Task Friction Heuristic
Use this with Procrastination as Friction to turn one avoided task into a five-minute start.
Step 1: Name the task
- Task: ____________________________________________
- How long has it been avoided? ____________________
- Is this one specific task, or does the same pattern cover almost everything you try to do? (If it’s almost everything, stop here and read the “when this is not friction” section of the article before continuing.)
Step 2: Form a working hypothesis
Answer honestly. More than one may apply, and none may fit. Circle any plausible starting points; these editorial categories are not a diagnosis or a validated assessment.
| Friction | Ask yourself | Circle if true |
|---|---|---|
| Ambiguity | Do I actually know the first concrete step, or does it stay vague? | |
| Emotion | Is there dread, embarrassment, or anxiety attached to this task specifically? | |
| Energy | Would I do this if I weren’t tired — is timing the real issue? | |
| Environment | Do I keep getting interrupted or distracted at the exact moment I try? | |
| Skill | Am I unsure how to do a specific part, versus just not doing it? | |
| Consequence | Is there really no near-term cost if I delay this again? |
Working hypothesis or hypotheses: ____________________________________________
Step 3: The five-minute start
Write a next action that:
- takes 5 minutes or less
- requires no further decision once you start
- directly targets the friction you circled above
Next action: ____________________________________________
Step 4: The stop point
Write the specific, visible marker of progress after which you are allowed to stop without guilt.
Stop point: ____________________________________________
The two prompts to reuse
Explore a working hypothesis:
Here is a task I've been avoiding: [describe the task and how long
you've put it off].
Using these six editorial categories — ambiguity, emotion, energy,
environment, skill, consequence — ask me up to three short questions
that may help me form a working hypothesis. Do not diagnose me or claim
to know what is actually stopping me. Do not suggest solutions yet.
Generate the start and stop point:
My avoided task is: [task].
The main friction is: [your answer from Step 2].
Give me a next action that takes 5 minutes or less, requires no
decision-making once I start, and directly reduces that specific
friction. Then give me one clear stop point — a moment where I'm
allowed to put it down having made real progress, not just "keep
going until I burn out."
After you stop
- Did you reach the stop point? (If not, note what actually happened — that’s data for next time, not a failure.)
- Is the friction the same tomorrow, or has naming it changed what the task feels like?
- If this exact task needs another five-minute round tomorrow, re-check the working hypothesis; what helped or blocked you today may change it.
If the pattern is persistent, widespread, worsening, or affecting everyday functioning, consider talking to an appropriate person — such as a clinician, employer, tutor, disability/accessibility service, or coach — rather than continuing to decompose it alone. See AI Is Not Therapy.