We all do it sometimes, but procrastination is not a happiness habit. Often we know what we need to do, but we just don’t feel like doing it, and so we delay getting started until we feel stress.

Which means that to reduce stress in our lives, we sometimes need to reduce procrastination. Here’s how:

1)    Lower the bar. Since the key to ending procrastination is to just get started, telling yourself that you only need to work on a dreaded project for 20 minutes (vs. two hours) will make it easier to overcome your desire to stall.

2)    Just get started. As the addage goes, “a task begun is a task half done!”

3)    Eliminate your go-to stall-tactics. For example, I often delay getting started on big projects by checking my email, which leads to Facebook, which…you know how it is. I now write from a desk away from my office — where there is no email or Facebook access.

This week, see how much time you can save by decreasing procrastination (and increasing your focus). And then go “squander” all that extra time goofing around with your kids!