We’ve all been there. Staring at that blank document. That overwhelming project has been sitting on your to-do list for weeks. The creative brief that’s somehow been “in progress” since Tuesday, three weeks ago.
Nearly 75% of students admit to being chronic procrastinators, and honestly? That number feels low when you’re a career marketer juggling seventeen different priorities whilst trying to create “content that converts” on a budget of three Yorkshire Tea bags and sheer determination.
But here’s the thing: getting started isn’t about willpower or some mythical burst of motivation. It’s about understanding how your brain works and giving it what it needs to begin.
"Procrastination is a case where two things come into conflict: what you want most and what you want now."
Your brain literally has different parts fighting each other. The prefrontal cortex (your rational planner) knows you need to finish that content strategy. But your limbic system (your emotional, immediate-gratification seeker) is absolutely having none of it.
This isn’t a character flaw. It’s neuroscience. And once you know this, you can work with your brain instead of against it.
Yes, we are going there! And before you roll your eyes at me 92% of people with a morning routine considered themselves highly productive, compared to just 72% of people without a morning routine.
That’s a 20-point difference just from how you start your day – the kind of advantage that compounds over time.
Research published in the Journal of Management found that a simple morning reflection boosts engagement and productivity all day.
Try these three questions each morning before you start work:
"When we consider how to achieve our goals, we become more aware of our autonomy to accomplish them, as well as the resources and people we have supporting us. All of these factors contribute to feeling more inspired and engaged at work."
If a task can be done in two minutes or less, do it immediately. But here’s the twist: if a big task feels overwhelming, find the two-minute version of starting it.
The goal isn’t completion. It’s momentum.
Consider tasks “essential results” of your day’s work and keep a list of them at hand. Make sure you budget time in your day to complete them.
Instead of a never-ending to-do list that makes you want to hide under a duvet, identify your daily non-negotiables.
What are the 1-3 things that, if completed, would make today a success?
A 2014 study by Stanford found that a person’s creative output increased by an average of 60% when walking. Both walking indoors and outdoors boosted creative inspiration, as the act of walking itself, rather than the environment, was the primary factor.
Can’t think of a headline? Walk around the block. Stuck on messaging? Take a stroll to the kitchen and back. Participants who were sitting produced only half the amount of creative responses as those who were walking.
Perfect excuse for that afternoon walk to support the local coffee shop, if you ask me.
Creativity is often enhanced when we’re exposed to new situations. If your usual workspace feels stale, try working from:
About 65% of creative professionals experience creative block at some point in their careers. The solution isn’t to power through – it’s to change the conditions.
Studies have shown that multitasking has a wide range of negative impacts on the human mind. In fact, a study by researchers at the University of Utah showed that the BETTER people think they are at multitasking, the WORSE they are at it in reality.
Time blocking is when you dedicate chunks of time to singular tasks. But most people do it wrong. They block out “content creation” for three hours and wonder why nothing happens.
Instead, try:
Simply the anticipation of a notification is enough to disrupt our productivity. Try batching your notification checks: first thing in the morning, before lunch, and an hour before your working day ends.
Much like checking the weather before deciding whether to bring a brolly—do it at set times, not constantly.
Apply concepts from other fields to your research: Think about how theories or methods from unrelated fields might apply to your work. This cross-pollination of ideas can lead to innovative approaches and solutions.
Stuck on a content strategy? Read about how restaurants design their menus. Can’t crack that email sequence? Study how your favourite BBC series builds suspense across episodes. Notice how The Great British Bake Off structures tension, there’s content gold in that tent.
“There’s no such thing as a bad idea: the creative part is in seeing it through to completion, and turning dreams into reality,” argues Mr Mills, creative director at ustwo.
Permit yourself to create terrible first drafts (or as I call them, sh*tty first drafts). The goal is completion, not perfection. You can always edit a bad page; you can’t edit a blank one.
Ask a work buddy, friend, or family member to check in with you at the end of the day or week to see how you’re doing with your goals.
But make it specific. Instead of “How’s work going?” try:
Think of it like having a workout buddy, but for productivity. Much more effective than going it alone.
The most important thing to remember is that it is okay and inevitable that you will procrastinate. It is impossible to be fully charged and 100% focused throughout your day.
Getting started isn’t about becoming a productivity robot. It’s about working with your human brain, rather than against it. It’s about creating conditions where beginning feels possible, not perfect.
Some days you’ll nail it. Some days you’ll spend forty-five minutes “researching” (*coughs* scrolling Instagram). Both are normal.
The difference is that now you have strategies that work with how your brain functions, not against it, as well as being able to forgive yourself when you just can’t.
Start small. Be kind to yourself. And remember: often, the hardest part is simply getting started. Once you overcome that initial hurdle, completing tasks may be easier than you thought.
