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Re:To-Do Lists Don't Work by whiddershins on Sunday September 29, 2013 @09:17AM (#6465090)
Asana really changed this for me. I found that for me, personally, breaking a task in to subtasks with the right level of granularity is the perfect solution to combat inaction. If I see myself avoiding a task, I know I haven't deconstructed it enough.

Once the subtasks are small enough I can happily get working, and I get the satisfaction of marking things "complete."

It also serves as a reality check because I've noticed I tend towards personal scope-creep. I finish a task, but while doing it I add more tasks semiconsciously. Then I never feel finished and I hate myself.

However, if I go back to my asana list, I can reality-check and realize I in fact did accomplish the original task. Then I can consciously choose to continue the new task or abandon it or add it to the list for later.

Re:To-Do Lists Don't Work by eatmyshardz on Sunday September 29, 2013 @09:29AM (#6465121)
Do you ever find yourself avoiding to add sub tasks because you simply don't want to do that thing you've been putting off?
Re:To-Do Lists Don't Work by whiddershins on Sunday September 29, 2013 @10:17AM (#6465222)
No, because, (and this is the trick for me) adding tasks and subtasks and planning is a completely separate activity and headspace. When I am doing that, I am in planning mode and I don't imagine how much it will suck to do a task. Just plan.

Then when I do, I just do.

Re:To-Do Lists Don't Work by tifareth on Sunday September 29, 2013 @11:00AM (#6465330)
This planning and review phase you describe is the first step in a GTD workflow.