by Dr. Christine Li
You know the feeling: there’s a project you genuinely want to finish, but every time you think about starting, your energy seems to disappear.
Maybe it’s finally decluttering an overflowing closet. Maybe it’s tackling paperwork that has been sitting untouched for months. Or perhaps it’s a meaningful personal or professional project that feels so big that procrastination seems much easier than taking the first step.
When you’re already balancing responsibilities, changing energy levels, and a full mental load, knowing how to start an overwhelming task can make the difference between another month of avoidance and finally creating momentum.
In Episode 297 of the Make Time for Success Podcast, Dr. Christine Li shares seven practical ways to prepare yourself for a big or daunting task without exhausting yourself in the process.
The goal isn’t simply to force yourself to begin. It’s to create conditions that make starting feel easier, calmer, and much more doable.
1. Clear Your Mental Clutter First
Before clearing the physical clutter around you, take a moment to notice the clutter in your mind.
What are you telling yourself about the project?
Maybe your thoughts sound something like:
- “This is going to take forever.”
- “I don’t have enough energy.”
- “I should have finished this months ago.”
- “I’m never going to get through all of this.”
Those thoughts can make a manageable project feel impossible before you’ve even begun.
Instead, intentionally shift your language. Try telling yourself, “I can start with one small piece,” or “I don’t have to finish everything today.”
Clearing mental clutter creates a much smoother runway for action.
2. Become Your Own Biggest Supporter
If a friend told you she was finally tackling something she’d been avoiding, would you criticize her for not starting sooner?
Probably not.
You would encourage her.
Yet when it comes to ourselves, we can become our harshest critics. That inner criticism doesn’t necessarily make us more productive. Often, it drains the very energy we need to move forward.
Practice becoming your own supporter instead.
Notice what you’ve already accomplished. Acknowledge your growth. Encourage yourself before, during, and after the task.
You don’t need pressure to create progress. Sometimes encouragement works much better.
3. Declutter Your Starting Space
Physical clutter can make it harder to think clearly and focus, especially when you’re already feeling overwhelmed.
Before beginning a demanding project, consider spending 10 to 30 minutes creating a calmer environment.
You might:
- Clear your desk.
- Put away items that don’t belong in the room.
- Throw away obvious trash.
- Gather the supplies you’ll need.
- Create one clear surface where you can work.
This isn’t permission to procrastinate by reorganizing your entire house. The purpose is simply to make your immediate environment feel easier to work in.
If you’re wondering how to start an overwhelming task, preparing your physical surroundings can be a surprisingly effective first step.
4. Ask a Friend for Support
You don’t have to do everything alone.
Sometimes simply telling someone what you’re planning to accomplish creates enough accountability to get you moving.
Call or message a friend and tell her what you’re working on. You might ask her to check in later, work alongside you, or simply encourage you.
And if clutter is the project? Invite someone over.
Few things inspire a speedy decluttering session quite like knowing someone will soon be walking through the front door!
Support can also make difficult tasks feel lighter and more enjoyable. Productivity doesn’t always have to be a solitary experience.
5. Give Your Project a Deadline and a Time Limit
Projects that exist only as vague intentions have a tendency to stay that way.
“I really need to organize that closet someday” can easily turn into six months of thinking about organizing the closet.
Give your goal a place in time instead.
For example:
Tuesday at 3:00 p.m.: Spend 20 minutes sorting the closet.
You can use time in two helpful ways:
- Set a deadline: Decide when you’d like the larger project completed.
- Set a time limit: Decide how long you’ll work during each session.
Time limits are especially useful when your energy is limited. Knowing you’re only committing to 15 or 30 minutes can make starting much less intimidating.
You aren’t promising to work until you’re exhausted. You’re promising to show up for a reasonable amount of time.
6. Decide How You Want the Process to Feel
Here’s a question we don’t ask ourselves often enough:
How do I want to feel while I’m doing this?
You may automatically assume a difficult project needs to feel stressful, exhausting, or unpleasant. But you can intentionally choose a different philosophy.
Perhaps:
- “I’m going to do this joyfully.”
- “I’m going to make this easier than I normally would.”
- “I’m going to ask for help when I need it.”
- “I’m going to work calmly instead of rushing.”
- “I’m going to make this fun.”
You’re not only the person doing the project. You’re also the person setting the tone.
Give yourself permission to choose a gentler way of working.
7. Remember Why You’re Doing It
When resistance appears, reconnect with the result you’re working toward.
Why does this project matter?
Imagine yourself after it’s finished.
Maybe you can finally open your closet without feeling stressed. Maybe your paperwork is organized and you no longer have that nagging reminder hanging over you. Maybe completing your creative project gives you a sense of pride you haven’t felt in a long time.
Keeping your “why” visible can help you continue when the initial motivation fades.
Learning how to start an overwhelming task becomes easier when you’re focused not only on the effort required, but also on the relief, freedom, confidence, or joy waiting on the other side.
A Quick Reflection Before You Start
Choose one task you’ve been avoiding and take five quiet minutes to answer these questions:
- What am I telling myself about this task right now?
- What would a kinder, more supportive version of that thought sound like?
- What can I clear or prepare before I begin?
- Who could support or encourage me?
- What is a realistic deadline?
- How long will I work during my first session?
- Why will completing this matter to me?
Then choose the smallest possible starting action.
Not tomorrow. Not when you have more energy. Just one manageable step you can take today.
Make Starting Easier on Yourself
Big projects don’t have to begin with a giant burst of motivation.
You can prepare your mind, your environment, your time, and your energy so that taking action feels natural rather than forced. Be kind to yourself, make your expectations reasonable, and remember that preparation isn’t wasted time when it helps you move forward with greater clarity and confidence.
And if you’re ready for more support creating a productive life without the constant overwhelm, procrastination, and pressure, explore Simply Productive and join the Simply Productive Waitlist. It’s an opportunity to build a simpler, more supportive approach to getting things done while protecting your time and energy.
