I have a time/efficiency theory that I would like to test on all of you readers. My theory is that if you have a procrastination problem like me, try bottlenecking your time with other  activities that will force you to jump on your projects with a ferocity that will get them done. For me, if my calendar looks empty for the day, I find ways to fill it with busy things that keep me from completing projects that have due dates in the future. If, however, I have several days in the week blocked off to work on something else, I will use that empty day to finish my projects because I know I won’t have time to do them later. Let me show you what I mean.

This past week I took the opportunity to work with a friend on his remodeling crew for a couple of days. I have a list of projects and things to accomplish every week that I enter the office. My tendency on Monday is to deceive myself into thinking that I have plenty of time in the rest of the week to get them done. This way, I can effectively justify my laziness and read through a hundred books/articles/magazines that are helpful but not necessary for those moments. This week was different for me, though, because I saw the days working with him looming in the week’s calendar and I hopped onto my assignments on Monday. I accomplished so much on Monday that I surprised myself.

My least profitable weeks happen when my schedule is wide open and my lazy self has room to express it’s procrastination, and so I find that bottlenecking my week helps me to be decisive in my priorities and swift in my implementation the to do’s on my list.

What helps you resist the temptation to procrastinate? What are some tricks to avoid doing “busy” things?