How to Manage Procrastination

When we procrastinate, the negative feelings snowball until we’re paralyzed, and only at the very last minute, when panic sets in and we’re at the do-this-or-lose-my-job stage, do we perform the task.

The trick is to begin with forgiving ourselves for screwing up. From there, we can break the things we have to do down into tiny, easily tackled mini-tasks; seek external support for our goals; minimize distractions; and aim for steady, incremental accomplishments instead of huge, goliath-size ones. (“Write the intro to your presentation” as opposed to “Write your presentation.”).

In "GTD Speak" this is:

Outcomes & Actions

1. Describe in a single sentence the intended successful outcome for the problem or situation

2. Write down the very next physical action required to move the situation forward