Overcoming Procrastination with Small Steps

Your brain is literally wired to make you procrastinate. Ancient Greek philosophers called it akrasia—doing

one thing when you know you should do something else. Here's what's happening: your Present Self

loves instant rewards like scrolling TikTok, but your Future Self wants that degree and dream

job. Scientists call this time inconsistency. Your brain values immediate gratification

over long-term benefits every single time. The guilt of procrastinating is actually more painful than doing

the work. The problem isn't doing it, it's starting it. Use the 2-minute

rule: make your task so small it takes less than two minutes to start. Open the textbook.

Write one sentence. Once you begin, momentum carries you forward. Your first task