How to Short Circuit Procrastination

04.03.2026 | Full List of FR 26 Session Notes​

Hey Reader,
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When we avoid a task we said we would do, for no good reason, simply because we expect a bad outcome? That's procrastination. Really, it's your mind trying to protect you from what it perceives as an external threat. Oh no, it's not going to be perfect = Negative Consequences = Bad = Run!
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Sure, you might think I'm talking about this newsletter. It's not a real physical threat. It's literally a digital signal. But it fires the same emotions and feelings in your mind. And when you see it as a big, challenging, or stressful thing? You go into fight, flight, or freeze mode. And unaddressed, that freeze turns into a painful paralysis.
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How do you break that? I'll tell you the wrong way, based on recent research, and the three things you can do.
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Historically, the thought was, "you just need more discipline" or "you need better, more strict time management" are the cures to procrastination. Being hard on yourself about it, the research shows, creates MORE negative feelings, making the threat MORE intense, leading to MORE procrastination.
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The opposite is what cures it. Here are three things to do:
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​1. Deal with the Negative Emotion

Journal about why this is stressing you out. Tell your Dog about what's going on. The best path is to address and reduce the negative emotion you have tied to this task. And many times, that means getting it from thought to action, either in written or spoken word. Processing the emotion allows you to move on from it. Otherwise, it just gets stuck on repeat over and over again and if that's all you see, feel, and hear in your internal dialogue?
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So get the bad emotion out by sharing it. Even if it's just between you, the pen, and the paper that you then immediately shred into a million little pieces. Or you know, in a newsletter to 4000+ of your favorite people.

2. Break the Task Down into Smaller Elements (Just One Spoon)

Have you ever been frozen by a stack of dirty dishes? You look at the mountain that sprawls over the counters, but you have no room because the dishwasher is already full. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy. The block to the task feels like another too big task... you can see how this can paralyze you.
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Then, last week, I found the cure while listening to Julia LaShay on the The ONE Thing Podcast with Jay Papasan. She gives you permission to go as small as "Get dressed" or "Go to the Grocery Store" as your priority for the week and your path to resilience. (12:45 mark)
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Breaking it down into smaller pieces is how you break through that procrastination. You can put away one spoon. You can send one email, make one phone call. The fear you feel goes away the second you get going on the task at hand.

3. Remove Nearby Distractions

What are the things that make it easy for you to procrastinate? Are they nearby? Are you reading this email on that thing that distracts you the most?! The things that are most important to you should get the space and respect you believe they deserve. Maybe that means removing yourself to a different space. Maybe that means removing things from your space. Either way, the less external stimuli you get while doing your most important work, the better your emotional self handles it.
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​The Big Idea

And most importantly, this is a season to give yourself more grace, Mike, er um, I meant, Reader. Cultivate an attitude of self-compassion. Forgive yourself, and make a plan to do a little better next time.
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I'm taking my first step back with you today after 30 days of avoiding this newsletter because it felt too big. Even if you felt like you didn't have the perfect first step, or too much was going on and you were too distracted. Doesn't matter.
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This is just. one. spoon. keep going. you did it.