How to Stop Procrastinating Like a Broke Girl

This post is all about how to stop procrastinating without turning your brain into a bully.

Because let’s be honest…

Most of us aren’t lazy.
We’re just overwhelmed, stressed, and one inconvenience away from eating cereal for dinner.

And somehow, we still expect ourselves to “lock in” and become a productivity robot overnight.

Yeah… no.

So today I’m sharing the BEST lessons from a productivity talk I listened to, and it honestly hit me like a slap and a hug at the same time.

Let’s do this.

TL;DR (For My Busy Queens)

If you’re procrastinating, it’s usually because:

✅You don’t know what to do next
✅You don’t know how to do it
✅Or it feels uncomfortable and your brain is avoiding it

The fix is simple:

Pick ONE important thing per day.

Then take the smallest possible step toward it.

That’s it.

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Why Procrastination Isn’t Laziness

Most people think procrastination is just being lazy.

But it’s not.

Procrastination is usually this:

Avoiding discomfort.

You’re not avoiding work.

You’re avoiding the feeling of:

• being confused
• failing
• messing up
• looking dumb
• not doing it perfectly
• being overwhelmed
• being uncomfortable

Your brain basically goes:

“Eww, no thank you. Let’s go scroll TikTok instead.”

And honestly?
Same.

The “Shoot for the Stars” Problem

At first, high standards can be good.

They make you work harder.
They make you push yourself.
They help you grow.

But after a while?

It turns into this constant pressure like:

“If I’m not doing everything perfectly, I’m failing.”

And then you start feeling behind…

Even when you’re doing a LOT.

That’s when motivation turns into self-hate.

And no one gets rich, happy, or productive from self-hate.

The Best Productivity Question Ever

If you take ONE thing from this post, take this:

“If I could only achieve ONE thing today… what would it be?”

Not 20 things.

Not “clean the house, cook, exercise, work, start a business, drink water, and be hot.”

Just ONE thing.

The thing that actually matters.

The thing that moves your life forward.

Because most of the time, we’re busy doing little things…

To avoid the big thing.

Procrastination Is Sneaky (And Kind of Funny)

Your brain will do ANYTHING to avoid the uncomfortable task.

Like:

✅reorganize your bathroom drawer
✅deep clean the microwave
✅suddenly remember you need to “research” something
✅start a new planner system (again)
✅check your bank account 8 times (for no reason)

It feels productive…

But it’s really avoidance in a cute outfit.

Here’s the harsh truth:

People will avoid a few days of discomfort… and accidentally create years of stress.

Because the scary thing doesn’t go away.

It just sits there, waiting.

The 2 Real Reasons You Procrastinate

There are two main reasons procrastination happens:

1) You don’t know what to do

The task feels too big and your brain freezes.

Example:
“I need to start my blog.”

That’s huge.
Your brain panics.
You do nothing.

Fix it by asking:

What is the next physical step?

Not the whole plan.

Just the next step.

Like:

✅open your laptop
✅write the title
✅create the Google Doc
✅write one paragraph
✅pick one keyword

Tiny steps win.

2) You know what to do… but you don’t know HOW

This is the sneaky one.

Example:

“I need to do my taxes.”

You know you need to do them.

But you don’t know how.

So, you avoid it because you feel stuuupid!

But you’re not stupid.

It’s a skill problem, not a motivation problem.

Fix it by doing one of these:

✅Google it
✅watch a YouTube video
✅ask someone
✅use ChatGPT
✅hire help if you can

You don’t need to be perfect.

You just need to be willing to learn.

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The “Embarrassingly Small Step” Method

This part changed my brain.

Sometimes the best way to fix your life is to start with steps so small they feel embarrassing.

Example:

Day 1: bring the vacuum into the room
Day 2: plug it in
Day 3: turn it on
Day 4: vacuum for 2 minutes

And your brain will be like:

“This is pathetic.”

But it’s not pathetic.

It’s SMART.

Because small steps create momentum.

And momentum creates results.

Confidence Is Overrated (Evidence Is Better)

Here’s a quote from the talk that was honestly fire:

“Self-belief is overrated. Generate evidence.”

You don’t need confidence to start.

You need proof.

And proof comes from doing small things repeatedly.

Example:

Write 500 words per week.

That’s nothing, right?

But after a year?

That’s 26,000 words.

That’s basically a book.

And now you’re not “trying to be a writer.”

You ARE one.

Because you built evidence.

Stop Waiting for Your “Real Life” to Start

This part hit hard.

A lot of people live like:

“I’ll be happy when…”

• I lose weight
• I get more money
• I pay off debt
• I move
• I get a better job
• things calm down
• my life finally starts

But that’s a trap.

It’s called deferred happiness.

Like you’re waiting for permission to enjoy life.

But guess what?

This IS your life.

Right now.

Not later.

Not when everything is perfect.

Problems Don’t Go Away… They Just Change

Here’s the truth nobody wants to hear:

Problems are part of life.

They don’t stop.

You don’t “arrive” at a level where everything is easy forever.

So if you’re waiting for a time when you have no problems…

You’re gonna be waiting until you’re a ghost.

The goal isn’t a problem-free life.

The goal is to become someone who can handle problems better.

The Rule That Fixes Everything

This is the best habit rule ever:

Don’t miss two days in a row.

Miss a day?
Fine. O.k.

Life happens……

But don’t miss two.

That’s when habits die.

Example:

• You skip a workout? Fine.
• You skip two? Now you’re “not working out anymore.”

Same with:

• budgeting
• content creation
• cleaning
• eating better
• working on your goals

One day is a break.

Two days is a pattern.

The One Thing You’re Avoiding Is Probably the Thing That Changes Your Life

Let’s be honest.

You already know what your “one thing” is.

It’s the thing you keep pushing off.

The uncomfortable thing.

The scary thing.

The thing that would actually make your life better.

And your brain keeps distracting you with “busy work.”

But here’s the truth:

The thing you’re avoiding is the doorway.

Walk through it.

Even if you’re scared.

A Super Simple Daily Plan

(For Real Humans)

Here’s what you do tomorrow:

Step 1: Ask this

“If I could only do ONE thing today, what would it be?”

Step 2: Break it down

Write the smallest possible step.

Example:

1️⃣open the document
2️⃣write 3 bullet points
3️⃣send the email
4️⃣make the phone call
5️⃣film 30 seconds
6️⃣list 1 item for sale
7️⃣set a timer for 10 minutes

Step 3: Do it for 10 minutes

That’s it.

Not 3 hours.

Not “until it’s perfect.”

Just 10 minutes.

Step 4: You win

Even if you do nothing else all day.

You still moved forward.

And that’s how you stop procrastinating…

Without hating yourself.

And if you love simple habit tips that don’t feel like punishment, James Clear has great advice on how to build better habits without burning out.

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How to Stop Procrastinating FAQ

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The Bottom Line

You don’t need to be “more motivated”.

You simply need to stop expecting perfection from yourself.  Serious.  Stop being so hard on yourself.

1️⃣Pick ONE important thing.
2️⃣Do the smallest step.
3️⃣Build evidence.
4️⃣And don’t miss two days in a row.

That’s how real progress happens.  Slow, boring, but powerful.

💚 BTW if you’ve been “starting in 5 minutes” for the last 3 hours… I get you/got you: how to save a half-wasted day.