Struggling With Procrastination? Try a QuickStart

“There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth; not going all the way, and not starting.”

— Buddha

Don’t fall into the trap of waiting for motivation to strike before you start a project or begin work toward a goal. One effective strategy to combat procrastination is to take just one tiny step toward completing the task at hand — a QuickStart.

There’s a fascinating psychological theory behind why QuickStarts can actually work. A concept in cognitive science called embodied cognition holds that thoughts and mental states are determined not just by the brain, but as a result of its interaction with the entire body and all its sensorimotor abilities.

This would explain why merely approaching an object can help foster a more positive attitude toward it. After all, we don’t tend to move toward things we don’t want or like. And it’s also why QuickStarts can help reduce the negative thoughts and feelings that fuel procrastination.

For example, if you’re putting off spring cleaning, QuickStart by straightening out just one drawer. Try using a QuickStart as the first step in your daily routine or for any goal or project that’s stalled out. A QuickStart can be as simple as doing a single pushup, writing the first sentence of a report, vacuuming one room in your house or putting $5 in an emergency fund.. Set a timer for a minute and tell yourself you can stop whatever you’re doing when it goes off (although you probably won’t).

To break through inertia, call upon Newton’s first law: An object in motion tends to stay in motion. So focus on creating forward momentum before you work on velocity. And when it comes to QuickStarting, remember that size matters — but in this case, the smaller the better! If you’re feeling stuck and struggling to get the results you want across several areas of your life, download Branches Productivity for free. It’s a life balance system that can help you get your most important things done and achieve all the results you want in your life.

Help grow this idea.

Have you taken a QuickStart that’s helped you push through a challenge you were facing? What was it? Please share in the comments — it might help someone struggling with the same problem.