Nowhere is procrastination more lethal than in your job search. For taking so long getting around to doing it, you miss application deadlines, waste an insider tip, forfeit networking opportunities, and worsen your ulcer condition from the self-induced stress of catch-up.

If you’ve been wrestling with the procrastination monster without success, knock it out of your life with these ideas:

1. Admit that you’re a procrastinator. If your must-do list has morphed into a living thing, growing longer and reproducing mini lists of its own, you may have a procrastination issue that needs dealing with. Pinpoint the reasons why you drag your feet. Are you overwhelmed by the enormous task of job-hunting? Are your perfectionist tendencies proving to be a stumbling block? Do you fear rejection, failure, or even success? By identifying the root cause, you can apply the right solution.

2. Know what you really want. Job-seekers who think any job will do should realize that with no career target to shoot for, they are bound to miss the bull’s eye by a wide mark. Research the kind of work that interests you and assess your strengths and weaknesses. This way, you focus your energies and train your sights in areas where you have a fighting chance.

3. Be definite. Making vague promises like starting your job search a week from now offers loopholes for all kinds of dilatory antics. Instead, lay down concrete plans such as: “I will send my resume to 20 companies before the 18th.” Spelling out specific actions and deadlines will help you accomplish your long-term goals faster.

4. Break it down. Don’t try to accomplish everything you plan to do all at once. Take small bites from a huge undertaking until you get the job done. By pacing yourself realistically, you get a sense of accomplishment for every small item completed even as you keep yourself from feeling overwhelmed.

5. Find an enforcer. If you’re too lenient on yourself, enlist someone else to whip you in shape. Ask this job-search partner to check in on you every week, not accept any excuses from you and remind you of your mounting losses the longer you dawdle.

6. Give positive reinforcement. Reward yourself for reaching a job-search goal. It can be as simple as a coffee-break treat after drafting a particularly elegant cover letter. Or it can be a bigger incentive commensurate to an important task: After emailing 20 resumes and making five follow-up calls, hie off to a salon for a haircut or to a boutique for a new dress (which, fortunately, will also ensure you look presentable in an interview).

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