Let's Get Started

Have you ever had a difficult time starting a new task?

I know I have. There are weeks I struggle with an idea for this blog. If I do not have a clear idea it becomes a struggle mentally to begin. I become unsure where to start and the idea of starting becomes daunting. This is a real brain struggle called Task Paralysis. Our brains struggle to start a new task.

Initiating a task takes extra energy from our brains. Our brains will resist beginning a new task, especially if the task is unclear, or seems to be boring or emotionally loaded. The brain will protect it's resources and energy and work against your motivation to begin a new task.

This concept is true for all brains and is even more predominate in neurodivergent brains, such as those with ADHD.

When we consider our brains grow until about age 25, and the last part that finishes growing is the Prefrontal Cortex, we can see why starting a new task can be difficult.

Our prefrontal cortex is in charge of planning, initiating, and motivating our wise choices. We often feel lower motivation when we do not utilize our prefrontal cortex. When we are looking at a task from the view of our Amaygdala we run emotional choices and may experience fear of failure. 

There is good news for our brains and the brains of our students. We can engage in small changes to help build a greater ability to begin a task.

Before we even begin a task we can start by setting the bar lower. Make your goal to start the task, not to finish the task. Give grace. When you start a difficult task, be proud. When a student starts a task, give praise. 

Then to start we can look at a task and make it smaller. Our students would benefit from this as well. Take a task and tell the students only a little about the task at time. 

Make the room comfortable and not confronting. Use soft music, soft light, and alternative seating. Sometimes we all need our environment to change to help us make a change.

There is a creative idea called Body Doubling. This is asking someone to sit by us to help keep us on task. They become our motivation. We are less likely to be distracted when we have someone "watching" us as a support. 

We can also use the 5 Minute Rule. Give yourself, or your students, a five minute timer and ask them to do as much as they can in 5 minutes and then stop. Don't keep going. Take a break. When our brains have a clear stopping point they are more likely to start since they know they can stop.

When I was in high school my senior year English teacher taught in what he called "short bursts". He would tell us that the next task would take 15 minutes and 23 seconds, give or take, and then we would have a 2 minutes and 37 second break. We knew that as long as we stayed focused for those first 15 minutes and 23 seconds we could get up, sharpen pencils, talk to a friend, use the bathroom, or stretch for those next 2 minutes and 37 seconds.

We can work with our brains to support our efforts, motivation, and determination. Help your brain start and it will keep going!

What are the ways you find motivates your brain? Share those tips and tricks with your students.