Do you always put off your work till the very last minute? Then you, my friend, are one of the millions of people troubled by the procrastination virus. Procrastination is the biggest reason for loss of productivity and late output. Though many would not admit it, they would benefit greatly if they start their work on time.

For many people, putting off their work for later is more of a habit than desire. It can be so tough to get into a groove where starting your tasks in a timely fashion is a priority; especially if the penalty for being late are not that hard to bear.

If you are one of these people, yet you desire to shake off your penchant for procrastination, here are a few tips to help you overcome this dilemma and become a more productive and dependable person.

1. Set schedules - It is very important that you have a list of activities to accomplish per day. This will help you realistically budget your time and resources. One of the cardinal sins people commit in regards to performing their tasks is to put off their work because they feel like there is so much time left. A journal, organizer, or calendar of events will help you plan and schedule your task so that you can start them promptly and finish them on time.

2. Save the Fun for Later - Many people put their work off for later saying, "I'll just have a little fun then buckle down to work later." While it may be true that they may have more than enough time to accomplish their tasks, it would be better if they finished their work first and relax afterwards.

Wouldn't relaxation be sweeter if it were after a taxing job? If you choose to lay back and relax before doing your tasks, you will be more prone to burnout and will have nothing exciting left to look forward to after accomplishing a task. It is always better to have slack period AFTER a job than before one, especially considering that people are not averse to overusing their slack time. This is suicidal if you are heading towards a deadline.

3. Never Underestimate Your Tasks - Sometimes procrastination sets in because people misjudge the difficulty and time needed for a particular task. They will usually say, "It's just washing the laundry, it's easy; I could do it in a minute." The problem is, no matter how minor the task, it still takes time to complete. If you take too lightly a task, you will most likely set too little time to do it and schedule it too close to its deadline.

4. Don't Allow Yourself to Get Comfortable Doing Nothing - It would definitely help if you kept a subconscious alarm whenever you are doing nothing. Program this alarm to remind you of things that may need to be done. This will help you cultivate the notion that jobs completed now means more time for relaxation later. However, even if this is the case, do not forget to schedule sufficient time for rest and to remove all thoughts of troubles before hitting the sack. The trick here, however, is not to overdo your rest. There is a difference between resting and idling. Always set aside the right amount of time for rest and stick to that schedule.