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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
Elle Hunt

I need to send a difficult email. Will a ‘forcing party’ help me stop procrastinating?

Amelia
Graphic illustration of two people - one in a party hat looking at a laptop, and one sucking on a drink looking at the other person.
Tasks we’re inclined to put off are usually not ‘intrinsically motivating’, says one expert: boring, unpleasant, difficult or with little perceived reward. Illustration: Rita Liu/The Guardian

My friend Amelia and I are in many ways alike: we’re both freelance journalists, with a sweet tooth and a Simpsons quote for every occasion. And we’ve both got tasks we’re putting off.

Amelia’s are tedious household jobs: ordering new vacuum filters, investigating her broken dishwasher, measuring a panel of her bath for some reason.

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