"Starting a task can feel like the hardest thing in the world. Whether you have to answer emails, finish a paper, or simply put away your giant pile of clothes, it often feels impossible to begin. It's almost like there's a wall that's blocking your success, and it's why you end up putting things off for ages. To get past this annoying mental hurdle, TikTok creator @ankitatej follows an " anti start ritual," and it's truly genius."
"If she needs to finish a project, she'll clean up her space, light a candle, get a coffee, and open her laptop. The idea is to set the stage for a version of you who could start, if they wanted to, but as you prep your space, you can tell yourself you don't actually have to do anything productive beyond that. By assuring yourself you don't have to work - you're just getting ready, NBD - you essentially alleviate the pressure that's holding you back."
""[It also] tricks your brain into thinking the task has started," Ankita said in her viral video. "It's like a tiny bit of dopamine." In her comments, someone said, "Wait this is actually legit. Thank you." Another wrote, "You might have just saved my life." Here, a therapist weighs in on why the anti-start ritual helps you feel more productive."
Starting tasks often feels impossible because a mental block creates pressure and avoidance. An "anti-start" ritual uses simple preparatory actions—cleaning a workspace, lighting a candle, making coffee, opening a laptop—to set the stage for beginning without forcing immediate productivity. The ritual lets a person tell themselves they only need to get ready, which reduces perfectionist pressure and resistance. These cues act like anchors that signal the brain to shift into focus, provide a small dopamine boost, and increase the likelihood of transitioning from preparation to actual task work.
Read at Bustle
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