When it’s time to get down to a financial admin, thoughts of other “must-do” tasks can easily creep in and take over, whether it’s taking the dog for a walk, checking phone messages, or finishing that last section of a TV series.

Such delaying tactics can leave “financial fools” significantly out of pocket.

More than half (58%) of adults admit that leaving things to the last minute has cost them financially, according to a survey of 2,000 people across the UK for boiler plan BOXT Life.

Over a third (36%) admit to putting unpaid bills in a drawer, while one in six (16%) have ignored early warning signs that household appliances are not working.

Monday morning is the best time to put things off, with 10am on that day of the week designated as the maximum faffing hour.

Common activities that throw off the financial manager include TV and streaming binges, snacking and walking the dog, according to the survey.

Scrolling social media, browsing for items online, checking phones and cleaning are also regular procrastination tactics, researchers found.

To help people overcome their habits, BOXT has partnered with psychologist and leadership expert Dr. Lalitaa Suglani, who explains that fiddling is often “driven by feeling overwhelmed.”

Here are her tips for breaking the habit:

1. “Future Message” yourself.

Suglani suggests writing a message to your “future self” for routine tasks.

She says, “Use these messages as reminders and say things with compassion like, ‘You took care of this last month, good job. Time to do the same again.’

“This helps remove the mental burden of remembering without being self-critical.”

2. Use the ’30 second start’ rule.

Suglani says, “Tell yourself you’ll only spend 30 seconds getting started with the process—whether it’s finding the phone number, writing down an invoice, or opening the app.

Once you start, break the tasks down into smaller manageable steps and you’ll likely keep going until it’s done.”

3. Work in short bursts.

“Aim to tackle your to-do list in 25-minute intervals, followed by five-minute breaks,” suggests Suglani.

“This prevents burnout and works within our brain’s natural attention span. During each interval, commit to a task to aid concentration and productivity. Use the short breaks in between to rest your mind and do something you enjoy.”

4. Create a distraction-free environment.

“Watching TV and snacking are common avoidance methods, so when you tackle your to-do list, do it in a space with minimal distractions,” adds Suglani.

“An uncluttered, quiet environment can greatly improve your concentration and efficiency, making it easier to start and complete tasks without succumbing to procrastination.

5. Finally, reward yourself.

Suglani suggests: “Set an earlier ‘happy date’ rather than a ‘due date’ for things like paying bills, associate it with a reward. Instead of seeing it as a mandatory deadline, treat this date as the time you are” gifted’ with the chance to meet the expense.

“Once you’ve checked off your list, reward yourself with a little ritual—a favorite coffee, a walk, a sweet treat, or a podcast break.”