Start small
Starting small is the most effective way to beat procrastination and get things done.
Do you ever find it hard to get started on something you really want to do?
Do you know what makes it hard for you to get started?
Do you want to know what might help you take that first step?
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We’ve all been there—wanting to start something but struggling to get going. You intend to go for a short run, reply to a few tedious emails, or fix that leaky faucet, yet you just can't get yourself to do it. This is the intention-action gap—the space between wanting to do something and not actually doing it.
Mental friction
The problem? Starting requires overcoming mental friction—psychological barriers such as low motivation, fear of failure, and lack of confidence, which hold you back from taking that first step. The larger the task, the greater the internal resistance, making it harder to begin. Combined with our natural tendency to take the path of least resistance, this can lead to procrastination. You tell yourself you’ll start tomorrow, but somehow, it keeps slipping further and further into the future.
Start small
The solution? Start small! Make your next step so simple that it requires little effort and is guaranteed to succeed. This helps you overcome the mental barriers, as it minimizes the motivation needed to get started, removes the fear of failure, and boosts your confidence that success is possible. And once you’ve taken that first small step, it becomes easier to keep moving forward.
The key to starting small is identifying and doing the first simple task you can successfully complete. That’s it, no pressure to do more. Just complete one simple task. For example, if you dread cleaning the house, do one small chore, like wiping down the kitchen counter or putting away a few items of laundry. If you procrastinate on writing a report, open the document and type a single sentence or just the title. Or, if you want to exercise but feel a full workout is too much, do one push-up.
If this still doesn’t get you going, make it easier by lowering the bar even more. If writing one sentence feels too hard, just open the document. If one push-up feels like too much, just get into position. The goal isn’t to do a lot—it’s simply about completing a small task that moves you in the direction you want to go.
To boost your motivation, immediately celebrate completing a task in a way that inspires you, like giving yourself a mental high-five or pumping your fist. This makes you feel good, reinforces a sense of progress, and helps you build momentum for what comes next.
You don’t have to do anything beyond this first step. But completing it might give you the motivation to tackle another small task. Taking action often makes the next step feel easier. One push-up might turn into five. One sentence could grow into a paragraph. If you stop after the first step, that’s totally fine—you’ve still made progress. And if you keep going, consider it a bonus!
Building habits
The key to building habits is also to start small. By consistently performing a tiny version of your desired habit, you reinforce the identity of the kind of person for whom this habit comes naturally. Writing just one sentence reinforces your identity as a writer, doing one push-up strengthens the view of yourself as someone who exercises. Small actions don’t just lead to habits—they reshape how you see yourself. Once you’re showing up regularly, you can gradually increase the habit, step by step, until it reaches the level you’re aiming for. Even as you do more, keeping the minimum requirement low makes it easier to get started each time, ensuring the habit stays sustainable in the long run.
Additional tips
👉 Focus on the process: Rather than fixating on the end goal, focus on the simple task in front of you. This keeps you in the present moment, reduces mental friction, making it easier to get started. After all, life itself is a process—growth and progress happen step by step.
👉 Create a cue: Cues prompt you to take action. A simple cue, like making a cup of tea before writing or putting on workout clothes before exercising, signals your brain that it’s time to begin.
👉 Make it easy to begin: Remove obstacles that make starting harder. If you want to read more, keep a book within reach. If you plan to exercise, lay out your workout clothes the night before. The fewer steps between you and the task, the more likely you are to start.
👉 Track your progress: Use a journal or app to record your daily actions and any progress made. Tracking helps you notice small wins, reinforces the importance of sticking to the process, and boosts motivation by showing how far you’ve come.
👉 Practice self-compassion: Treat yourself with the same care and compassion you would offer a close friend. Beating yourself up for procrastinating only adds more stress and makes it even harder to start. Instead, acknowledge your struggles without judgment and focus on taking the next small step forward.
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Start small and focus on one tiny task at a time to overcome the barriers that stop you from getting started. Progress is about showing up consistently and building momentum. Keep the bar low, celebrate each small win, and let those small steps add up to bigger results over time.
References
Fogg Behavior Model, by Dr. BJ Fogg
Tiny Habits, by BJ Fogg PhD
Atomic Habits, by James Clear
