Break a large task into smaller actions before estimating and starting
People do not automatically unpack a task when estimating its duration. Listing its parts reduces underestimation. Making each part immediately actionable can also reduce procrastination.
What it takes
Free. Allow 5–15 minutes for breaking it down.
What you may gain
People estimating complex work do not spontaneously separate activities such as writing a literature review, drafting a discussion and organizing references. Listing substeps first reduces the planning fallacy. Smaller, actionable steps also make starting easier. Strong predictors of procrastination include task aversiveness and the delay before the task or its payoff.
Context & considerations
Aim for each subtask to fit into one sitting; excessive subdivision wastes time too. The source verified Kruger and Evans's direction from the abstract but not a precise percentage from the full paper.
Research & references
Kruger, J., & Evans, M. (2004). If you don't want to be late, enumerate: Unpacking reduces the planning fallacy. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 40(5), 586–598. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2003.11.001 ; Steel, P. (2007). The nature of procrastination: A meta-analytic and theoretical review of quintessential self-regulatory failure. Psychological Bulletin, 133(1). https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.133.1.65