I’m a pretty good time manager. I’ve trained myself to finish writing projects and meet deadlines. But once in a while Procrastination comes calling and settles in like an unwanted house guest.

This is not writer’s block, mind you, it’s when I (and you maybe) find a half dozen ways to put off doing or finishing writing.

I’ve been known to tell myself something like, “Oh, this article will take most of the day and I don’t have time because of blah blah blah.” Hence, I don’t start the project, but manage to twiddle away valuable time.

This is really the topic of July’s blog, because if you and I have just five minutes and concentrate, we can get work done. Best yet, we can get it into our brains and let it uncover solutions.

It’s okay to let writing “stew” or percolate or hang around in your brain. I’m working on the next book in The Seers (first out in Sept.) and I haven’t written a word. I am not procrastinating, thankyouverymuch. I getting the plot together in my mind before I write. Don’t be hard on yourself if this is what you do.

Now? Consider these tiny tips:

Break your big projects into smaller, doable ones. For instance, if you’re working on an article, use the bubble method for just five minutes. Return when you have another five minutes.

Start with something easy even if it’s making neat piles on your desk. Set an alarm and sit there for just five minutes.

Get out of your normal writing space. Move that laptop to the kitchen counter or the balcony.

Tell yourself what needs to be done, and say it out loud.

Make a list. Include little things in your list that you can immediately check off. That gives a sense of accomplishment.

Think of times when you’ve tackled big writing tasks and what you did to accomplish them.

Write down what you’d tell a friend or a loved one if they were procrastination with a writing project.

Eliminate distractors. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, your phone? All fun, but if you go there when you need to write, more time will disappear. Then, you must might give up because there’s not enough time.

Consider an accountability partner, another writer perhaps who wants to use her time wisely. Text, email or call to share progress reports.

Stop trying to be perfect. I do at least 10 drafts of every type of writing I do before it’s submitted. A perfection might do two drafts and the writing isn’t perfect, so they stop. Read this: www.lifehack.org/articles/featured/why-being-a-perfectionist-may-not-be-so-perfect.html

Writing should not be like drinking a sugar-free seaweed smoothie because someone says it’s good for you. Writing should be fun. It can be and often is challenging. Yet there’s nothing better in the world that playing with words. So read in your genre for five minutes.

Bottom line? If you’re still struggling with procrastination on a specific genre, but have had success with others, the truth could be that you don’t like to write in that area. That means you can stop procrastinating and tackle a genre you’ll enjoy.