“Procrastination and perfectionism go hand in hand,” says Landau-Pope. “Often, the reason we put things off is because we’re afraid of not getting it right. A dear friend of mine, the psychologist Rivka Caroline, said: ‘When my 10-year-old is making his bed, I just need it made; I don’t need it to be perfect. But when I’m jumping out of a plane, I need the person who is packing my parachute to do it perfectly.’

“What I take from that is, when we’re procrastinating, it’s worth asking: am I jumping out of a plane? If I’m sending an email or preparing for a meeting, does it have to be 100% perfect. Is it a life or death matter, or is good enough going to be fine?

“You can usually afford to lower the bar and let yourself off the hook. Remember it’s better done than perfect.”

5 ways to stop procrastinating, according to a productivity coach