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Deadlines and Accountability That Help You Start

See what deadlines, commitment devices and other people can and cannot do, and set one deadline with a start plan behind it.

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THE WRITTEN LESSONFollow along at your pace

Deadlines, promises and other people can all help you start, but not always in the ways the popular advice says. In this lesson you look at what the evidence supports, what it does not, and how to use each one without relying on it alone.

A famous tip does not hold up

You may have heard that setting your own deadlines cures procrastination. That advice rested on one famous study. A careful repeat with university students found that neither self-set nor evenly spaced deadlines made a clear difference. The original study has since been withdrawn, so do not count on that tip.

A card reading Set your own deadlines: proven, crossed out with a red X. Below, two calendars labelled Self-set and Evenly spaced, with the words Same result, next to two seated students labelled University students. Banners read A careful repeat: no clear difference and Original study withdrawn.(opens the full-size picture)
A careful repeat found no clear difference between the two kinds of deadline.

What is left of deadlines

Keep a deadline if it helps you, but do not rely on it alone. Back it with a start plan: when, where and the first small step. And give yourself a reason to start early, not just a date to finish by.

A calendar page marked DUE, with the notes Keep it if it helps and Don't rely on it alone. Two branches lead from it: a yellow box called A start plan listing When, Where and First small step, and a gift box labelled A reason to start early, Not just a finish date.(opens the full-size picture)
A deadline works better with a start plan and a reason to start early.

Put something at stake

A commitment device puts something at stake in advance. In one trial, smokers could put money in an account that went to charity if they failed a test. They were a little more likely to have quit after six months. Only a minority chose to sign up, which is worth remembering: a device only helps if you will actually use it.

A jar of dollar coins labelled Money at stake, a padlock with a dashed arrow to a heart labelled Goes to charity if you fail, and a calendar page reading Six months. Banners say A little more likely to quit and Only a minority signed up.(opens the full-size picture)
A little more likely to quit, but only a minority signed up.

Lighter versions

There are lighter versions. You can set daily app limits that you cannot override. You can move money or tempting things out of reach before you need willpower. If a lock appeals to you, use one. If it puts you off, start with friction, which costs nothing to undo.

A phone with a padlock beside the words Limits you can't override, and a jar of coins beside a snack bar labelled Money and treats out of reach, Before you need willpower. Banners read Like a lock? Use one and Not keen? Try friction, Friction costs nothing to undo.(opens the full-size picture)
Lock it if that appeals to you. If not, try friction.

Other people

What about other people? In many studies of health goals, tracking progress worked better when it was reported to someone. But the evidence is mixed. In one trial with job seekers, adding a friend who saw the plan did not help beyond writing the plan.

Two seated people beside a rising green line chart headed Reported to someone. A tag says Mixed evidence, and a box below reads Job seekers: a friend added nothing, with a red X.(opens the full-size picture)
Reporting to someone can help, but the evidence is mixed.

Accountability partners are untested as a fix

Telling someone your plan is a sensible thing to try, but it is not a proven fix for procrastination. Treat it as an experiment and watch whether you actually start.

Group work: support, not pressure

Group work can help a little when everyone’s part really matters. But in one study with students who habitually procrastinated, the group setup also made people feel worse about the task beforehand. So use people for support, not pressure.

Four people, each above a puzzle piece, with a worried face and a drawing of one person with an arm around another. Notes read Each part matters, Can feel worse beforehand and Support, not pressure.(opens the full-size picture)
Group setups can add worry. Aim for support, not pressure.

Tell one named person

A simple version is to tell one named person your start plan, and when you will check in. Keep it kind and specific. Not “I will finish the report”, but “I will draft the first page by Thursday at noon, and tell you how it went.”

A person with three notes beside them: Your start plan, When you'll check in and Kind and specific. Below, I'll finish the report is crossed out, and I'll draft page one by Thursday noon and tell you how it went is marked good, beside an envelope.(opens the full-size picture)
A specific plan and a check-in time beat a vague promise.

Nearer targets

Nearer targets can help more than one distant deadline. Split a big due date into small steps with their own dates: an outline by Monday, a first section by Wednesday, a draft by Friday. That gives you a reason to start this week. Older, small studies support this, so treat it as a sensible bet, not a sure thing.

One calendar called Due date, labelled One distant deadline, with a dashed arrow to three calendars: Mon Outline, Wed First section and Fri Draft. Banners read A reason to start this week, Older small studies and A sensible bet.(opens the full-size picture)
Three nearer dates give you a reason to start this week.

YOUR TURN

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Read the full lesson script

In this lesson, you'll look at deadlines, commitments and other people, and what actually helps you start.

You may have heard that setting your own deadlines cures procrastination. That advice rested on one famous study. A careful repeat with university students found that neither self-set nor evenly spaced deadlines made a clear difference. The original study has since been withdrawn.

So keep a deadline if it helps you, but don't rely on it alone. Back it with a start plan: when, where, and the first small step. And give yourself a reason to start early, not just a date to finish by.

A commitment device puts something at stake in advance. In one trial, smokers could put money in an account that went to charity if they failed a test. They were a little more likely to have quit after six months. Only a minority chose to sign up.

There are lighter versions. Daily app limits you can't override. Moving money or tempting things out of reach before you need willpower. If a lock appeals to you, use one. If it puts you off, start with friction, which costs nothing to undo.

What about other people? In many studies of health goals, tracking progress worked better when it was reported to someone. But the evidence is mixed. In one trial with job seekers, adding a friend who saw the plan didn't help beyond writing the plan.

Group work can help a little when everyone's part really matters. But in one study with students who habitually procrastinated, the group setup also made people feel worse about the task beforehand. So use people for support, not pressure.

A simple version: tell one named person your start plan, and when you'll check in. Keep it kind and specific. Not I'll finish the report, but I'll draft the first page by Thursday at noon, and tell you how it went.

Nearer targets can help more than one distant deadline. Split a big due date into small steps with their own dates: an outline by Monday, a first section by Wednesday. That gives you a reason to start this week. Older, small studies support this, so treat it as a sensible bet.

So remember: deadlines alone aren't proven, back them with a start plan, and use people for support, not pressure. Before the next lesson, set one deadline someone else can see, with a start plan behind it. Next, you'll look at perfectionism and the fear of starting.