Getting Things Done - What if I am too lazy to get started?

bymecatie

189 followers

8 years ago

Things that are going on in my head -> OK, I need to do this, this and this...

Some tasks are really annoying, so I start working around them (which is not good by the way :D). Thus, I need to find a way to make me get started.

Let's take as an example that I need to write a certain manuscript (or blog post).

I know alread it will take forever. I have to check literature in between, maybe design some tables... a lot of work, and at the beginning it does not feel like I get anything done.

I think this is the reason why we don't start a certain task, because we are scared that it will occupy us for a long time.

What can we do to get out of this misery? ;)

Exactly, we have to shorten the time until we succeed at this task, or rather: we set a mini-goal, by telling yourself - or in this case - I tell myself: OK, I will sit down now and write down the keypoints for the table of content, just so I don't forget any important points I need to cover when writing the actual manuscript. This will take me perhaps 5-10 minutes. Quite fast...

And usually when I already sit there and type down keywords and bulletpoints, I usually get some ideas about details I want to cover later. To not forget them, I immediately add them in the outline I just made in the first five minutes... Then I remember an article, that I want to add, but I forgot the title. So I start searching for it, because I don't want to forget later, which article I was thinking about... while searching for this one reference, I discover some more useful info...

You get the point, hopefully ;) suddenly, I am in the progress of fullfilling my task and it does not feel to bad anymore, because I already got started.

This is how I trick myself into a task.

Apparently, this is a widely used technique.

A few months ago in London, I talked to a successful business woman. I asked her what she would tell people who want to get started with fitness nd how they can keep the motivation up.

And she said something similiar: making small goals on your way until you just do it automatically.

Her example was also pretty good:

flossing your teeth. I know this is such an annoying thing to do :D and she said: well just agree with you to inly floss one tooth. That's nothing and your done in a minute.
Well, but when you already flossed one... why not doing the next one too, right?

Hope this will help you to get started:)

Try it and if you want: let me know in what kind of situations you used this approach;) I would love to know!