Procrastination makes people poorer, fatter and unhappier. Ten years after starting his five year project, a Canadian industrial psychologist finds that while in 1978, only about 5 percent of the American public thought of themselves as chronic procrastinators, now it’s 26 percent, CNN.com reports. He also found that the young are more like to procrastinate than the old; three out of four college students consider themselves procrastinators.

The article provides some tips avoid procrastinating:

• Precommitment. Force yourself to do what needs to be done, like Ulysses tying himself on the ship’s mast to get past the tempting songs of the Sirens.
• Do unpleasant work when you have the most energy, early and in the morning.
• Set attainable goals and do the work in steps.
• Unplug distractions, such as television and computers.
• The five-minute rule. Commit to doing the job for five minutes. At the end of five minutes, commit to another five minutes.
• Examine the reasons you procrastinate. Ask yourself what makes doing the work too difficult and why would it get easier with time.