De-procrastination

How to deal with procrastination

The 5-minute rule

  • Commit: Work on a task for just 5 minutes.
  • Benefit: Reduces the mental barrier to starting.
  • Action: Set a timer and begin. You’ll often continue working beyond 5 minutes.

Overcoming perfectionism

  • Issue: We procrastinate because we want things to be perfect.
  • Shift: Accept that imperfection is inevitable.
  • Action: Start your task knowing it won’t be perfect, but it will be real and improvable

Break down tasks

  • Strategy: Divide complex tasks into smaller parts.
  • Benefit: Makes tasks less overwhelming and more manageable.
  • Action: Break a project into five parts. Set short-term goals and reward yourself after completing each part

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Go to next section on perfectionism

Page last reviewed: 8 April, 2025