How to Actually Finish What You Start (Without a Side Quest to Clean Your Fridge)

We’ve all been there: you’re 12 minutes into a big, important project and somehow you’re suddenly elbow-deep in expired condiments, rearranging your fridge like it’s a competitive sport. That thing you meant to finish? Yeah, still untouched. Finishing what you start is hard—especially when your brain is more “chaotic raccoon” than “focused laser beam.”

But don’t worry. Fellow serial starters, recovering perfectionists, and creative wanderers—this one’s for you.

Let’s actually figure out how to finish things without needing a motivational TED Talk or a fridge intervention.

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Why Is Finishing So Dang Hard?

Starting is exciting. Starting has dopamine. Starting feels like potential wrapped in a cute productivity bow. Finishing? That’s where the doubts kick in. The motivation drops. You remember laundry exists. You remember email exists. Sometimes you just get… bored.

Or maybe:

• You’re waiting for things to be perfect
• You’re overwhelmed because you planned a mountaintop but only have hiking boots
• You’ve got a squirrel brain (hi, me too)

The good news? You don’t have to white-knuckle your way through projects. Finishing can be fun. And surprisingly chill. It just needs the right set of hacks.

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1. Break It Down Like a Dance Move

Big tasks are intimidating. You wouldn’t eat a full pizza in one bite (okay, try not to). The same logic applies here: break stuff into micro-steps so small they feel almost laughable.

Instead of “write presentation,” try:

• Open the document
• Write five bullet points
• Refill coffee (very important)
• Turn five bullet points into messy sentences

Each tiny action builds momentum. It’s like productivity Jenga—except you’re stacking bricks instead of watching everything crash.

If you enjoyed Micro-Habits: Tiny Changes, Huge Gains (And Zero Shame), this is basically that idea but for projects—you’re secretly building a routine out of progress.

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2. Create an ‘Unfinished Business’ List

Your to-do list may already be 13 miles long, but hear me out: having a separate “unfinished business” list is a game-changer. It’s like a haunted house tour of your abandoned tasks—but with closure pending.

The trick? Don’t add new stuff to this list. Only things you already started and forgot. Here’s what mine looks like (cringe incoming):

• That ebook I said I’d format (last May…)
• Organizing digital receipts (why?)
• Fixing two typos in my bio that I’ve been ignoring since forever
• Updating my emergency snack stash drawer (because priorities)

Set a Power Hour (shameless plug for Mastering the Power Hour for Ultimate Productivity) and dedicate it to attacking just one of those half-finished Golems lurking in your digital or mental basement.

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3. The 90% Stall Point (And How to Beat It)

Most people quit things at exactly this mark: 90% done. Why? That last 10% is harder than it looks. Details. Polishing. Decision-fatigue. It’s where the doubt gremlins show up whispering:

“Is this even good?"
"Maybe I should just start over…"
"What if I reorganized my entire pantry instead?”

(Yes, again with the fridge.)

Here’s a trick: Pretend you’ve already finished.

Seriously. Close your eyes and imagine clicking ‘publish,’ handing it in, getting feedback—whatever your goal is.

That visualization? It’s productivity cosplay. And it tricks your brain into seeing the task as real, not hypothetical. Once you believe it’s nearly real, it becomes easier to push through that last mile.

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4. Use Tools That Guilt You in a Good Way

Sometimes, the only thing standing between me and finishing is the gentle digital shame of an app notification.

Here are a few (free!) tools that act like friendly nagging roommates with better boundaries:

• Todoist – Flags long-lingering tasks so you’re properly called out
• Trello – Visual progress boards that guilt your eyeballs into action
• Habitica – Turns productivity into a game you play with monsters and loot (yes, really)

You can check out my full round-up of tools here: The Best To-Do List Apps to Trick Your Brain into Getting Stuff Done.

Just remember: the tool is only as good as the person using it. (Looking at you, four dormant planners in the drawer.)

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5. Bribe Yourself, Shamelessly

Human beings? Very motivated by dessert. Not just actual dessert, but rewards in general.

Set up “completion bribes.” Nothing fancy—just a little something to trigger that happy brain cocktail after you actually finish the thing.

• Watch a favorite YouTube video
• 10 guilt-free minutes of doomscrolling (set a timer!)
• Fancy coffee
• Post a triumphant gif on Instagram (tag us @mysimple.life.official)

Your brain is smarter than the fridge distraction. Promise.

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6. Habit Stack It to the Finish Line

You’ve probably heard of habit stacking—doing a new task right after a habit you’ve already mastered. What if you could use it not just for starting, but finishing?

Here’s how:

• Right after brushing your teeth → spend 2 minutes on that half-written email
• After your morning coffee → wrap up part of yesterday’s draft
• After your afternoon walk → schedule that final meeting

Build a tiny “task finisher” identity into stuff you already do. You’re not changing your entire schedule—you’re piggybacking a win into your routine.

Read more on this concept with our playful guide: Micro-Habits: Tiny Changes, Huge Gains (And Zero Shame).

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7. Ugly Finish > Perfect Maybe

Some advice I repeat like it’s gospel: “Done is better than perfect.”

Even still–my brain needs reminders. So here’s one for both of us:

The key to finishing is letting it be ugly—and letting that be enough.

Also Me, constantly

Not everything needs to sparkle. Sometimes the goal is to just submit it already. Post the thing. Publish the blog (hi!). Hit send.

You can improve next time. You can do edits. Or not. But if it’s always stuck in “nearly there,” it’ll never be anything.

So finish the thing—even if your inner critic is polishing imaginary awards for how much better it could be.

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One More Thing (You’re Already Closer Than You Think)

The fact that you’re here, reading this, procrastinating FOR productivity—this means you’ve got the spark already.

You’re not a lazy mess. You’re just wired like most of us: overwhelmed, curious, deeply caffeinated, and easily distracted by snack drawers and side quests.

But one tiny win at a time? You can become someone who finishes what they start. Not perfectly. Not instantly. But consistently.

So go dust off something half-done. Pick a tiny step. Set a reward.

The rest? That’s future-you’s job.

And hey—if you’re still unsure how to block time and get focused, give Mastering the Power Hour for Ultimate Productivity a spin. It might just be your new secret weapon.

Now go finish something. It’s okay if it’s just this blog post.

Ta-da ➡️ ✔️