If you procrastinate, you've probably called yourself lazy. But lazy people don't lie awake worrying about the email they haven't sent. People who procrastinate usually care a lot. That's often why the task feels so hard to start.
Procrastination is mostly about avoiding a feeling, not avoiding work. When you think about the task, something about it feels bad, so your mind looks for something that feels better, like your phone, the washing up, or a smaller, easier job. The task gets put off, and the bad feeling gets bigger.
The way out is to spot which feeling it is. Here are the most common ones, and what to do about each.
The task feels too big
Does the task feel like a mountain? Write down only the first small step and do just that today. You don't have to see the whole way to the top to take the first step.
You don't know where to start
Are you putting it off because you're not sure what to do first? Spend five minutes writing down the steps you think it needs, even if you get some of them wrong. Once there's a first step on paper, you can start.
You're worried it won't be good enough
Are you waiting until you can do it perfectly? Give yourself permission to do a rough first version that nobody else will see. It's much easier to improve something that exists than to start from nothing.
It means talking to someone
Is it a phone call or a conversation you'd rather not have? Write down the first sentence you'll say before you call. Most awkward conversations are over in a few minutes, and the dread beforehand is usually worse than the call itself.
It's just boring
Is the task dull rather than hard? Pair it with something you enjoy, like doing the filing with music on, or set a timer for fifteen minutes and stop when it rings. Boring tasks go much faster once you start.
Telling yourself off doesn't help
Being hard on yourself adds another bad feeling to the task, which makes it even harder to start. Talk to yourself the way you'd talk to a friend who's stuck. Ask what would make it a little easier, and do that.
Notice your pattern
Most people put off the same kind of task again and again. Some people avoid phone calls. Others avoid big projects, or anything to do with money. Once you know your pattern, you can plan for it, like always making the dreaded call first thing, before you've had time to think about it.