Well, you said you already had some ideas, but maybe these help as well. Things that work for me: - Tasks you really don't like doing are harder to start with.

Well, you said you already had some ideas, but maybe these help as well. Things that work for me: - Tasks you really don't like doing are harder to start with. But, are the tasks you have to do really important? What happens if you don't do them? Eliminate as much as possible. - Start working on a task as late as possible. The pressure, it helps. (See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parkinson%27s_law http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parkinson%27s_law) - Break it up in small steps. Working on a task "Build the next google" is not going to get you started. Split it up in smaller steps, and associate little milestones or 'victories' to completing a small step. - Another reason for procrastination is feeling overwhelmed (decision paralysis, action paralysis). If you have so much to do that no matter what you finish, it still feels like you have a lot left, it's impossible to start. Again, try to eliminate or make a feasible schedule for yourself, such that you are able to finish your list for the day. - Stop feeling bad about procrastination. Actually, plan in some procrastination time. Forcing yourself to work all the time and feel bad about not doing it will cause you to procrastinate more. Plan in some time for 'slacking', or even better: exercise, do some sports and get back to work afterwards. - If you would give yourself 1 hour/day for procrastination; what would you rather do? Read digg about lolcats or sit outside in the sun, and talk with some friends? If you go at it like this, you'll notice how valuable your limited time actually is, and you'll stop reading those websites. - Again, more sports! Clear mind == more productive. - If you allow yourself the time to 'procrastinate' (i.e. reading websites, RSS, email, etc.), it will also make it easier to read news/mail in batches. Limit it to max. 3 times per day or so. - If you want help to get into some new (productivity) habits, start a "Seinfeld calendar" (Google it if you haven't heard of it before) - Do NOT, _EVER_, start your day with reading news/mail/etc (or keep it to offline news -- yes, news papers ;). - Unplug. Information overload == bad. - Start the day with an easy task. It's not hard to start with and it will get you in the "getting-s*-done mood". Once you start ticking of tasks - no matter how little it was - it feels like getting done more! Hope this helps!