We've all wasted precious time watching that Christian the Lion video on YouTube again. In fact, we're procrastinating more than ever, reckons industrial psychologist Dr Piers Steel from the University of Calgary, Canada. Dr Steel's 10-year study on procrastination (which, aptly enough, was only suppose to take five), found 26 per cent of us regularly put things off, thanks to the many diversions we're surrounded by: TV, Wii, the internet, iPods... Worse, his research shows that people who procrastinate tend to be fatter, poorer and unhappier. So enough already! Rather than putting off looming tasks, try to meet them head-on. Here's how.

1 Take time to freak out
If you have perfectionist tendencies, logging 50-hour weeks to get everything done (brilliantly, of course) can seem like the best plan. Trouble is, this can turn the job you love into a big hole of stress. Instead, think about doing things properly, not perfectly. Next time you freak out, stop what you're doing and calm your mind for five minutes. Let those first few panicked thoughts of This is too hard, I'll be able to do it better tomorrow run their course, but don't give in to them. "If you can tame that restlessness you'll be able to find a sense of relief," says Michael Carroll, author of Awake at Work.

2 Inflate your ego
Getting sidetracked - returning an email here, paying a bill there - is inevitable, but do it too much and the bigger things on your to-do list stay, well, to do. Rather than stress about not getting enough done, use this psychological trick: add what you've just completed to your list, then immediately put a slash through it. A bit self-serving? Sure. Kind of pointless? Not really. The process gives you a sense of accomplishment, which motivates you to tackle more, says Julie Morgenstern, author of Making Work Work. You'll feel the day wasn't wasted, which gears you up for even more success tomorrow.

3 Take the lift
Seriously. But instead of checking your text messages or your watch, drop all your thoughts and take a minute to just be. Embracing these small, personal moments, Carroll says, will help you relax, so you're primed and ready to start working your little backside off when you get back to your desk. Simple, but effective.

4 Uni-task
Typing while you talk on the phone may seem efficient in theory, but in practice, multitasking leads to mediocre work - plus it severely impairs your memory. "If you do five tasks at once, you're using 20 per cent of your brain for each task, diluting your brainpower and ability to concentrate," says Frank Felberbaum, author of The Business of Memory. To get that job done, make sure it's all you've got to think about. Turn off your mobile, stop checking email and shut your door for an hour, three hours - however long you need.

5 Don't be a know-it-all
Acting like you know everything may be your way of dealing with job insecurities, Carroll says. Instead, get to know a problem before you try to fix it. Drop preconceptions and rely on your peers for information. By giving ourselves enough room to not know everything, Carroll says, "We develop an ability to be more open, inviting and alert, rather than afraid of what we might not know."

6 Let the painter paint
Get more out of your job by zeroing in on your speciality. Watch for patterns that indicate you're not performing at your best, says Fran Hewitt, co-author of The Power of Focus for Women, like spending too much time in meetings, or getting bogged down in computer tasks you haven't mastered yet. Ask your boss if other people in your department may be better at what's slowing you down, and suggest other areas where you can help. You'll win points for improving office efficiency, as well as being able to focus on what you do best.

7 Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate
"Our brain is only working at a third of its capacity when we're dehydrated," Hewitt says. For every cup of coffee you have, you need two cups of water to rehydrate. So stay fresh and focused by making sure a regular trip to the water cooler is one thing you definitely don't put off.