1. Think on paper. Prepare thoroughly. List every step of the job in advance.
2. Gather all the materials and work tools that you will need before you begin.
3. Do one small thing to get started.
4. “Salami slice” the task. Sometimes the best way to complete a major job is to take a small slice and complete just that piece, just as you would take a single slice of salami and eat it.
5. Practice the Swiss cheese technique. Just as a block of Swiss cheese is full of holes, you treat your task like a block of cheese and you punch holes in it.
6. Start from the outside and complete the smaller tasks first.
7. Start from the inside and do the larger tasks first. Discipline yourself to start with that item, and stay with it until it is complete.
8. Do the task that causes you the most fear or anxiety.
9. Start your day with the most unpleasant task first. “The first thing you should do when you get up each morning is to eat a live frog; then you will have the satisfaction of knowing that that is probably the worst thing that can happen to you all day long.”
10. Think about the negative consequences of not doing the job or completing the task.
11. Think about how you will benefit from doing the job and completing the task.
12. Set aside fifteen minutes during the day when you will work on your project.
13. Resist the tendency toward perfectionism. Since perfectionism is a major reason for procrastination, decide not to worry about doing the job perfectly.
14. Pick one area where procrastination is hurting you. Select a single identifiable area where you know your tendency to procrastinate is holding you back. Pick the most important area, and resolve to conquer that specific example of procrastination.
15. Develop a compulsion for closure. Once you have launched and begun to work on your task, refuse to stop until it is completed.
16. Maintain a fast tempo. Fast tempo is essential to success. Resolve to work at a brisk pace. Walk quickly. Move Quickly. Write fast. Act quickly. Get on with the job. Consciously decide to speed up all of your habitual actions.
