Stop Procrastinating!

Seven ways to tackle a task now.

Five Minutes or Less - Do it now and don’t wait! If you’re presented with a small task, take a moment and ask yourself how long will it take. If you can finish it within the next five minutes, get it done and out the way. (Photo: JGI/Jamie Grill/Blend Images/Corbis)

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No More “I’ll Do it Tomorrow” - “I’ll do it tomorrow” has become a mantra for too many of us. In fact, 20 percent of us identify as chronic procrastinators. You recognize us: We stay up all night cramming for a final exam, we do our Christmas shopping on Christmas Eve and habitually need to file for the extension on our income taxes. Here are seven tips to stop playing the waiting game and get a move on. —BlackHealthMatters(Photo: JGI/Jamie Grill/Blend Images/Corbis)

Be Specific - Don't say, "I'll start the report in the morning." Say, "I'll outline three main points while I sip my morning tea." (Photo: Rick Gomez / Masterfile/Corbis Images)

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Be Specific - Don't say, "I'll start the report in the morning." Say, "I'll outline three main points while I sip my morning tea." (Photo: Rick Gomez / Masterfile/Corbis Images)

Write Down Everything You Want to Know - Don’t you hate it when you’re ready to leave the office and you remember a question that you forgot to ask? This time around, write down all of your questions and concerns before you get there. This way you are prepared! (Photo: JGI/Jamie Grill/Blend Images/Corbis)

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Be Realistic - We tend to think we'll get more done than we do. Jot down all the things you have to do, including tasks like doing laundry, taking children to soccer practice, shopping for food and working out. With a list in hand, you have a more accurate sense of the open time in your schedule. (Photo: JGI/Jamie Grill/Blend Images/Corbis)

Turn Off Your Cell Phone - Between Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and texting, your cell phone can be a serious distraction. So try disconnecting yourself from the digital world when you are seriously trying to get your study on. (Photo: Steve Debenport/Getty Images)

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Avoid Distractions - Pinterest, Facebook and texting can be huge time sucks. Make them a reward after you finish must-do activities. (Photo: Steve Debenport/Getty Images)

Forgetting to Personalize Your Cover Letter - Each cover letter you send should contain the company’s name and the title of the job you want to land. You should also tailor the content to match the job requirements. But be careful — it’s nothing short of sabotage to send a cover letter with the wrong company’s info on it! Here are more tips on crafting a perfect cover letter.  (Photo: Tomas Rodriguez/Corbis)

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Start With the Hardest Tasks - You're better able to focus when you first get started. (Photo: Tomas Rodriguez/Corbis)

Photo By Photo: Tomas Rodriguez/Corbis

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“See” Yourself Completing Your Task - Think about how good you'll feel with it behind you.(Photo: XiXinXing/Corbis)

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“See” Yourself Completing Your Task - Think about how good you'll feel with it behind you.(Photo: XiXinXing/Corbis)

Photo By Photo: XiXinXing/Corbis

Opportunities to Bridge the Gap - With the gradual unveiling of the dismal workforce diversity numbers behind leading Silicon Valley companies comes the increasing demand for a solution to the high-tech industry’s chronic underrepresentation of Blacks, Hispanics and women. Keep reading to learn more about several coding school scholarships and startup accelerators aiming to prepare talented minorities for successful careers in tech. —Patrice Peck(Photo: Roberto Westbrook/Blend Images/Corbis)

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Break it Into Small Pieces - Don’t try to complete a huge project in one day. Make a little progress on it every day. One study found college students who had to complete small amounts of work before they could go to the next level did better on tests than those who were given all the study material at once.(Photo: Roberto Westbrook/Blend Images/Corbis)

Happy Days - Looking for an easy way to up your happiness quotient? Just do what you can to make others smile and, voila, you’ll have an instantly better day! Here are nine simple places to start. By Kenrya Rankin Naasel  (Photo: JLP/Jose Luis Pelaez/Corbis)

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Reward Yourself - Praise yourself for starting. Remind yourself that a "good enough" effort is better than making no headway at all.(Photo:  JLP/Jose Luis Pelaez/Corbis)