Stuck in the same cycle of pushing things off until tomorrow? Or waiting until the absolute last minute and regretting it? I’ve been there before more often than I would like to admit.

These are some of my favorite psychologically supported life hacks that will help kick start projects.

1. Create a plan

This is my favorite place to start. It gives me security knowing that I have some sort of rough draft, road map, and or loose plan to follow along.

Breaking daunting tasks down in to small, manageable steps is key. This can take a task or project from mission impossible, to a step by step plan on how to knock, whatever it is you’ve been putting off, out of the park.

2. Set Clear Goals:

Putting your manageable steps into a calendar is the next step to achieving your goals. Clear objectives make it easier to start and progress and reduce the tendency to procrastinate.

Even the most experienced climbers need to tackle Mount Everest step, by step. Why would your goals be any different?

Whether it’s losing weight, starting a new business, turning in that homework assignment you’ve been putting off for weeks – setting up goals for yourself will help you feel a lot more confident and more prepared when you start.

I always recomment the SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievebale, Relevant, and Time-Based) baseline whenever I’m setting goals.

If you want to read more about SMART goals, click here.

3. Create a Structured Schedule:

This strategy works best for long-term goals. Diet, exercise, weightloss, skill aquisition, buliding businesses, or big time projects – for example – are goals that take months if not years to see actualized results.

It’s important to first, understand some projects are not going to yeild immediate results (unlike doing the dishes or cleaning your room, where the finished task is visible immediately), and therefore require a more disciplined approach.

Plan your day or week in advance, allocating specific time slots for different tasks. Having a structured schedule minimizes the likelihood of delaying tasks.This will help you build routines in your daily and weekly life that best align with your desired outcome.

If you want to see my 3 Month Success Schedule, you can read about it here.

4. Use the Pomodoro Technique:

Work in focused bursts of time (usually 25 minutes) followed by short breaks. The Pomodoro Technique helps maintain focus and prevents tasks from feeling overwhelming, reducing procrastination.

This is especially effective for short term tasks which need to be accomplish in one sitting from start to finish.

I use the Pomodoro Technique when I am doing tasks which involve cleaning, organizing, and packing. I also love to use this when I need to make serious headway on a task like writing, editing, or tedious tasks which require hours of work.

It’s amazing how much you can get done in 25 minute bursts.

5. Visualize Success and Consequences:

Picture yourself completing the task successfully and imagine the positive outcomes. Imagine the elation and the gratitude you will feel once your goals have been realized. Visualize how much you’ve grown throughout all the trials and tribulations you’ve overcome on your journey to actualization.

Conversely, consider the negative consequences of procrastination to motivate action. How will you feel in 2 – 3 years time if this task goes unaccomplished? How would you feel? Would you be happy with yourself? Will you feel satisfied with your life and where you are?

It’s important to visualize the good as well as the bad, in order to move forward with purpose, motivation, and a new sense of self-empowerment.

6. Practice Self-Compassion:

Be kind to yourself when facing challenging tasks. Instead of criticizing procrastination, acknowledge it without judgment and focus on taking small steps forward.

This can be one of the hardest for me personally. I can be very hard on myself for procrastinating, falling behind, making mistakes, ect… But self-compassion is essential if you want to be consistent. If we punish ourselves, we will start to associate the work in front of us as negative, anxiety incuding, and punitive.

Being king to ourselves, and treating ourselves with grace when we need to take a break, pause a task, or fall off our schedule will make it 10x easier to jump back into our scheduled routine when our batteries are recharged.

7. Utilize Implementation Intentions:

Formulate specific plans for when and where you’ll work on tasks. By linking intentions to specific cues or situations, you can overcome decision-making hurdles and initiate action more easily.

An easy example of this is: Meal Prep Sunday, or going for a walk after work. Assigning times and/or days for specific tasks minimizes decision making and encourages habit building and establishing routines.

8. Find Accountability Partners:

Share your goals with someone else who can provide support and hold you accountable. Regular check-ins and mutual encouragement can help maintain motivation and reduce procrastination tendencies.

This could look like a workout partner, a coach, or a friend who is on a similar journey. Often times, we show up better for other than we do ourselves. Using this fact to our advtange can help propel our progress and help maximize success.

Each of these strategies targets different aspects of the psychology behind procrastination, offering various approaches to overcome it. Feel free to try out different combinations and see what works best for you!