Procrastination is the enemy of progress and that’s just as true when you’re searching for a job as when you’re actually working a job. But for a job seeker who has been unemployed for six months or more, procrastination is something they simply can’t afford. Below are three tips on beating job search procrastination:

1. Admit that you have a procrastination problem. If you’re spending hours on twitter, Facebook searching the internet and/or watching TV instead of searching for work, then you’ve got a procrastination problem. Don’t allow any excuses to keep you from admitting this fact. Admitting you have a problem is the first step to finding a solution.
2. Be realistic about what it is that you are willing to do regarding your job search on any given day. One of the causes of procrastination is that too many job seekers try to do more than they can in a short amount of time. Instead, break your tasks up in manageable blocks of time. Consider working on a resume for 20 minutes instead of an hour, or searching for jobs for 15 minutes instead of spending hours going through job boards at one time.
3. Face your fears and accept the possibility of failure. Fear of failure is another cause of procrastination. Many job seekers fear rejection and therefore put off seeking work for as long as possible. By accepting that you may possibly fail to find work in the time you allotted for yourself, you free yourself to move forward and at least try.