How do I stop procrastinating on important tasks at work?

The most effective approach is to shrink the task until starting feels effortless. Instead of telling yourself to "finish the report," commit to just opening the document and writing one sentence. This bypasses the mental resistance that causes procrastination. Once you start, momentum usually carries you forward. Also, identify whether you're avoiding the task because it's unclear, boring, or anxiety-inducing, since each has a different fix. Unclear tasks need a defined next action. Boring ones benefit from time-boxing, like 25-minute focused sprints. Anxiety-driven avoidance often means you're afraid of doing it imperfectly, so remind yourself a done draft beats a perfect one that doesn't exist. Remove distractions before starting, not after you feel motivated, because motivation follows action, not the other way around.