Step one is to pick something you want to do but have been procrastinating. This could be introducing a new filing system or finally applying for that promotion that you’ve been putting off.

The second step, Frank says, is to break down the task into the smallest possible components. “These are your micro-yeses and go at the bottom of the ladder, whereas the most difficult step goes at the top,” she says. Step three, naturally, is to complete the step at the bottom of the ladder, following on with each of the tasks until you reach the top. For example: locating the job description and updating your CV could be the first steps to your job application, all building up to the final (and more daunting task of writing the impact statement about why you deserve the promotion).

However, if you find yourself struggling with or resisting any of the steps, Frank advises making it even smaller. “A micro-yes forward is always preferable to a giant step untaken,” she says.

How to use the ladder method at work to beat procrastination