W hen faced with difficult or overwhelming projects and competing demands for time, many people either procrastinate or become incapable of constructive action. To regain control...

Identify your default reactions. What do you typically do when faced with large projects? Which parts of your body tense up? What happens to your breathing? Remember those reactions to avoid being pulled off course by them in the future.

Think realistically about the project. Write out a blueprint, rather than tackling the whole task at once. Determine how long it will take... then list the necessary steps. Schedule these tasks into your calendar.

Start each step for just 30 minutes. Longer time requirements can be overwhelming... and lead to procrastination.

Do the work as scheduled -- free from distractions. Create a sanctuary in the present. Exhale away the last phone call... the memory of your commute... worries about your deadlines.

Check in with your blueprint at the completion of each step to ensure your work remains aligned with your priorities. Then mentally prepare for the next segment.

Hold a 30-second “committee meeting” to ensure your mind, heart and body are all on board. Tell yourself that you are operating from a place of choice and personal commitment -- rather than a sense of burden from an outside authority.

Use breaks as a reward -- to take care of low-priority tasks and urgent calls... stretch... answer E-mail. Give your mind a chance to wander. Giving the conscious mind a break allows it to sow those creative seeds that flourish into creative solutions.