I don’t know about you, but I am an expert procrastinator. I was thinking about this over the weekend as I was completing a project I have been putting off for awhile. I finished the project, and was equally relieved for finishing and frustrated with myself for putting it off for so long in the first place.

My guess is that I’m not the only one.

With that in mind, this week’s #OneSimpleThing challenge is about overcoming procrastination.

Many people procrastinate to some degree – but some are so crippled by the habit that it can hinder career growth and development. And the #OneSimpleThing series is all about growing, developing and remembering what we love about what we do.

Three keys to controlling procrastination are to:

1) Recognize when you start procrastinating

2) Understand why you’re doing it, and

3) Take deliberate steps to more effectively manage your time, tasks and projects

Rewarding yourself, enlisting others to hold you accountable, using a to-do list and breaking a large project down into manageable “chunks” can all be great strategies for overcoming the procrastination beast.

What is #OneSimpleThing on your list that you’ve been putting off? Why have you been procrastinating? This week, make a plan to get rolling on this project. In the comments below, connect with your fellow procrastinators and share your strategy for making progress!

Know of a procrastinating colleague who should take part in this #OneSimpleThing challenge? Be kind and share it with them!

Have you been putting off subscribing?

To receive phase(two)learning goodness directly in your inbox each week, simply subscribe in the upper-right corner of this page. You’ll be glad you did!