How to Stop Procrastinating: a simple Guide to Mastering Difficult Tasks and Breaking the Procrastination Habit

Practice #4: Eat the Frog
Eat the frog by completing the hardest task first, preferably the one task
that you know you’re most likely to procrastinate on.
Practice #5: Use the Eisenhower Matrix to Make Quick
Decisions
Use the Eisenhower Matrix to make quick decisions about every new
activity that you could work on.
Practice #6: Complete Small Tasks—ASAP
Take action on small tasks by applying the Two-Minute Rule and single-
handling most of your daily tasks.
Practice #7: Create a Mini Habit for Challenging Tasks
Create a mini habit for challenging tasks by setting a “lowball” goal that

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makes it super simple to get started.
Practice #8: Build Elephant Habits for Ongoing
Projects
“Eat your elephant” by chipping away at daunting tasks in 5- to 10-
minute increments every day.
Practice #9: Use Sprints to Work On Challenging
Projects
Use the Pomodoro Technique to work in a series of sprints for large,
ongoing projects. You will:
choose a task (e.g., writing);
set a timer for 25 minutes;
work for 25 minutes without succumbing to any distractions;
take a 5-minute break by getting up and walking around;
go back to work for another 25 minutes; and
after every four time blocks, take a 15- to 30-minute break.
Practice #10: Build the Discomfort Habit
Build the discomfort habit by becoming comfortable being
uncomfortable. This will increase your personal tolerance for completing
challenging tasks.
Practice #11: Remove Hidden Blocks with the
Awareness Habit
Use the awareness habit to identify the signs indicating you’re likely to
procrastinate.
Ask yourself questions like these:

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What reason do I have for putting off this task?
Why do I feel it’s so tough to do?
How many times have I successfully done it in the past?
What did I do then to get started?
What is the easiest step that I can do right now to get started?