The good news is that it’s possible for a chronic procrastinator to break out of that cycle. With help and encouragement, a procrastinator can be taught to divide large responsibilities into small microtasks, each with their own very short-term deadlines. Something as big and vague as “write a ten-page paper” can be paralyzing, but “write two paragraphs per day” can be manageable. This, combined with treatment for their anxiety, can help procrastinators become far more productive, reliable, and confident in their abilities.12
