To stop procrastinating right now, identify the smallest possible step you can take to make progress toward your goals, and try to start with just that tiny step, while giving yourself permission to make mistakes during the attempt. For example, if you need to write an essay, you can decide to start by writing just a single word, while accepting that it won’t be perfect, and might even be quite bad at first.

In addition, you can make it easier for yourself to get started first, for example by preparing your tools without yet trying to start working, and also make it harder to procrastinate, for example by removing distractions from your environment.

To overcome procrastination in the long term, do the following:

1. Set specific and realistic goals. For example, if you want to start exercising, a good goal might be “be able to run a full mile by the end of the month”, while bad goals might be “get in shape” (unspecific) and “run a marathon by the end of the month” (unrealistic).
2. Assess your procrastination. First, identify cases in which you delay unnecessarily, to figure out what exactly you procrastinate on (e.g., studying) and how you do it (e.g., by browsing social media). Then, think about those situations to also figure out where and when you procrastinate (e.g., at home or the library, on starting or finishing tasks, in the morning or evening). Finally, figure out why you procrastinate (e.g., due to perfectionism, fear, anxiety, depression, ADHD, sensation seeking, or abstract goals), potentially after reading about why people procrastinate.
3. Create an action plan. It should involve using relevant anti-procrastination techniques, which account for the goals that you set and the nature of your procrastination problem.
4. Implement your plan. Make sure to reflect on your progress and refine your approach, primarily by figuring out which techniques work for you and how you can implement them most effectively.

The following are key anti-procrastination techniques you can use, which are presented in more detail in the next section:

• Break tasks into manageable steps (e.g., into sub-tasks that you can easily complete).
• Commit to a tiny first step (e.g., to working for just 2 minutes).
• Give yourself permission to make mistakes (e.g., by accepting that your work won’t be perfect).
• Make it easier to take action (e.g., by preparing everything you need in advance).
• Make tasks more enjoyable (e.g., by listening to music while you do them).
• Make it harder to procrastinate (e.g., by removing potential distractions).
• Delay before indulging the impulse to procrastinate (e.g., by counting to 10 first).
• Set deadlines (e.g., by deciding that you’ll complete a certain task by noon tomorrow).
• Plan how you’ll handle obstacles (e.g., by deciding that if X happens, then you’ll do Y).
• Identify and address your fears (e.g., by considering what advice you’d give to a friend).
• Increase your motivation (e.g., by marking streaks of days on which you achieve your goals).
• Increase your energy (e.g., by taking necessary breaks).
• Improve your environment (e.g., by adding reminders of your goals).
• Use social techniques (e.g., by emulating a role model).
• Use time-management techniques (e.g., by alternating consistently between work and rest).
• Create starting rituals (e.g., by counting down from five before taking action).
• Start with your best or worst task (e.g., with your easiest or hardest one).
• Develop self-efficacy (e.g., by reflecting on your successes).
• Develop self-compassion (e.g., by reminding yourself that everyone makes mistakes).
• Treat underlying conditions (e.g., ADHD).

You can use any combination of techniques that you want, but should start by focusing on a few that seem most relevant to you given your specific situation.

You’ll likely benefit from writing things down, such as your goals and plan. This can have various benefits, like helping you think more clearly and making your decisions feel more concrete.

You can use a similar approach as an intervention to help someone else stop procrastinating, by doing the above on their behalf, doing it together with them, or encouraging them to do it themselves.

Finally, remember that imperfect action is generally better than no action, so you’ll benefit more from trying to do just a bit of the above, than from getting stuck doing nothing at all. Also, the longer you delay, the more likely you are to do nothing, so you should start right now, while understanding that you’ll probably get some things wrong at first, but that you’ll be able to improve your approach over time. If you feel overwhelmed, just start with the first technique in this section (committing to a tiny step), until you feel ready to do more.