In studies conducted, it has been found that writing events of day in a journal drastically increases your powers of recall and memory. It also helps to ‘unload’ all baggage you’ve collected during day. It helps you to remember all blessings you’ve been sent and new ways you learned to overcome an obstacle. It allows you to see all wonderful things that happened today and reminds you to be grateful.

Congratulate yourself on all good you did, lessons you learned and even just getting through day to best of your ability.

Journaling helps you to go back through each event that happened during day and analyze your reaction to that event. This way you can gain valuable information that slipped past in rush.

You see interactions with others (good and bad) and can learn from them. -Was reacting in that way best way to handle situation? -If you’d approached him from this angle, would a better result have been achieved for all parties involved?

You reinforce your memory by reviewing day’s happenings. -By going over day’s events your memory is forced to recall details that you would otherwise have forgotten. This re-enforces path of your memory and you’ll find it easier to recall specific events.

Having said that, let's look at some of underlying reasons why we procrastinate and prevaricate.

1. I'm bored.

2. That looks more interesting.

3. It is too hard.

4. I'm afraid of failure.

5. I'm afraid of success.

6. I'm not worthy.

Not an exhaustive list, perhaps, but probably six of most common reasons for not getting things done.

In order to really start achieving your potential, you must first analyze yourself to determine which of factors (or which combination) apply to you.

Only then can you start to construct strategies to combat them.

In general, though, solutions are either internal or external. If you find that you are a person who needs help in finishing a task, that help must either come from yourself or from others.

Internal spurs are such things as promise of a reward when job is done - a candy bar or a new outfit, you have to decide what is a fitting reward for yourself.

External spurs tend to be of 'keep me honest' kind. Appoint a close friend with whom you can share your plans. This person becomes guardian of your honesty and will call you regularly while your project is in hand, to check on progress and to keep you on track. It may sound very simple, but it works.

The secret to either internal or external motivation is in setting realistic goals.

"How do you eat an elephant? - One bite at a time."

A friend's son was panicking recently because he had been set a project at college which had thrown his mind into turmoil.