Focus Tips
Task Initiation Resistance
Overcome the wall between you and starting any task.
The Problem
The task is not hard. You are capable. But there is a heavy invisible barrier between you and beginning. You do anything else — dishes, reorganizing, another coffee — rather than the one thing you must do. The avoidance itself becomes exhausting.
Strategies to Overcome It
- 1Use the "5-minute rule": commit to just five minutes, after which you may stop.
- 2Break the task into the tiniest visible first step, like opening the file.
- 3Remove friction: pre-open the document, lay out the tools the night before.
- 4Pair the start with something pleasant — a specific playlist or drink.
- 5Name the resistance out loud: "I am avoiding this because it feels big."
Your 2-Minute Action
Open the file, app, or document the task lives in and write the first line, even if it is just the date and a heading. Starting is the whole battle.