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The way to get started is to take a small step.
Do you feel like you have a lot of goals but don't know how to start? You're not alone. One of the most complex parts of completing tasks is getting created. But it's easy and doable! This post will give you three tips for getting started on tasks, even when they seem difficult or scary at first.
1. One baby step at a time.
The way to get started is to take a small step. Don't tell yourself, "I have to write 20 pages tomorrow for that essay, but I could never finish it." Get yourself thinking about what you can do right now that will take one minute or less.
Maybe that's reading something you've already written on the topic. Or perhaps it's transcribing a paragraph from your notes out into your computer so you can look at it later. You'll feel motivated by taking that one small step. And then you can start looking forward to the next one!
2. Pick a time of day when you're naturally productive.
When do you usually work best? For me, I'm most productive after dinner and late at night. But I know people who are morning people or work best in the afternoon or late at night. Figure out when you're most productive, then use that time to complete your tasks. You'll get more done, and you might enjoy your work more.
The critical thing to remember when it comes to the time of day is: just because you're most productive at a particular time doesn't mean that's the only time you should work. Some tasks are more accessible to do at certain times of day than others. You can save the hard ones for when you're naturally productive and do them then.
3. Don't beat yourself up.
Is it bad if you don't get that essay finished because you were trying to work for a long time? No! You can keep a note in your notebook of things that need to be done and start tomorrow. Or you could bookmark the page in your browser so you can come back to it later. Just don't stay stuck on something as though it's some major flaw in your abilities or character.
Getting started can be challenging, but it doesn't have to be impossible. Keep in mind that you're only a human being and that's it's okay for tasks to be sometimes challenging. Just try one baby step, then the next one, and so on until you've managed to get the job done.
There's no better feeling than finishing a big project, getting it done, and not feeling like you've worked hard.