Feeling Stuck? How to Break Down Big Tasks into Smaller Chunks...and Why You Need To

What many don’t understand about procrastination is that it’s motivated by anxiety, not laziness. Dr. Fuschia Sirois, professor of psychology at the University of Sheffield, once said “Chronic procrastination happens…because of an inability to manage negative moods around a task.”

Avoiding a stressful project is both the result of and the main cause of anxiety. Therefore, the age-old advice of “just do it”! (thanks Shia LaBeouf) isn’t that helpful. 

Stopping the vicious cycle might be a matter of avoiding the main fear, for example finishing a large project ASAP, and instead focusing on just one small task of the project at a time. 

In this article, we’re going to discuss how to break down a monumental and anxiety-causing task into smaller chunks and why this new approach may work for you. 

If looking at the “big picture” starts to cause anxiety, then it’s best to break up even a simple project into smaller tasks. Examine the task from a manager’s perspective. Pretend as if you’re finding work for several employees if it helps. 

Turn a “simple” project into a series of steps just to understand it better. You will soon find that every project can be broken down into individual tasks in logical order. 

Before creating a deadline, which is sometimes stressful, try creating a generous timeline for each smaller task. The more simple the task (even if it seems silly), the easier it is to commit 5-10 minutes to finish it. 

Break down the smaller tasks into tiny fragments, if necessary. Even if you’re moving at a snail’s pace, you’re still accomplishing each one with time to spare. If you remain consistent, finishing a series of tiny little jobs will seem much easier than finishing a whole assignment “by deadline.” 

Every time you finish a task, no matter how small, you feel a sense of accomplishment and relief. This is the opposite of anxiety! 

Our brain may discount the “little task” as anything major, but as long as you keep doing these little tasks according to the timeline you set, you can finish them. 

Track your progress so you can keep focused and reward yourself just a little bit, such as scheduling a break after each milestone. Finishing tasks creates self-confidence naturally. 

Here are some other ideas on how to gain more self-confidence in everyday life. 

The best way to create a habit is to make it fun, easy to repeat, and be flexible when you have to be. As long as you can abide by your set timeline, you can find a natural way to quickly accomplish a series of tasks and get a project done within days - and at a comfortable pace. 

You will feel more productive and in control - especially if you don’t have to scramble to get a much larger project done before the deadline. For more information on creating healthy habits (even if you find it difficult) check out this article from the New York Times.

Of course, if you’re new to project management then it may take some time to learn how to create a schedule, organize milestones logically or pragmatically, and figure out a realistic timeline. Check out Acuity Training’s post on how to make a to do list.

If you’re a nervous wreck and falling behind in projects, take that as evidence that the old approach doesn’t work. Instead of scrambling to finish late, make it easier from the beginning. In fact, “ridiculously easy” is still valid. 

Divide a simple task into steps so basic that it doesn’t bother you to do it right away. You’ll be surprised at how quickly the project can go when you stay focused.

True, managing stress is sometimes a different matter than just handling procrastination. But if you have a problem with completing assignments on time, or if you always seem to be stressed about upcoming projects, it may be time to try a different strategy. Try breaking down easy tasks into very easy chunks and see how it works for you.