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Editor’s note:This post was written by Greg Frost of Stop-Procrastination.org

Procrastination, defined simply, is when an individual delays completing their tasks intentionally. Overtime, this turns into a habit as it is always easier to take the path with on resistance. It is very easy to fall into the trap of procrastinating, and the root causes of people doing so varies from individual to individual.

Whilst it should be easier to avoid these pitfalls if you are aware of them, more often than not we still commit the same mistakes. It is merely human nature to try to cover up our acts of procrastination by ascribing some other reason to why we are delaying our work. In order to overcome this bad habit, we must first acknowledge the problem for what it is, instead of seeking the lay the blame somewhere else.

Below, some of the common causes of procrastination are described. If you find them familiar, or a somewhat accurate description of your actions, thoughts and feelings, it is likely that you are a procrastinator. Like most bad habits such as tapping our foot unconsciously, it can be difficult to identify if we are procrastinating. A quick and honest talk with someone you trust who is often around to observe your behavior will be able to highlight to you if you are procrastinating.

Fear

Fear is a huge driving and motivating force, be it fear of failure or success. People who are afraid to fail, are afraid to put in effort or to even try to attempt the task. It is easier to blame failure on their neglecting to complete the task, then on incompetence on their part to do so. Fear of success might seem far fetched, but there are those that fear change. They are happy where they are, and whilst they know that they are capable of doing better, the fear the change in position of job scope that comes with their improved capabilities. Hence, they would rather hide behind their apparent level of competence rather than put in the effort and succeed, as they fear being unable to cope with the new workload and expectations.

Overload and Inability to Prioritize

It is very common for an individual to be swamped with work. The to-do list seems never ending, and the tasks just keep coming in. The individual fears ever being able to complete anything, if not everything, and is unable to decide which task to start doing. This is similar to an inability to prioritize between the urgent and important, and what is less so. Also, in high stress and fast paced jobs all the tasks may be urgent and important, and that makes it more difficult because the individual does not know where to start. He may be scared off into not doing anything instead.

Poor Time Management

This occurs for two main reasons, namely an overconfidence in the person’s abilities, or an overestimation of the time available to complete the task. If a person is overconfident in his own abilities, he may risk putting off an important or difficult task to a later date because he believes that with his capabilities he will be able to finish it in time. However, this is seldom the case, especially as certain group projects may take more time due to lags in between. There may also be a sudden emergency situation that needs to be handled, thus leaving little time to complete the task. On the other hand, the other individual tends to stretch the number of hours available in a day unconsciously. He may plan his time without taking into account fatigue, meals or short breaks needed to keep the mind working at its peak.

Boredom

An individual may also choose to procrastinate because the job is not challenging enough and he feels bored. He finds it difficult to concentrate on the task, and would rather be engaged in alternative activities. This is especially the case for jobs which are repetitive and lengthy, and require very little thought.

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Editor’s note:This post was contributed by Holly McCarthy, who writes on the subject of dating sites.

These days, we seem to hear more about what’s wrong with relationships that what is going right. It can be difficult to know what works when so many people are focused on the negative aspects of marriage.

There is a way to break the cycle of unhappiness in marriage, but it requires time and effort—no one ever said it would be easy. Here are some major components of happy and successful marriages; implement these things in your relationship and witness the change.

Communication

Effective communication is the foundation of a successful relationship. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you say whatever is on your mind all the time—that can get you into trouble. However, making sure that you and your spouse discuss feelings, finances, and anything else related to your marriage will make sure that you are able to tackle the big issues without fear of what they might say or do.

Quality Time

Often, married couples get into a routine and fail to spend any real quality time together. This happens over time, but ends in barely doing anything outside the norm. Turn off the television and talk, take a walk together, shop together, go out to eat and enjoy each other’s company. Don’t let routine take over and harm your relationship; make spending quality time together part of your relationship and watch things blossom.

Self-Control

Sometimes after spending a lot of time together, little things begin to bother us. Control your urge to become a nag or complainer. Over time, these little jabs and comments undermine the quality of your relationship and can erode the structure you have worked so hard to build. Exercising self-control in a marriage can make a big difference in the long run.

Personal Time

There are many people that believe that you give up all of your personal time once you get married. This shouldn’t be the case. Men and women need to spend time with their friends and doing things apart from one another. This time and space keeps things from getting boring and allows you to talk with others about your concerns, hopes, and aspirations. Maintaining friendships after marriage is healthy and necessary and makes sure that you don’t overburden your spouse in the process.

Keep it Interesting

Again, it is easy to get into a rut after marriage. Keep things interesting by trying new and unexpected things together. Plan a weekend getaway, go to an old movie revival, try the newest, most expensive restaurant in town—just make sure that you are working to keep things interesting and try new things together. You will bond over your experiences, whether they are good or bad and your relationship will be enhanced in the process.

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This post was written by Craig Karpe of Jembizsolutions.com

Your attitude has an impact on your company, customers and colleagues. Perhaps attitude is best defined as a state of mind. That state of mind is revealed through our behavior, tone of voice, and body language. Below are some thoughts to help improve and keep a positive attitude.

Make a choice
Everyday we have two choices. You can head out to work and decide to be friendly, happy and productive or you can decide to be negative, angry and victimized. Regardless of what is going on in your life you make that choice everyday whether you realize it or not.

Fake it until you make it
Although you may not always feel at your best no one else around you ever needs to know that. Your ability to appear positive while on the job, even if your not, can have many positive outcomes.

Surround yourself with positive people
It is important to remember that not only do you have control over your own attitude but you also have the ability to choose whom you will spend time. The more positive people you surround yourself with the easier it is to maintain a positive outlook. Choosing to be around negative people will damage your attitude and your reputation.

Ask for feedback
Although conducting a self analysis is helpful, asking those around us to give us feedback on how we are doing will help provide a more honest, less biased outlook. Sometimes how we see ourselves is different than how we are seen by others.

A positive attitude is displayed by individuals that:

• Always think about what to do next
• Love to figure out new ways to improve service
• Delight in finding ways to please customers
• Enjoy people
• Always pitch in, even if it’s not their job
• Never let personal problems stop them from getting the job done
• Focus on finding creative ways to satisfy customers
• Take responsibility without blaming other people or departments
• Fix problems, rather than finding fault