Task Initiation for Santosh

Santosh wanted to do his homework well, but every afternoon he sat at his desk and stared at his book without starting. His brain felt stuck. Even easy assignments seemed huge, and he would scroll on his phone or pace the room instead of working. Then he would stay up late, panic, and finish everything in a rush. His family thought he was avoiding responsibility, but Santosh honestly felt trapped. In high school, the number of assignments was just endless. You miss a few, and you feel railroaded throughout the semester.

During our Academic Coaching session, Santosh for the first time, had a name he could associate with his struggles - task initiation. He also realized that many more students struggle with this. And that the challenge was no unwillingness to work hard; but that their brains have a very different way of switching into action mode. This was an eye-opener for Santosh.

Santosh then worked with us to set up a “launch routine” with no phone, a timer, a water bottle, and one small first step: opening the assignment. During our guided practice session, Santosh would work with his coach through the task initiation phase. He also learnt to retain focus by working in short bursts with breaks to replenish cognitive energy. Eventually, he found a rhythm that helped him get started with work on his own.

As Santosh learnt that starting was the hardest part for him, and put supports for that in place, he could succeed. His stress dropped, and homework no longer felt like the beast that controlled the entirety of his evening every day.

(All names and references are changed to protect privacy.)