Help With That

You know that one thing that you keep putting off. It’s just part of the furniture of your to do list now. A task that is entirely possible, but you just cannot get started.

This week I had a task that rolled over for three whole days. Not a complicated task, but for whatever reason, I found literally anything else to do.

This got me thinking about the why. Why did I keep putting it off. I felt so much better once it was done. It wasn’t that I couldn’t do the task, I was simply procrastinating.

Procrastination, justification, round and around we go. “You have plenty of time”. “You will do a better job on that tomorrow”. “Just get ‘that’ done and then you will do it”. Then before you know it, three days have passed and there’s a bottleneck.

So, how do we stop this from happening? Let’s look at the reasons why we procrastinate and some handy tips to stop it happening again.

Common Procrastination Triggers

Understanding the trigger is half of the battle.

• The too big to chew: The task feels enormous, overwhelming, like trying to eat the entire cake in one go. We stare at the whole thing and just freeze.
• It’s not perfect: This one is a sneaky perfectionist in disguise. We are so afraid of it not being perfect, we don’t start at all. Better not to try than to fail, right? No, done is sometimes better than perfect.
• Don’t know where to start: The task itself might not be big, but the first step isn’t clear. So we wander aimlessly instead of taking any step.
• Boring barrier: Lets face it, some tasks are just dull. We like stimulation, doing things we enjoy. So we will do anything but ‘that’.

How to Get It Done

1. Divide and conquer: If a task feels too big, slice it up! Imagine that cake, you wouldn’t eat it whole. You’d cut a slice.

• Actionable Tip: Break your overwhelming task into tiny, ridiculously small steps. Instead of finish this 6 page presentation, I started with page 1. Finish page 1, suddenly, it didn’t feel like a mountain.
• Try This: For your most daunting “put-off” task, write down the very first physical action you need to take. If it’s writing a report, perhaps “Open document” or “Find last week’s notes.”

2. Embrace the good enough and get going: Perfectionism can be a killer of progress.

• Try This: Set a timer for 15-20 minutes. Call it your “draft” timer. During that time, only work on the task, with zero self-judgment. When the timer rings, stop. You might be surprised how much you got done.
• Actionable Tip: Give yourself permission for a “rubbish first draft.” Seriously. Tell yourself you’re just getting ideas out, and it doesn’t have to be brilliant. The goal is to simply start. You can always refine later.

3. Find Your Starting Point (The “2-Minute Rule”): Often, it’s not the task itself, but the inertia of getting started.

• Actionable Tip: If a task takes less than two minutes, do it immediately. This could be sending that quick email, putting away that one dish, or saving a file. These small wins build momentum and clear your mind.
• Try This: Look at your to do list. Are there any items you could knock off in under 2 minutes? Go on, do them! Feel that sense of accomplishment.

4. Make Boring Tasks More Appealing. You can’t make every task exciting, but you can make it less painful.

• Actionable Tip: Pair an unpleasant task with something you enjoy. Listen to your favourite podcast while doing admin. Put on a playlist while tidying. Promise yourself a small, immediate reward once the task is done (e.g., “Once I finish this one thing, I get 15 minutes of uninterrupted reading time”).
• Try This: What’s your least favourite chore or task? What small, delightful thing could you attach to it? A fancy coffee? A quick walk outside? An episode of your favourite show?

Procrastination might be powerful, but it’s not invincible. By understanding why we are doing it, we can find ways to overcome it. By understanding its tactics, you can use these simple strategies. You can chip away at those longstanding, dust-gathering tasks. Finally, you can get it done.

What’s your “one thing” you’ve been putting off? Pick just one of these tips and apply it today. You might be surprised how quickly that stubborn task starts to shrink!