Everyone procrastinates to some degree. We understand. Phones ring. Kids scream. Some to-do items drag on and on. But did you know that procrastinating is a mechanism for coping with the anxiety that comes with completing a project or task? And while procrastinating might feel good at the time, it causes stress and guilt, and before you know it, a mini-crisis has snowballed. Don't be so hard on yourself; being critical is a major factor in putting off tasks, and punishing yourself never helps. Start small: Tell yourself that you'll begin, but only for 20 minutes. Soon, you'll find that ideas will start flowing, or the broom will start sweeping, and you'll get swept up in the momentum of the project—which will be completed sooner than you can say "procrastinate."

Step it up: