Problems are inevitable. You will, at some point, have a bad day. Annoying distractions will arise and some days your willpower will be weaker than usual. No plan can prevent problems altogether, but a good plan can anticipate them and prepare to work around them.

Problems that lead to procrastination can come from the nature of the task itself, from our own brains or the world at large. The following tips can help respond to common problems that promote procrastination:

• Write down a list of things that commonly distract you from tasks and then, for each distraction, write down a list of steps you can take to prevent them from happening or deal with them if they arise.
• Talk to, or read about, others experienced in the goals you are working towards. Find out what difficulties they faced and how they overcame them.
• Develop a disaster recovery plan to enact if things go off the rails, for example:
  • Call a friend for help.
  • Hire someone to help you with the task.
  • Take a class on the subject matter.
• Take decisive early steps to limit the effect of problems, for example:
  • Give away your video game console.
  • Use a website or app blocker on your computer or phone.
  • Commit to a tight deadline.
  • Delete distracting apps.
• If you have a habit of taking longer than planned breaks, set a timer to alert you when the break is over.
• Learn to ride your natural daily energy cycle.