The hardest part of a chore is usually the first two minutes. After that, you’re just doing it.

Starting is the expensive part, not continuing. Nearly all the resistance sits at the front end, and two minutes in, the task is usually fine and sometimes mildly satisfying, which means the dread was never about the work. Knowing where the difficulty actually lives lets you aim at the right thing. You do not need motivation for an hour, only for the first stretch.

When you are putting something off, commit to two minutes and nothing more. Set a timer, start badly, allow yourself to stop at the end. Most of the time you will not want to.