Guides › Planning & Productivity
Get started on a task you keep putting off
Name the task you're avoiding and get a tiny first step, a 25-minute plan and a kinder way to think about it.
When to use it
When you've been avoiding something for days
Step by step
Be honest about what's stopping you
Note the task and why it feels hard: boring, confusing, scary, or too big.
Ask for a way in
Paste this prompt into your AI assistant.
Prompt to copyI keep putting off this task: [task]. It feels hard because [reason]. Help me start. Give me: 1) A first step so small it takes under 2 minutes. 2) A 25-minute plan broken into 3 or 4 mini steps. 3) What 'good enough' looks like for a first attempt. 4) One reframe for why this feels hard, in a kind, practical tone, not a pep talk.Set a 25-minute timer
Do the 2-minute step straight away, then start a timer on your phone and work through the mini steps. Stop when it rings if you want to.
What you get
2-minute step: Open the tax return website and log in. 25 minutes: 1) Find last year's P60 (5 min). 2) Fill in personal details (5 min). 3) Enter income figures (10 min). 4) Save and note questions (5 min). Good enough: Half done and saved.
Tips
- Starting is the hardest part; most people keep going once the first step is done.
- For money, tax or legal tasks, use this to get organised, and check anything you're unsure about with a qualified adviser.