During the last week, what did you postpone until tomorrow that would have been better handled today? Tracking your expenses for tax purposes? Saving for a rainy day? Going to the dentist? Paying your bills? Calling a loved one? A physical check up?

One of the great ways we create stress and struggle in our lives is through procrastination. When we say, "I just don't have the time (or energy) to deal with it now," we "pay the price" of our procrastination in several different ways. First, when we focus on a task and decide not to act on it, we've wasted time we could have used to complete the task or to work on something else. Second, the more we procrastinate, the more difficult it becomes to take action to complete the task. Third, delaying the task often increases the "cost" of completing it, much like paying a credit card late increases the cost of carrying the debt.

What can you do to reduce the procrastination in your life? Here are five simple strategies:

1. Increase your awareness of when you procrastinate. Note how often you decide to postpone tasks as well as how you feel when you make the decision not to act on it now. Notice which types of tasks you normally complete as well as those where you consistently procrastinate.

2. If there's a consistent area where you procrastinate, it's probably time to delegate it or dump it. Many times we're trapped by our own belief system that tells us we "should" engage in a particular activity. For example, you may believe you have to bake a homemade cake for a special birthday when one from the market would be just as good and would be a lot less effort.

3. Tackle the simple items first. If you try to stop procrastinating all at once or tackle the hardest items first, you'll only create more struggle and stress. Instead, start with what you can easily handle and then move to the more difficult items.

4. Put a "time limit" on what's not handled. For example, if you don't read this month's magazines, put them in the April stack. If they are not read by June 1, discard them. Allowing them to pile up is a constant reminder of your procrastination and only makes you feel worse as the pile continues to grow.

5. Prioritize what's most important and focus on completing those items. The 80-20 rule says 80% of the benefit comes from the top 20% of our activities. Conversely, the bottom 20% produces less than 1% of benefit. For the next week, eliminate the bottom 20% of your activities that produce the least benefit. Reducing how much you have to do frees you up to deal with the important items you've been procrastinating about doing.

Reducing procrastination requires a series of small steps over a long period of time. If you're ready to stop procrastinating, how about completing one item right now that you've been putting off?

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