Back to Skills
    🦞

    procrastination-buster

    Beat procrastination with task breakdown

    By @jhillin8
    View on GitHub
    SKILL.md
    ---
    name: procrastination-buster
    description: Beat procrastination with task breakdown, 2-minute starts, and accountability tracking
    author: clawd-team
    version: 1.0.0
    triggers:
      - "stop procrastinating"
      - "can't start task"
      - "avoiding work"
      - "procrastination help"
      - "just start"
    ---
    
    # Procrastination Buster
    
    **Start today, finish stronger—powered by small momentum and honest tracking.**
    
    ## What it does
    
    Procrastination-Buster breaks the cycle of avoidance by combining behavioral science with practical friction reduction:
    
    - **Task Breakdown** - Splits overwhelming projects into atomic, startable units (not "write report" but "outline 5 sections")
    - **2-Minute Starts** - Removes the startup barrier by anchoring commitment to a single, trivial first step
    - **Friction Reduction** - Identifies and removes mental blockers (unclear goals, environment chaos, skill gaps)
    - **Accountability Tracking** - Records what you commit to, what you start, and what you finish—building a win history
    
    ## Usage
    
    ### Break Down Task
    Ask clawd: *"Break down [task name] into 5 startable steps"*
    - Returns concrete first action with time estimate
    - Eliminates ambiguity that feeds avoidance
    
    ### 2-Minute Start
    Ask clawd: *"Give me a 2-minute start for [task]"*
    - Identifies the single smallest action (open file, write one sentence, gather materials)
    - Momentum compounds once friction drops
    
    ### Log Blockers
    Ask clawd: *"What's stopping me from starting [task]?"*
    - Tracks emotional, practical, or skill-based barriers
    - Suggests removal strategies per blocker type
    
    ### Accountability Partner
    Ask clawd: *"Track my progress on [task]—check in tomorrow"*
    - Simple commit → simple check-in
    - Persistent memory remembers your pattern, builds trust
    
    ### Celebrate Wins
    Ask clawd: *"What did I finish this week?"*
    - Surfaces completed work (easy to forget)
    - Feeds motivation for next task
    
    ## Techniques
    
    **The 2-Minute Rule**
    Start, don't finish. Commit to 2 minutes of the task. Momentum usually carries past the barrier. If it doesn't, you've still moved forward.
    
    **Pomodoro Starts**
    Chain three 25-minute sprints with 5-minute breaks. After the first sprint, procrastination usually evaporates—the task becomes real.
    
    **Environment Design**
    Remove friction from your space: close unneeded tabs, silence notifications, place materials within arm's reach. Friction is silent procrastination.
    
    **Future Self Letter**
    Write a note to yourself after finishing: *"I did this. Here's what I learned. Here's what to do next time."* Future you reads it before the next task and starts stronger.
    
    ## Tips
    
    1. **Break before you build** - Spend 5 minutes outlining steps before starting. Clarity kills procrastination.
    
    2. **Track the start, not the finish** - Win the hardest battle first. Starting is 80% of the work; finishing follows naturally.
    
    3. **Blockers are data** - Avoid blaming willpower. Document what's actually stopping you (unclear deadline? fear of judgment? lack of skill?). Attack the real blocker.
    
    4. **Commit small, compound wins** - "Finish by Friday" is abstract. "Work 25 minutes today" is doable. String five doable commits together and you're done.
    
    5. **All data stays local on your machine** - Your task history, blockers, and commitments live on your device. No cloud sync, no tracking, just you and your persistence.