You can learn how to overcome procrastination even if you sometimes wonder how you will ever deal with that growing to do list.

Obviously it is important to deal with procrastination at home because you may suffer some consequences from disgruntled family members who have to carry your share of the workload.

A worst-case scenario is that your procrastination and lack of motivation may carry over to other members of your family, resulting in absolutely nothing being done.

All the disorganization and clutter in your home will most likely result in chaos and disarray to the point you have no clean clothes to wear and can't find your books or briefcase.

However, all is not lost because you can learn how to overcome procrastination at home by following a few simple suggestions.

1. Make a list of tasks that must be done daily, weekly, monthly and so on. Then think about how each task can be simplified.

For example, the first thing you normally do when you get home is change into comfortable clothing.

You can eliminate one task right here by hanging up your clothes when you take them off instead of waiting until bedtime, when you most likely will throw them over the back of a chair.

2. Once you have made your task list, prioritize each list.

It could go something like this:

(1) talk and listen to your children and/or spouse to learn about their day;

(2) get dinner started (you already know what cook because previously you made menus and shopped for food;

(3) make some time to talk to family members while dinner is cooking;

(4) immediately after dinner clear the table and load the dishwasher instead of waiting;

(5) do other necessary chores such as laundry while helping children with homework.

This list is an example only; your list may be entirely different. The important thing is to get it done.

3. Prevention is the key to having less to do around the house. Put mats down around all entrances to prevent dirt from being tracked into the house, thus making vacuuming easier.

Some other preventive measures you can take now to lighten your load and help you overcome procrastination at home are so simple you'll wonder why you didn't think of them sooner.

4. Ask family members to break all habits that result in messes, and minimize those that can't be helped. Become aware of the messes around the house and analyze the reason for them.

You can coat some surfaces with a sealant to keep them looking shiny and new and make cleaning easier. If you have surfaces that can't be cleaned such as a wall with flat latex paint, you can repaint with a cleanable paint or cover it with a washable wallpaper. Seal off crevices and cracks that let dust and pests get into your home.

5. Other tips include avoiding high-low carpet patterns and embossed floor tile; it collects dirt and is hard to clean.

Indoor-outdoor carpet also shows every piece of lint or dirt that gets on it (and it really doesn't add much fashion to your floor anyway).

Elaborately textured ceilings and walls collect dust and cobwebs and should be avoided. Other elements to avoid include unfinished wood that shows stains, dark colors on floors, furniture and countertops, and large collections that have to be moved around to clean.

With a little forethought and ingenuity, you can teach yourself and family members to simplify your lives and learn how to overcome procrastination at home.

Related Reading: Book Review: The Tao of an Uncluttered Life | Conquering the Working Parent Battle | Managing Your Family | Schedule Number 682: Scheduling and Lists

About the Author
Peter Murphy is a peak performance expert. He recently produced a very popular free report that reveals how to crush procrastination and sustain lasting motivation.

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