Do you know how all of us have to do some things we do not want to do?

It's a big club and the only requirement for membership is to be a living breathing human being.

So what is your strategy for doing things you know you need to do but do not want to do? How do you get yourself to do the things you don't want to do?

A few strategies

The most popular strategy seems to be putting it off, the infamous procrastination strategy. This works for awhile. The problem is procrastination makes little things seem big and short projects look like they will take for ever, and it all catches up with you.

Another popular strategy is waiting until the very last possible minute to get it done. I call these folks "pressure finishers."

A client in their late teens told me recently that her strategy is to wait until her mom is "screaming like crazy."

More useful strategies

Do it first - Get it done first and then move on into your day.

A little at a time - I hate weeding. I used to put it off until the weeds were about to take over. Now I just pull a few at a time as I walk through the yard.

Get it off your back - Sometimes the best thing is to just get it done to get it off your back and out of the way.

Jeff Herring

Jeff is a marriage and family therapist, singles and relationship coach, mentor coach, speaker, syndicated relationship columnist and author.

Jeff has a full time private practice in Tallahassee in which he specializes in couples, teen and parent counseling. He also is a relationship coach specializing in working with couples and singles. Some of his professional activities include:

==> Internationally syndicated relationship columnist through Knight-Ridder/Tribune Media Services, with a weekly readership of over 10 million worldwide

==> Sought after speaker for organizations, associations, churches, and corporations

==>Twice weekly appearances on The Steve and Sara Show on Magic 107.1

==> Author of "Keep the Changes: 52 Tools for Successful Living" a collection of his best columns, as well as several e-books including "How to Create a Passionate and Loving Relationship.........Forever," "How to Beat the BOZOs: Dealing with difficult people without becoming one," and "Tame Your Teen: THE survival guide for parenting your teenager.

==> Founder and CEO of TheArticleGuy.com

==> Founder and CEO of SecretsofGreatRelationships.com

==> Founder and CEO of ParentingYourTeeanger.com

==> Founder and CEO of ToolsforSuccessfulLiving.com

==> President of BuildingYourIdealPractice.com

==> President of ConsciousDatingTallahassee.com