One of my biggest causes of stress is procrastination. I'm a fairly busy person, so there's always something I could be doing -- which makes it easy to put off the less-desirable tasks until they have to get done...or else.

But do those things really "have to" get accomplished?

Apparently, using that kind of language -- even in my thoughts -- may be part of what's causing my procrastination in the first place.

According to Litemind, "we engage in mental dialogs with ourselves all the time," and those of us that procrastinate try and force ourselves into action by thinking we "have to" go to the dentist, or fill out tax forms, or do whatever unpleasant activity we've been avoiding.

However, instead of helping motivating us, language like this is actually counter-productive, as inherent in "have to" statements are other messages, like "I don't want to do it," or "they're making me do it" -- both of which are detrimental.

Instead, Litemind recommends giving yourself the power of choice -- accepting that, on some level, you're choosing to do everything (even avoiding trouble with the government by paying your taxes on time). So, next time, try "I choose to" as opposed to "I have to" and see if makes those chores a little less oppressive.

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Quickie workouts that don't need any equipment are good for doing when you have a few spare minutes at the office, while on vacation, or during a hectic day at home when your regular routine just isn't going to happen. Click here for a series of moves that will energize you, rejuvenate you, and get your blood pumping all in just 12-15 minutes. Designed to exercise multiple body parts at the same time, it includes push ups, chair squats, ab crunches, close-stance wall push ups, and a move called the 'ab vacuum.' Performing one after the other and shooting for 20-25 reps of each should do the trick.

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It's hard to find the time to exercise, so being as efficient as possible is important to all of us. If you could burn more calories in the same amount of exercise time just by taking a break in the middle, would you do it? Because that's what recent research in Japan found -- people get a calorie-burning and fat-metabolizing boost when they take a 20 minute break in the middle of a one hour workout session, as compared to working out for one hour straight without a break.

Although it does add 20 minutes to the overall workout time I have no problem putting my feet up and catching my breath -- and I'm sure I can find something I can cross off my to-do list during that down time, like paying a few bills or something.

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The commonly-held belief is that anger and rational thought don't exactly go hand in hand. So, if follows that when you lose your temper, you're probably not making the best decisions, right?

Apparently not. A recent study from the University of California, Santa Barbara, says that past research showing that angry people were less analytical was, essentially, missing the point. They believed, that instead of making "snap decisions" based on stereotypes or faulty logic, incensed people were actually doing a better job of thinking quickly and weeding out unnecessary information than their calmer counterparts.

At first, it doesn't seem to make sense, as you'd expect a calmer person to more thoroughly weigh all the options and come to a more thoughtful decision. But when people are a little peeved, they're more motivated to find the best solution as quickly as possible.

Other studies have also found that an appropriate amount of anger can be a positive thing. It helps people feel confident, and in control -- both of which can empower a person to make better decisions.

So don't beat yourself up the next time something trips your trigger -- getting a little angry never hurt anyone, and it might just make you more productive.

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