One of the biggest mistakes of most human beings is not being able to plan well..and, well, not being able to act on the actual plan. It takes a huge amount of discipline to really work according to plan; especially if your big project is a still a few months in the future. This is the reason why a lot of us still find ourselves cramming in light of heavy school or work projects and sacrificing a good night’s sleep by the day before the deadline in exchange of many happy days before hand.

Now, even if we all know that procrastination is wrong and is unbecoming of any unprofessional and responsible human being, still we do it because it’s easy. It makes us believe that life is light, and we have a lot of time for other things late before the warning flags come in.

To combat this feeling, try this technique: first, make a solid, realistic plan and divide your big project into small, incremental daily projects. Instead of cramming days before you’re due, just give yourself little deadlines every day. This way, it’s not too heavy-feeling and it’s also a way to develop a habit. (Science says that to develop a habit, you had to do something at the same time for 20 straight instances.)

Just treat your responsibilities like you’re paying installments. The lighter it feels, the better. This way you can finally plan smartly and stop procrastinating. You may even have more time to head to the mall and heed to the call of their Mall wide sale avenue banners.