Marina Grechna 

To feed your dog, to watch some TV, to wash the dishes or smoke while important things are waiting for you to get done - these are all acts of procrastination.Procrastination means to be slow or late in doing something that should be done, but you don't feel a desire to do it.There are three main causes of procrastination:The first is laziness: everyone likes to be relaxed and do not care about work or studying. Laziness is just a distraction.The second one is fear of failure: you cannot even start a task because you are afraid and think that you will obviously fail.And the third one is perfectionism. It is hard to get anything be done if it needs to be perfect, because if you are constantly criticising your own work, there is always more work to be done. But the real problem comes when you do not want to do it, because making it perfect seems to be too difficult.You are ready to do everything, but not to start.But how does one stop procrastinating? The first bit of advice is to be well-organised! You have to write a 'to do list' which will include all the details of the task at hand from the beginning to the end.The second is to identify all the things that distract you from your work: smartphones, games, TV etc... Use only those things which will help you to complete your task.The third step is to limit your connections: do not call anybody, check your social networks and your email just twice a day, stop watching useless videos on YouTube. You have to concentrate on your 'to-do-list'.The fourth solution is to set a deadline, before the official one, in order to be on the safe side.Last but not the least is to take small breaks. Your brain deserves for a couple minutes of relaxation sometimes, it cannot work all the time.
To sum up all advices in battle with procrastination here are some short tips: 1. You have to focus on your work. 2. Always avoid perfectionism, because nobody and nothing is perfect.3. It is important to update the way you work. You have to check your 'to do list', and when you will finish the first list, create a new one.4. It is noteworthy to set realistic expectations for your work. Do not be afraid to make mistakes, we are all human.5. It is useful to set up time limits. For example, you can divide your work so you could, for example, spend three hours a day for one week to complete your task. The last piece of advice is to always enjoy your work, that is one of the secrets to success. Good luck in your battle with procrastination.
Ms Grechna is a third student at the University of Malta