Out doing the grocery shopping while hungry (always a fatal mistake), you couldn't resist picking up a huge bar of your favourite chocolate.

"I deserve it" you think to yourself, "I'll just have a couple of chunks each night as a treat, it'll last me weeks..."

So, later that evening, after you're home and unpacked, and everyone's eaten and gone off to do their own thing, you remember that bar of chocolate. In fact, more than just remember it, you swear it's whispering your name seductively from the top shelf of that cupboard you think no-one else goes to.

"Ok, just a couple of chunks..."

So you take the bar of chocolate down from the top shelf (needing to balance precariously on one leg on a chair to do so), open the wrapping and break off two perfectly formed chunks.

Still as delicious as the first time you ever tasted it...

Those first two chunks disappear quicker than an ice cube on a sweltering summer's day. "I'll just have another couple of chunks" you say to yourself, already feeling a little guilty and double checking to make sure no-one is around.

Half an hour, half the bar, and a whole load of "just one more"s later, you're not feeling so good.

Not only do you feel a little unwell from all that chocolate, more painful are the feelings it's brought up again. Guilty feelings, and you know you shouldn't but it's become such a habit you can't stop yourself kind of feelings. That whole "OK the diet starts as soon as this bar is finished" conversation you've had with yourself a thousand times.

Sounding familiar?

Exactly the same process occurs when we procrastinate. Except procrastination can be even more addictive - and bring up even worse feelings within you - than eating chocolate.

You set out to create with the best of intentions. You're almost ready, in fact after you "just check your email", you can start creating.

5 minutes later, email checked and dealt with. After you've "just" sorted these materials into colour order, you'll be ready to begin creating!

15 minutes later, materials sorted. Now, you'll "just" go and make a drink, then it's on with creating!

5 minutes later, drink made. It did look a bit messy in the kitchen though. You're not sure you can work knowing there's all that clutter out there. You better "just" go and tidy up then you'll have a clear head to get down to creating.

15 minutes later, your kitchen is tidied and the worktops so sparklingly clean you could eat your dinner right off them. Let's create! Right after you "just" check your email to make sure nothing important has come in since you last checked.

5 minutes later, email checked. And then you realise that three quarters of an hour has passed, seemingly even more quickly that that half bar of chocolate passed between your lips... And you've created nothing on the project you sat down to start.

Enter all those oh so familiar feelings of frustration, guilt and oh-no-I've-done-it-again-why-do-I-even-bother-trying-to-create...

Procrastination you see is even more addictive than chocolate.

But there's a way to beat procrastination. The crucial first step is to admit and recognise that you do procrastinate. You can't do anything to overcome it, until you admit it's an issue you're struggling with, and one you're ready to start beating.

The next step is not to analyse WHY you procrastinate - that simply gives you a stack of excuses to procrastinate even more. Instead look at WHEN you procrastinate and HOW you procrastinate. Armed with this knowledge, this snapshot of the true reality of where you're at, you're then in a strong and empowered position to start overcoming those addictive procrastinating habits that have stifled you creativity for so long...

And if you're ready to beat procrastination and set your creativity free in the next 21 days, check out the powerful ecourse "7 Steps To Freedom: How To Beat Procrastination And Set Your Creativity Free" at http://www.HowToBeatProcrastination.com

For your free 7 article series on the first steps to beating procrastination, head over to http://www.CoachCreative.com/procrastinationarticles.html

From Creativity Coach Dan Goodwin