This week we are looking hard at our procrastinating personalities and why we are so good at putting things off till later. The main reason that we don't do something right now is because we think that it is going to take too much time and right now we don't have time or we don't feel like doing it now. I want to look at how this kind of thinking actually creates an avalanche effect, and before we know it, we are suffocating under a heavy load of guilt and we are paralyzed by our inactions.

For the most part we are a very social happy-go-lucky, spontaneous, vivacious group of people. We love to have fun at anything we do. When it comes to housework or other things that we may need to get done, we can come up with every excuse in the world to not do it. The main excuse we use is "I don't have time!" When the truth is we really don't want to do it because it is not going to be fun. We don't like to do things that are the mundane, boring aspects of living. That is one of the reasons that our FlyLady routines get those things out of the way so we can get on with the enjoyable part of our day.

People ask me if I spend all day cleaning. The truth is that as long as I do my simple routine (15 minutes) in the morning and a routine at night (10 minutes tops); our house is always company-ready. This will work for any size home (I do have to pick up after myself and keep my hot spots policed). This only takes a couple of minutes at the most.

Here is what happens when we put something off. Let's start with our before-bed routines.

• We go to bed at 2 a.m. and have to get up at 7 a.m. We procrastinated by not going to bed at a decent hour. Then we can't get up on time.

• After we hit the snooze button a few times it is 7:30 a.m. To get to work on time we have to leave at 7:45 a.m. Now we have 15 minutes and there are no clean clothes.

• Not only did we go to bed late, but we did not lay out clothes for tomorrow. So there again we have procrastinated and are rushing around.

• Now we are feeling the time crunch and the pressure of being late to work or an appointment again. Then the guilt starts to pile on.

• With the guilt comes blaming others. Then we have martyrdom and the loud yelling voices that just add to the stress along with the guilt.

• Now we are half-dressed, jumping in a car trying to put on makeup while driving and not paying attention to what we are doing. Not to mention that we have skipped breakfast and there is not even time for a quick drive through the golden arches. (That could be the only positive thing about rushing; no time for negative nutrition.)