Why can't I start?
Why you can't start — and what to do about it
"Why can't I start?", "why can't I make myself do it?" and "I can't make myself start" are some of the most common questions about procrastination. Procrastination is, in essence, a way of escaping an unpleasant feeling a task provokes right now, for example anxiety, boredom, self-doubt, resentment, or overwhelm. By identifying what is driving the delay, you can get back into the drivers seat and make your next move.
Identify the pattern
The same delay can come from perfectionism, overwhelm, aversion, distraction, or several other patterns. Each needs a different response.
Match the first step
Once you know the pattern, the right first step is usually small and concrete: define "good enough," name the first micro-action, or remove an early obstacle.
Apply it to one task
Practice the response on a real task you are stuck on now, not in the abstract. That is how the pattern starts to change.
The eight patterns that keep people from starting
Read the explanation on any pattern.
- Perfectionism
It isn't finished because it isn't good enough yet.
- Keeping the door open
Not quite giving it your full shot, so the result doesn't quite count.
- Overwhelm
There's no visible place to start, so it feels endless.
- Avoiding the unpleasant
You know exactly what to do. It's dull, so you don't.
- Pulled away
You mean to start, and something nearer wins.
- Running on deadline
Little happens until the deadline gets close.
- Resisting the "should"
You resist it because it's expected, not because it's hard.
- Planning instead of doing
The planning is genuinely more interesting than the work.
Find your pattern in five minutes
The procrastination test asks you about one task you are stuck on and matches your answers to the most likely pattern. You get a short explanation and one practical next step.
Take the procrastination test