We all have things we need to do. We all know what it feels like to be too busy, or just not motivated enough, to get those things done. We do them anyway, and it's terrible or we're triumphant or both. Or we don't do them at all, and somehow life goes on.

Whether we get the job done or not, it always feels like there should be an easier way. Is getting it done always supposed to be an overwhelming struggle?

The truth is, there's no “supposed to” about it. Sometimes it's a struggle and sometimes it's not. But we've all been there, and everyone is better at some things than others. The more solutions we share, the more likely we are to find one we can use.

This book contains sixteen different ways to help your brain stop worrying and start working. It's divided into three sections: how to start, how to keep going, and how to try again. Each section has multiple strategies for getting around to the stuff we need to do, listed (and summarized) in the table of contents.

Start from the beginning, skip around, or go straight to the end. There's no rule that says things have to be done in a logical order. And even if there were, this book isn't about following rules: it's about doing what you can, when you can.

Realistically, that's all any of us can do.