Procrastination

• 2-minute rule

  Tasks under 2 min — done immediately; big ones start with a 2-minute step.

• Breaking down

  'Write report' → 'open doc, write 3 headings' — the brain engages with specifics.

• Timeboxing

  25 min work + 5 break; commit only to starting, not to finishing.

• Friction removal

  Phone in another room, site blockers, environment prepared the night before.

• Public commitment

  A deadline told to a person/group works better than an internal one.

Procrastination is emotion regulation, not laziness: the brain avoids uncertainty discomfort. The question isn't 'how to force myself' but 'how to make the first step so small it isn't scary'. Chronic procrastination with anxiety — see a psychologist.