Sometimes it's a health issue.

I did not know it, but I had sleep apnea. As a manager, I couldn't function. I was always tired, even after 13 hours of sleep a night. I felt terrible, the world was gray. I nearly died, falling asleep on the freeway on a bright sunny day on the way to the doctor to be examined.

I started the treatment Friday night. By morning I was seeing in color again. I could think. It was the best rest I had in a decade.

Monday morning, it took me just the morning to go from 590 emails down to the 109 I needed to work with. My memory improved immensely. Life started to be good.

This cautionary tale is to get all of you to consider that a source of procrastination may be a health issue which causes you to be unable to cope with your daily life: Your get up and go has gotten up and gone.

If you really don't know what to do, procrastination is your first line of defense, but most problems need solutions that cannot be put off.

And procrastinating about medical issues can be deadly.