Put yourself on a procrastination “diet.”

It’s human nature to dodge things that don’t feel good, which is why the tasks we want to avoid linger week after week. When something starts to create anxiety or pressure, we resist it and run away. But when you have to get it done, that’s not a viable option.

The best way to break a habit is to develop new ones, so put yourself on a procrastination diet. Whenever you feel resistance, give yourself one task and then do it. Do two the next time, then three. The first few days of a diet can be hard, but it gets easier if you stick with it. Set aside an hour each day solely to be productive. What’s important is getting started. Before you know it, you’re breaking old habits and doing things that make you uncomfortable. —Dottie Herman, CEO of Douglas Elliman, a real estate brokerage empire with more than $27 billion in annual sales; connect with Dottie on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter