Ten Questions to Overcome Procrastination Pushback

Below is a series of questions I’ve developed over the years that my students use again and again whenever they’re stuck in their procrastination cycle. I have found that asking yourself questions, specifically the right questions, can help change your mind-set, stretch your thinking and help you uncover the answers you need to get unstuck and started.

I’m hoping that whenever you feel the need for support, you’ll refer back to this list as well.

1. What is my plan . . . after dinner, this weekend, to study for my math quiz when I get home from soccer so late, have to wake up early for Spanish club or (fill in the blank)? Asking this question in this manner helps you to develop a sense of time. Some of you have a very difficult time making the connection that what you have to do later in the day or even later in the week or month can affect what needs to be done now. This question is an organic way for you to begin to formulate routines and schedules and remember what you need to accomplish.
2. What do I need to do to . . . get ready for soccer, get ready for school, take out the trash or whatever else? Formulating the answer to this question helps you build a mental checklist for what needs to be done and how to do it. That checklist helps you build your memory. And when you build memory, you build habits and routines. You start to remember!
3. What is the first step for . . . starting my science project, studying for my test, writing my college essay or (fill in the blank)? Are you easily overwhelmed? Does trying to visualize a whole project all at once leave you not knowing where to start? This question will bring your focus to a manageable starting point and help you begin.
4. What am I going to do before, after, in an hour, after dinner, after rehearsal? Using concrete language helps you visualize what comes next, reinforcing your time sense.
5. What are my priorities today? With regard to getting homework done, for instance. Defining your priorities instead of listing your to-dos requires your brain to do some significant heavy lifting to determine order, sequence and importance.
6. What could get in my way today (or tonight or this weekend) that would interfere with my getting my homework (or chores) done? Asking what could get in your way allows you to see the whole picture—extracurricular activities, social plans or even dinner with Grandma—so you can plan accordingly.
7. What is the smallest thing I’m willing to do? Eliminating barriers to entry helps get you into gear.
8. What does “done” look like? followed by . . . What do I need to do to get to done? What materials do I need? How much time? I love these questions! Why? Because if you have a hard time initiating, looking at the end and working backward creates a road map for you to follow.
9. How am I going to remember to remember? Are you going to write it down? Take a photo? Text it to yourself? The list is endless.
10. And . . . what DO I know? Anytime you start to say, “I don’t know” in response to a question, asking “What do I know?” helps you see where the breakdown—the difference between the known and the unknown—is. And seeing the breakdown often reveals a natural answer or solution.