"How Long Does It Actually Take?" TikToker Helps Others with Procrastination

Spoiler: Not that long, actually

As someone who has been diagnosed with both depression and anxiety, I am constantly fighting for my life when it comes to finishing tasks. On one hand, my depression tells me that nothing matters, but on the other hand, my anxiety tells me that everything matters. I’m in a constant cycle of not caring and caring too much.

Luckily, I have found solace. I came across a TikTok series titled “How Long Does It Actually Take?” by TikToker Christi Newrutzen. In this series, Christi visits tasks that she has been procrastinating on and times herself to see how long it actually takes to finish it. Some examples include cleaning junk drawers, making a dentist appointment, cleaning the inside of a car, and more.

So, how long does it actually take? Not that long. Cleaning junk drawers? 31 minutes. Making a dentist appointment? Nine minutes. Cleaning the inside of a car? 51 minutes.

While these may appear as easy tasks to some, it can take a lot of energy to get around to doing them. Sometimes the task just seems so daunting that we just push it off for days, months, and even years. When the number of tasks or chores pile up, it can seem daunting to tackle.

This series has inspired others on TikTok to accomplish the tasks they have been procrastinating on. People have made their own TikTok videos, quoting her as an “inspiration” and calling the series “motivation goals.”

I, myself, have been unknowingly doing this for a few years by using the Pomodoro Technique. This technique is used for time management, where you set a timer for around 20 minutes and focus on a single task until the timer goes off. After the timer is finished, you take a five-minute break and then go back to the task. When you are done with four Pomodoros, you take a longer break, around 15 to 30 minutes.

While this technique is a little different than Christi’s technique, it still uses timers to help pace ourselves with finishing these daunting tasks. The technique does play a role, but what really matters here is that we are finding ways to motivate ourselves in the first place.

I’m ecstatic to see this technique making waves on TikTok. It has helped so many people with motivation, and I am excited to see it spread further.