Over the past few weeks, I’ve been experimenting with a technique for beating procrastination: going through the motions.
I first noticed this when I started incorporating Zone 2 cardio into my morning routine. I’ve been reading Outlive by Peter Attia, and he really emphasises the importance of Zone 2 cardio for long-term health. So, I set the intention to go for a run first thing in the morning. But, predictably, when I wake up, there’s friction—my bed is warm, my legs feel a little sore, and heading outside seems like such an effort.
Here’s where going through the motions helps. Instead of focusing on the Big task of running, I just start small: I put on my underwear, then my Lululemon pants, then socks and shoes. I throw on a hoodie. By the time I’ve gone through these steps, the hardest part (getting out of bed) is already done. I might as well go on the run.
This technique isn’t just for exercise. I’ve seen it work in other areas of my life, too:
1. Going through the Motions before Filming YouTube Videos
Even though I’ve been doing this stuff for nearly 8 years, I still find myself procrastinating before hitting record. The usual thoughts creep in: Is this video going to be valuable? Is it good enough? Am I fully prepared? Over time, I’ve realised that these thoughts are inevitable—like gravity, they’ll always be there. But instead of fighting them, I’ve found it helpful to just go through the motions:
- I do my hair.
- I put on my hoodie.
- I adjust the camera angle.
- I turn on the lights.
At that point, I might as well hit record. And once I start, it’s a lot easier to keep going.
2. Going through the Motions at Night Before Sleeping
Over the past few weeks, my sleep scores have been consistently high. Part of it is that I’ve made sleep a priority, but a bigger part is simply going through the motions when my bedtime alarm goes off.
- I don’t force myself to sleep immediately.
- I just start the process: brush my teeth, change into pajamas, dim the lights.
- Then, I might as well get into bed and open my Kindle.
By removing the pressure to “go to sleep” and instead just going through the motions, I naturally ease into it.
As I learned when researching and writing Feel-Good Productivity, a lot of our tendency to procrastinate comes from the activation energy required to start a task. Our brains throw up resistance: It’s too cold outside. This video isn’t ready. This task is boring. But if we remove the pressure to complete the whole thing and just start small, we bypass that resistance. Once we’re in motion, it’s much easier to continue.
So, next time you’re avoiding something, try this: Forget the big goal. Just go through the motions.
Have a great week!
Ali xx
