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A few months ago, I wrote a book called The Psychology of Procrastination. It’s loaded with practical evidence-based techniques that address the root causes of procrastination and time management problems. Recently, I’ve been sharing with you some of the techniques that didn’t make it into the final cut of the book. I shared with you some extra strategies for knowing which task to start with and strategies for getting motivated. Now that you know how to sort your to-do list and you’ve got some motivation, it’s time to dive into how to get started with your tasks. Today, I’m sharing a couple of strategies that didn’t make it into the book, so grab the full book for all of my very best strategies for getting started on your to-do list.
How to Get Started with Tasks: Use Reminders
Research shows that tasks we put on a schedule or calendar are significantly more likely to be completed than tasks that aren’t scheduled. Use this information to your advantage.
- Set deadlines for everything (I talk about this more in Chapter 5 of The Psychology of Procrastination),
- Make appointments with yourself to meet those deadlines (more details in Chapter 7 of The Psychology of Procrastination),
- Then, use reminders to cue yourself to attend those appointments with yourself and meet those deadlines.
You could use a reminder or alarm app on your phone or set your calendar to remind you. Or you could go old-school and set up physical reminders: Put a post-it note on your bathroom mirror to remind yourself to take your vitamins, put your gym bag with your car keys to remind yourself to take it to work, or put your crocheting materials on the couch to remind yourself to spend some time getting involved in your new hobby. Whatever it takes, use reminders.
How to Get Started with Tasks: Grade Your Tasks
Another solution to get started with big tasks (or even small ones!) is to grade them. Don’t fret – “grading” in this case isn’t about scoring yourself like it might have been in school. “Grade” here refers to making a gradient, or a slope. It’s sort of like breaking a task down into smaller components. But instead of having different sections of a task to complete, you have a gradual progression from start to finish.
In other words, imagine your ultimate goal is at the top of the slope. Now imagine how you would walk up the slope gradually and what each step would involve. The strategy is to break a large task down into manageable components.
Here’s what I mean. Say your ultimate goal is to run a 5k. That’s the top of the slope. Currently, you’re at the bottom of the slope, where you only run to the bathroom. Imagine what a slope would look like from where you are to the top. Maybe it starts with alternating walking and running for 1 minute at a time, and then the next part of the slope is alternating 1-minute walks with 3-minute runs, and so on until you’ve climbed all the way to the top of the slope and you’re running for 35 minutes. Grading tasks or goals in this way helps us turn something that seems monumental into something manageable.
Put These Psychology Skills Into Action
As I mentioned, these two skills ended up being cut from the book — but they’re still really important and useful. If you can use reminders and break your tasks down into a manageable sequence, you’re well on your way to actually getting started with your to-do list. But if you’re looking for a little more guidance on how to get started with tasks, the full book includes 8 strategies I thought were even better than these. Grab the e-book or the hard copy here. Also, since overcoming procrastination is all about establishing good habits, consider grabbing my guided journal to help you change your habits. It’s called Habits: A 12-Week Journal to Change Your Habits, Track Your Progress, and Achieve Your Goals.
How to Stay Focused
Once you’ve gotten your tasks started, the next step to overcoming procrastination is to stay focused so you can actually make meaningful progress. Next week, I’ll share with you a couple of strategies that didn’t make it into the final publication. Don’t miss it. If you’re excited to see the best strategies ahead of time, go ahead and grab the full text here.
Talk to you soon,
Dr. Finch
P.S. Remember, this is education, not treatment. Always consult with a psychologist or therapist about your mental health to determine what information and interventions are best for you. See the disclaimer for more details.
Dr. Hayden Finch is a licensed psychologist providing therapy in Iowa & Arkansas dedicated to bringing you evidence-based strategies to master your mental health.
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Purchase The Psychology of Procrastination
Purchase Habits: A 12-Week Journal to Change Your Habits, Track Your Progress, and Achieve Your Goals
Disclosure: Some links to products may be affiliate links, meaning, at no extra cost to you, I’ll earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. Thanks for your support!
