Procrastination isn't laziness. It's emotional avoidance — the task triggers discomfort; you avoid the discomfort by doing anything else. The seven techniques below address the avoidance specifically, which is why they actually work.

1. Shrink the first action to 2 minutes. "Write the report" triggers avoidance; "open the document and type the title" doesn't. Start moving; continuation becomes automatic.
2. Remove one obstacle before starting. Tomorrow's task made easier tonight. Document open. Phone in another room. The friction of starting is where most procrastination lives.
3. Use the 10-minute rule. Commit to 10 minutes. Most tasks become easier once you've started; if after 10 minutes it's still hard, you've confirmed a real problem (not just avoidance) and can adjust.
4. Body-double. Work next to another person (in-person or on a video call). Social presence reduces avoidance; extensively documented in ADHD literature.
5. Name the feeling. "I'm avoiding this because it feels overwhelming" — named emotions lose some of their grip. Affect labelling research is robust.
6. Change location. If you're avoiding at your desk, move to a cafe. Novel environment disrupts the avoidance loop.
7. Forgive yourself for yesterday's procrastination. Counter-intuitively, self-forgiveness reduces next-day procrastination; self-criticism increases it. Specifically studied.

Seven techniques. Pick three that fit your patterns; practise them when avoidance shows up. Procrastination is a solvable problem when you treat it as emotional regulation rather than character flaw.