How to use it
- Pick the due date.
- List the steps in order, or start from an example and change it.
- Make the plan. Each step gets its own date, spread evenly, with a spare day or two before the real deadline.
- Tick steps off as you go. Behind on one? Just do it next. The dates are a guide, not a test.
Can't get going on today's step? Get unstuck helps with the start.
Why it works
A deadline weeks away is easy to ignore: a far-off deadline is one of the strongest signs that a task will be put off (Steel, 2007 (opens in a new tab)). In experiments, setting yourself earlier deadlines helped people put things off less. But the deadlines people chose weren't the best ones, and some deadlines set for them worked better (Ariely & Wertenbroch, 2002 (opens in a new tab)). So this tool sets the dates for you, evenly spaced.
People tend to underestimate how long tasks take. In four experiments, planning backwards from the end goal led to longer, more realistic time estimates (Wiese, Buehler & Griffin, 2016 (opens in a new tab)). That's why the tip says to start from the end. The spare days are our own idea, for the step that takes longer than you thought.
When to use it
- As soon as you get an essay, project or exam date.
- When a deadline feels too far away to bother with yet.
- When you're behind: make a new plan from today with the steps that are left.
More tools
Not medical advice. This is a wellbeing tool, not a treatment. If things feel heavy, talk to someone.