4 Ways to Start Something You Keep Putting Off

An overdue message, a half-finished project, the task you keep moving to tomorrow. Try four practical ways to begin and find your way back.

Clarido Team··3 min read

You sit down to work on something you've been meaning to do. First, you check a message. Then you look for a better example, tidy the desk, or decide you'll have more time tomorrow. The task stays where it was.

Sometimes the next step is unclear. Sometimes you know exactly what it is and don't want to face the reply, the rough first attempt, or how much work is left. These four approaches give you something more useful to try than telling yourself to get on with it.

  1. 01

    Name the task you're avoiding

    Choose something specific enough that you could tell whether you did it. “Get organized” could mean almost anything. “Reply to the message about Saturday” gives you a place to begin. If you've written a whole project, name the next unfinished part.

    For a room you've been meaning to sort, that might be “decide what to do with the clothes on the chair.” You can leave the wardrobe for another day.

  2. 02

    Find what's making it hard

    Ask what happens just before you turn away. Are you missing information? Too tired to think? Worried that someone will dislike your work? Those are different problems, so they need different responses. More time won't answer a question you need to ask someone.

    If you've delayed booking a repair because you don't know the cost, your first task could be asking for an estimate. You don't have to commit to the repair in that same call.

  3. 03

    Choose a first step you can manage

    Decide what you can do with the time, energy, and materials you have. Give that step an end you can recognize. You might write three rough sentences or gather the two documents a form needs. Start with work that belongs to the task, rather than spending the whole session preparing to start.

    If you want to paint, try one color on paper before searching for more inspiration. You're allowed to stop after the experiment; it doesn't commit you to a finished picture tonight.

  4. 04

    Leave yourself a way back

    You may get interrupted even after a good start. Before you leave, write one line about what comes next. Save the draft or put the materials somewhere you can find them. Choose a realistic time to return, and change it if your day changes.

    “Next: check the dates, then send the email” is enough. Tomorrow, you can pick up there instead of working out the whole task again.

Keep one useful reminder

Notice which part was hardest. If you kept rewriting the opening, an intention like “Let the first draft be rough” may fit. If interruptions were the problem, try “Come back to what I started.” These intention examples can help you find your own words.

Clarido helps you choose an intention, put it on your lock screen, and check in on what happened. You can also use these self-reflection prompts to think through an obstacle before choosing what to try.

A few common questions

What if the first step still feels too big?

Check what it asks of you. You may need information, help, or a break before you can do it. “Ask which document I need” can be a useful step when “complete the form” isn't possible yet.

What if I start but never finish?

Look at where you tend to stop. If you keep adding to the project, define what finished means for this version. If you're waiting for feedback, ask for it. A smaller first step won't solve every problem that comes later.

Do I have to finish everything I start?

No. Check whether the task still matters and whether someone is relying on it. You can change the scope, agree on a new deadline, or decide to stop. If comparison is driving the pressure, these reminders for when you feel behind offer another place to start.

← All postsAbout Clarido