One of the secrets of people who are highly productive is that they rarely try to tackle a difficult job all at once. Instead, they break the task down into its smallest component parts and do one small step at a time. There are two ways to break a task into small steps. One solution is simply to work for relatively brief periods of time, such as fifteen minutes. The rationale is that it’s relatively easy to do something if you know you can quit after fifteen minutes. Of course, once you get started, you will often get in the mood and end up doing even more. Many procrastinators stubbornly resist this simple plan, even though it is fabulously effective. List three excuses you could give yourself for refusing to do fifteen minutes of a task you’ve been putting off.

1. Make a list of your Negative Thoughts when you procrastinate. Think of all the advantages of procrastinating. Write down what you tell yourself when you procrastinate, such as “I’m not really in the mood.” 2. Select a partner. The two of you face each other. 3. Tell your partner to read your Negative Thoughts, one by one, using the second person (“you” statements). Tell your partner to try to tempt you or persuade you to procrastinate. Tell your partner to be as persuasive as he or she can possibly be. 4. Talk to back to your partner using the first person (“I” statements). Try to refute his or her arguments. Don’t give in, fight back! Argue that it really would be to your advantage to get started today. 5. If you get stuck, do a role reversal.

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