✅ The Stop Procrastinating & Just Get Started Checklist (Diagnostic Tool)
Use this Diagnostic Tool to Understand and End Your Procrastination
*This is part of a series on how to stop procrastinating and make getting started easier for yourself (especially if you are a creative entrepreneur).
Stop Procrastinating with this Diagnostic Tool
Implementing this checklist will help you move your ideas from concept to completion.
It may mean the difference between keeping your most meaningful ideas stuck inside your head or actually bringing them to life.
Procrastination is a complex psychological phenomenon.
As you’ll quickly realize as you go through this diagnostic tool, the reasons why you may be procrastinating could be multifaceted and dynamic.
Use this checklist to quickly diagnose why you’re procrastinating — and then grab your free copy of the Stop Procrastinating and Just Get Started Checklist to learn what to do next to overcome your resistance.
This article and tool will jump right into application (and won’t include specific stories, case studies, or examples). I’ll share more of these in a future article.
Ready to rock? 🤘
Simply follow along with the Steps and questions.
✅ Step 1: Write It Down
Procrastination is so normal for most creative, entrepreneurial people — but it doesn’t have to be.
Generally, procrastination results when you’re experiencing some type of overwhelm (or the threat of overwhelm).
The first step to stopping your procrastination is to keep things super simple — simply write or type out what you’re procrastinating on.
Grab a piece of paper or open a Google Doc and simply write this out:
👉 “I am procrastinating on ________”
There’s lots of research (and anecdotes) on the power of simply getting things out of our heads and onto paper (or a blank digital document). 🧠
Often, simply writing it out can help lessen the resistance and pressure you are experiencing toward it — and help you get started.
But if you need to go deeper, start reflecting on the questions in Step 2
✅ Step 2: Run Through This Diagnostic
Any (or multiple) of these feelings, thoughts, or situations could trigger procrastination.
Which ones apply to your current situation?
Ask yourself…
Does IT Feel…
- Too Big?
- Too Hard?
- Too Complex or Complicated?
- Like a “Grind” or a Chore?
- Too Boring or Easy?
- Like you Don’t Have to Do It Right Now?
Do YOU Feel…
- Anxious?
- Fear, Self-doubt, Like an Impostor, or as if you are “Not _____ Enough?”
- Uncertain or Unclear about what you want to do?
- Too Overwhelmed (perhaps also with other responsibilities or tasks)?
- Too Tired?
- Too Distracted?
- Not Enough Time?
- The Urge to “Do More Research” First?
- Not “Ready” Yet?
- Like there is No Point — Why Even Bother?
- Lost?
- As if No One Will Ever See This (or Lonely & Isolated)?
- Like Watching Netflix or YouTube instead?
Are you AVOIDING…
- Making a Decision?
- Calling your work “Complete,” “Done,” or “Finished?”
Do YOU…
- Keep telling yourself, “I’ll Do This Later?”
- Want to just Imagine what this “Could Be” vs. Actually Doing the Work?
- Actually, Want to Do This?
- Really, Actually, Want to Do This? (Note: Don’t Bullshit Yourself)
So, did any of these reasons and procrastination triggers resonate with you?
The good news is that now that you’ve identified the reason(s) you are procrastinating, you can start to deliberately take specific actions and ask yourself specific prompts to self-coach yourself on what to do next to break through the resistance and get going on your creative work.
👉Grab your free copy of The Stop Procrastinating and Just Get Started Checklist to overcome your procrastination as a creator or creative entrepreneur.
Email or message me if you have any questions or want to explore how to apply this in a more personalized way.
More About Coach Jeff
My name is Jeff Fajans (rhymes with “lions”) and I help creative entrepreneurs bring their biggest ideas to life and reach their next level of creative success.
I have a PhD in Positive Organizational Psychology from Claremont Graduate University, where I studied under Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, the world-renowned author of Flow. My research focused on how to help people learn, develop, and lead more effectively to better achieve creative goals.
I am also an avid music creator and guitar player. 🤘
Through my 1-on-1 coaching, 30-Day Creative Momentum Challenge community, internationally acclaimed digital courses, and speaking engagements, I’ve helped thousands of people from around the world connect with their purpose, clarify their creative vision, amplify their motivation, and create actionable strategies that make achieving their most meaningful goals inevitable.
These are people who are pursuing big goals like starting or leading a business (and scaling it to higher levels of innovation & growth), writing + filming a feature film (and it winning a Sundance award), building an app or product (and getting accepted into Y Combinator or getting VC funding), writing a book (and hitting the Amazon bestseller list) or even exploring a meaningful side hustle or passion project.
