Strategies for Overcoming Slumps in Long Projects

Procrastination happens to the best of us. Even those of us who teach productivity for a living sometimes find ourselves scrolling social media (like RIGHT NOW) instead of tackling the article I’m supposed to write, the tricky conversation I need to have, and the administrivia that I need to follow up on. I mean YOU. Did I say “I”? :) The key isn’t to eliminate procrastination entirely;,it’s to have the right tools to get yourself unstuck when it happens. Here are a few “procrastination pep talks” you (I) can give yourself (myself) when you (I) find yourself (myself) stuck: 1. “This feeling is information, not a verdict.” Your procrastination is trying to tell you something. Maybe you’re overwhelmed, uncertain where to start, or afraid of not meeting expectations. Instead of judging yourself, get curious about what’s underneath it. Once you identify the real issue, you can address it directly and move forward. 2. “You don’t have to feel ready to get started.” Readiness is overrated. You’ll rarely feel completely prepared or motivated to begin difficult work. The most productive people don’t wait for the perfect moment. They start anyway. Action creates momentum, and momentum creates motivation. Not the other way around. 3. “Progress over perfection.” That report doesn’t need to win a Pulitzer on the first draft. Your job right now isn’t to create something perfect; it’s to create something improvable. Give yourself permission to produce work that’s good enough to refine later. Version 1.0 beats version never. 4. “Break it down until it feels doable.” If the task feels overwhelming, it’s probably too big. Keep breaking it down until you find something manageable. Can’t write the whole proposal? Write the outline. Can’t do that? Open the document and write the first line. There’s always a smaller step you can take right now. 5. “You’ve done hard things before.” Remember when you thought you’d never figure out that challenging project? Yet here you are. You have a track record of working through challenges and getting things done. This task isn’t any different. 6. “Fifteen minutes is enough to start.” You don’t need three uninterrupted hours to make progress. Set a timer for 15 minutes and commit to working for just that long. Often, starting is the hardest part, and once you’re in motion, you’ll want to keep going. 7. “Your future self is counting on you.” Think about how you’ll feel tonight if you continue avoiding this task versus how you’ll feel if you make real progress. Your future self will either thank you for pushing through or wish you had started sooner. Be the person your future self can count on. Procrastination isn’t a character flaw. It’s an emotional avoidance habit. And like any habit, it can be changed with the right strategies and self-compassion. The next time you find yourself stuck, choose one of these pep talks and give it a try.

On navigating burnout as a senior PhD student (and all stages of your academic life) (or novel ways to manage burnout as an academic). I sat down to write about burnout this morning, knowing full well that I am burning out. I've too many projects, too much editorial work, and too much grading to get done as the semester ends. I thumbed through my mental Rolodex and came up with five strategies. 1. Prioritize Intentional Breaks 2. Set Boundaries for Work-Life Balance 3. Engage in Regular Physical Activity 4. Practice Mindfulness or Reflective Activities 5. Seek Social Support All of them are good, but I've written about them all before. So I dug a bit deeper, hoping to identify strategies not only for my readers but also for me to navigate the burnout that comes with feeling pressure to perform and the fatigue that comes with the end of an academic cycle—be it the school year or a dissertation. Here is what I came up with! Strategy 1. Scholarly Cross-Training: Engage with topics unrelated to your primary research area to refresh your thinking and reignite curiosity. Example: If you're studying digital misinformation, attend seminars or watch documentaries on marine biology or architecture to inspire fresh thinking patterns. Strategy 2. Micro-Sabbaticals: Take short, structured breaks (e.g., 1–2 days) to completely step away from academia, providing rapid mental rejuvenation. Example: Schedule quarterly "unplugged weekends," deliberately avoiding all academic content, technology, and communications for 48 hours to regain perspective and mental clarity. 3. Reverse Mentoring: Seek advice or mentoring from junior scholars or students to gain fresh perspectives on your career, reducing the pressure of always being the expert. Example: Have monthly coffee chats with undergraduate or graduate students where you invite them to share new tech tools, research approaches, or perspectives that challenge your thinking. 4. Research Detox Days: Dedicate specific days exclusively to "fun" scholarly tasks—activities related to academia but not tied to your core projects or productivity metrics. Example: Schedule a day (s) to leisurely explore articles, podcasts, or lectures purely out of curiosity, without taking notes or outlining any papers. 5. Anti-Goal Setting: Instead of creating more ambitious goals, consciously set limits or caps on how much scholarly work you allow yourself to do, preventing overcommitment. Example: Set an intentional cap on daily writing time (e.g., no more than two productive writing hours daily) to force productivity within constraints, reduce exhaustion, and promote balance. Note: of course, you can have exceptions for deadlines. I'm going to try some of these in the coming months. Hopefully, it will help with the fatigue - the pressure of posting + writing + teaching is getting to me. #academiclife

Procrastination isn't about time. It's about emotions. You're not lazy. Your brain is protecting you from difficult feelings. Fear. Anxiety. Self-doubt. I've seen it steal dreams. Maybe you have too. Here are 8 powerful ways to break free: 1. Create Space Between Trigger and Response 💬 "The moment I face a big task, I grab my phone." ➟ Pause for 30 seconds when avoidance hits ➟ Take three deep breaths ➟ Ask: "What tiny step can I take now?" 💡 Viktor Frankl: Our power lies in the space between trigger and response. Try: Set a 30-second timer next time you feel the urge to avoid. 2. Face Your Fears Head-On 💬 "I keep delaying because what if everything goes wrong?" ➟ Write down your worst-case scenarios ➟ Rate how likely each one is ➟ List one action to prevent each fear 💡 Named fears lose their emotional grip. Try: Write down your biggest fear about your delayed project. 3. Build Instant Rewards 💬 "Important tasks feel painful. Netflix feels good." ➟ Pair tough tasks with immediate pleasures ➟ Create small celebrations for completion ➟ Track your wins visually 💡 Your brain craves instant gratification. Use it to your advantage. Try: Choose one small reward for your next completed task. 4. Design Your Environment 💬 "My workspace doesn't inspire action." ➟ Place visual reminders of your goals ➟ Set out tools needed for tomorrow ➟ Remove distracting triggers 💡 Your environment shapes your behavior more than willpower. Try: Put one inspiring image where you'll see it tomorrow. 5. Use Social Power 💬 "I keep my goals private so I can't fail publicly." ➟ Tell someone your deadline ➟ Share progress updates ➟ Set public consequences 💡 Social pressure creates positive emotional urgency. Try: Text one friend about your next deadline. 6. Reset Your State 💬 "Bad moods make me avoid everything." ➟ Take a 2-minute meditation break ➟ Step outside briefly ➟ Do 5 jumping jacks 💡 Physical state changes create emotional shifts. Try: Stand up and stretch right now for 30 seconds. 7. Create When-Then Plans 💬 "I have good intentions but never follow through." ➟ Write specific action triggers ➟ Link habits to existing routines ➟ Remove decision points 💡 Clear plans bypass emotional resistance. Try: Write one "When X happens, I will do Y" statement. 8. Track Visible Progress 💬 "It feels like I'm getting nowhere." ➟ Use a progress calendar ➟ Mark daily wins ➟ Share your journey 💡 Seeing progress builds emotional momentum. Try: Draw a simple progress bar for your current project. Your dreams are waiting. Your emotions shouldn't stop you. Pick one strategy. Start now. Which one will you try first? ♻️ Repost if this resonated with you! 🔖 Follow me Suren Samarchyan for more.

Most people will never launch the big project they’ve been talking about. Why? Because they get overwhelmed and never find enough time to devote to this larger project. If you are overwhelmed or stalled on a project, steal my go-to momentum tool. This strategy helped me write a book in 12 weeks, launch a course in 2 months and start a newsletter in a month. “The Kit Kat Strategy” Step 1: Identify a big project Step 2: Break it into 4 parts Step 3: Take one part - try to tackle it. Step 4: overwhelmed? Repeat steps 2-3. Example: perhaps you want to start a newsletter but feel overwhelmed. Break it into 4 parts. - landing page - content strategy - template - welcome email Now let’s say you take the landing page and feel overwhelmed by that. Break it into 4 parts. - copy - design - connections - images Now let’s say you are overwhelmed with the copy….break it down again. - Hero copy - value props - UGC - FAQs Eventually you get the project small enough where it feels manageable and you can build momentum. Momentum > Completion Hope this is helpful!

Despite the half smile on the picture, I was not motivated this morning. - I was tired (pre workout didn’t seem to be hitting this morning) - I ate like crap yesterday and was paying for it this morning - I committed the ultimate sin and hit snooze (5 mins turned into 30) - to make matters worse it was leg day SMH Hard truth: You’re not always going to feel like doing what you know needs to be done. I don’t care how happy or motivated people seem on social media—we all have those days. - You’ll wake up late. - You won’t feel like hitting the gym. - That project you’ve been meaning to tackle will fall by the wayside. - And sometimes, you just won’t want to put on that professional mask for work. But here’s the thing: success doesn’t come from feeling motivated all the time. It comes from finding ways to push through when motivation isn’t there. Here are a few practical tips that have helped me keep going when the motivation just isn’t there: 1. Break it Down: When something feels overwhelming, break it into smaller, manageable tasks. Focus on one piece at a time instead of the whole mountain. Progress in small steps is still progress. 1. Commit to 5 Minutes: Struggling to start? Tell yourself you’ll just work on the task for five minutes. Once you get going, you’ll often find it easier to keep moving forward. 3. Create a Routine: Motivation comes and goes, but routines build consistency. Set up daily habits that align with your goals, and stick to them—whether you feel like it or not. 4. Remove the Guilt: Lack of motivation happens to all of us. Don’t waste energy beating yourself up. Instead, acknowledge the slump, refocus, and move forward when you’re ready. 5. Find Your ‘Why’: When motivation fades, remind yourself of your bigger purpose. Why did you start this journey? Reconnecting with your why can reignite that spark when you’re running on fumes. 6. Lean on Accountability: Share your goals with someone who can hold you accountable. Sometimes, knowing someone else is checking in can be the nudge you need to push through. Motivation is fickle, but your commitment to your goals doesn’t have to be. How do you push through when the motivation isn’t there? Let me know in the comments.