7 ways to move beyond procrastination

Most of us deal with something that quietly holds us back—procrastination. It shows up in every part of life. We avoid tasks that feel boring, difficult, confusing, or emotionally draining. Sometimes, we even avoid things that seem pointless or risky.

Even when we know we’ll have to do it later, we still push it aside. We tell ourselves little excuses that we know aren’t real. And then we stay stuck—doing too little of the stuff we enjoy and the stuff we don’t. It’s like being caught in a loop.

These 7 ways helped me move beyond procrastination.
And they’re simple enough to start right now.

1. Start small—really small

Sometimes, I avoided tasks because they felt too big.

Just opening my laptop or starting a blank page felt like a mountain.
So I started breaking things down. Way down.

If I had to write a report, I’d tell myself, “Just write one sentence.”
If I needed to clean, I’d start with one drawer or one corner.

And you know what happened?
Once I started, it felt easier to keep going.

Small steps built momentum.
And momentum makes everything feel lighter.

So instead of thinking about the whole task, think about one easy action.

2. Set a timer and make it a game

I used to think I needed to feel motivated first.

But waiting for motivation is like waiting for perfect weather.
It might not show up.

One thing that changed the game for me was using a timer.
I’d set it for 10, 15, or 25 minutes—whatever felt doable.

Then I’d tell myself, “Just work until the timer ends.”

No pressure to finish everything.
Just show up for those few minutes.

It felt like a mini challenge.
And oddly enough, once the timer went off, I often wanted to keep going.

Try it. Set a timer and race against it like it’s a game.
It works better than you’d think.

3. Stop trying to be perfect

This was a big one for me.

I wasn’t just procrastinating—I was avoiding mistakes.

I told myself, “If I wait, I can do it better later.”
But “later” kept moving further away.

What I finally learned was this: perfect doesn’t exist.
And chasing it just keeps you stuck.

I gave myself permission to do things badly at first.
Ugly drafts. Messy outlines. Half-baked ideas.

Because starting messy is still starting.
And you can’t improve something that doesn’t exist.

If perfection is stopping you, remind yourself: done is better than perfect.

4. Know what you’re really avoiding

Sometimes, I thought I was lazy.
But I wasn’t. I was overwhelmed, scared, or unsure where to begin.

Procrastination usually hides something deeper.

Are you scared of failing?
Are you afraid someone will judge your work?
Are you unsure how to start?

For me, it was often fear of not being good enough.
So I’d push the task away instead of facing it.

Once I understood what was really going on, I could talk myself through it.

I’d say, “It’s okay to feel unsure. But let’s just begin.”

Naming the feeling helped me stop avoiding the task.
Try it—you might be surprised what’s underneath.

5. Make it easy to start

If something takes too many steps to begin, my brain wants to skip it.

For example, if my workspace is messy, I avoid writing.
If my running shoes are buried in the closet, I don’t run.

So now I try to make things stupid simple.

I keep my to-do list short.
I leave my journal on my desk, open.
I set up my environment the night before.

If I want to write in the morning, I’ll open the doc before bed.
If I need to make calls, I’ll write the numbers down the day before.

Removing friction makes it harder to make excuses.
And that makes it easier to start.

6. Tell someone your plan

I used to keep my goals to myself.
That way, if I failed, no one would know.

But keeping things private made it easier to quit.
No one would notice if I didn’t follow through.

Now I try to share my goals—at least the small ones—with someone I trust.

I’ll say, “Hey, I’m going to work on this project for 30 minutes today.”
Or “Ask me tonight if I cleaned out that drawer.”

I don’t need them to cheer me on.
Just knowing someone might ask keeps me more honest with myself.

Accountability doesn’t have to be big.
Just sharing with one person can help you show up.

7. Celebrate small wins

Before, I only celebrated when I finished everything.
Which meant I rarely felt proud of myself.

That’s no way to build momentum.

Now, I try to notice the little wins.

Started the task? That counts.
Worked for ten minutes? That counts.
Did something instead of nothing? That definitely counts.

I give myself credit, even for tiny progress.

Sometimes I’ll cross something off my list just to feel that “done” buzz.
Other times I’ll reward myself with a walk, a snack, or just a few deep breaths.

Progress feels good.
And when you notice it, you want to keep going.

But the truth is, nothing changes until you do something.

Even one small action today—right now—is better than waiting for the perfect moment.

These are the 7 ways to move beyond procrastination that helped me.
They aren’t fancy or complicated, but they work.