[whiddershins]

Asana really changed this for me. I found that for me, personally, breaking a task in to subtasks with the right level of granularity is the perfect solution to combat inaction. If I see myself avoiding a task, I know I haven't deconstructed it enough.

Once the subtasks are small enough I can happily get working, and I get the satisfaction of marking things "complete."

It also serves as a reality check because I've noticed I tend towards personal scope-creep. I finish a task, but while doing it I add more tasks semiconsciously. Then I never feel finished and I hate myself.

However, if I go back to my asana list, I can reality-check and realize I in fact did accomplish the original task. Then I can consciously choose to continue the new task or abandon it or add it to the list for later.

[eatmyshardz]

Do you ever find yourself avoiding to add sub tasks because you simply don't want to do that thing you've been putting off?

[whiddershins]

No, because, (and this is the trick for me) adding tasks and subtasks and planning is a completely separate activity and headspace. When I am doing that, I am in planning mode and I don't imagine how much it will suck to do a task. Just plan.

Then when I do, I just do.

[tifareth]

This planning and review phase you describe is the first step in a GTD workflow.