…how is it coming?”
Go to your computer, craft a short contract and then get the signature of a trusted friend or colleague to ask, “Why is this not finished?”  If you need accountability, structure it with a signed contract.  The piece of paper will make a difference.
Well, the procrastination game will be played…right into your grave unless you make the decision today, “I am a mature adult who does not have to play.”  So, what are you going to do?  Want to think about it?  Are you procrastinating?