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Overcoming procrastination.
A comprehensive science-based guide to overcoming procrastination for good.
Behind the Scenes: Our 2023 Challenges and 2024 Ambitions
2023 was a big year for us. We started with the goal of creating a product used daily by 4,000 people or paid for by 80. We did a ton of work, learned a lot, and ended the year with 15 customers paying $10/month. At the…
Read article →Lesson ten — use commitment devices and reminders
You might have experienced a fleeting spark of motivation to do something you think will be beneficial. Perhaps you come across a book you've always wanted to read and tell yourself, "I'll read that someday." Or maybe…
Read article →Lesson nine — manage your time
We've all come across the infamous phrase "just do it" at some point in our lives. It's a simple and straightforward command, but putting it into practice is a whole different story. How do we actually "just do it"?…
Read article →Lesson eight — use motivational self-talk
Have you ever listened to a motivational talk that really gets you excited, feeling like you can take on the world? For a long time, I actually thought talks like that were a little absurd. I thought they were absurd…
Read article →Lesson seven — manage discomfort
We all know that feeling when we sit down to do something important. You have everything you need, the conditions are perfect, and yet, you still find yourself drifting onto other tasks. What’s happening here? And how…
Read article →Lesson six — overcome rationalizations
One of the unconscious habits that perpetuates procrastination is the process of rationalization. Rationalization is a common thought process where we explain or justify our actions to ourselves with seemingly logical…
Read article →Lesson five — get past the starting threshold
A potent yet often overlooked strategy for overcoming procrastination involves altering the task itself. Although it might seem counterintuitive, this approach is one of the most effective ways to conquer…
Read article →Lesson four — prepare to change
Are you ready to change your procrastination habits? This lesson is designed to move you into a motivational state that maximizes your chances of successfully changing your habits. Assuming you've successfully completed…
Read article →Lesson three — understand your reinforcement factors
In this lesson, we're taking a closer look at why procrastination persists over time, focusing on something known as reinforcement factors. This is the final variable in the procrastination reinforcement loop. Recapping…
Read article →Lesson two — uncover your core beliefs
What makes us procrastinate on some tasks while eagerly completing others? It's a puzzling behavior that many of us grapple with everyday. In this lesson, we're going to explore the core beliefs that drive you to…
Read article →Lesson one — understand your procrastination cycle
If you've landed here, it's likely that you're familiar with the nagging feeling of postponed tasks and unfulfilled duties. Perhaps you're trapped in the endless cycle of saying "I'll do it tomorrow," which never quite…
Read article →What you can learn from 1,000 studies on procrastination.
There have been over 1,000 published studies on interventions to overcome procrastination. I've read an enormous number of them. Of all the research on procrastination, there are 35 large-scale randomized controlled…
Read article →Why traditional procrastination advice doesn't work
The internet is filled with suggestions like breaking down tasks, practising meditation, or creating an accountability mechanism. While these suggestions may be well-intentioned, they often do more harm than good.…
Read article →Why procrastination persists.
The root cause of many human problems is a failure to manage discomfort. Procrastination and addictive habits perpetuate because people never learn to manage sudden, often unconscious flashes of discomfort. The diagram…
Read article →Things I’ve done while not procrastinating
Since August 2021 I have intentionally overcome procrastination at least once everyday, almost without expectation. Each day I complete guided exercises that I created for myself to ensure I make progress on things that…
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