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For many marketers, starting a new project is often the hardest part. Whether it’s a fresh campaign, a tricky piece of content, or a new brief landing in your inbox, there’s always that moment of hesitation before the work begins.

Some people dive straight in. Others grab a coffee, scribble down a checklist, or talk it through with a colleague first. These rituals might look like procrastination on the surface, but in reality, they’re often the very things that help us focus, reset, and get into the right mindset.

At Kin Collective, we wanted to explore these little starting habits. Why do they matter? And what can they tell us about the psychology of productivity in marketing?

Why starting is the hardest part:

Psychologists call it “task initiation”, that moment when you move from thinking about something to actually doing it. For marketers, this can be even more challenging because projects are rarely straightforward. Campaigns often involve multiple moving parts, deadlines, and stakeholders.

That initial pause before starting isn’t unusual. It’s your brain preparing for the mental load ahead.

Common “rituals” marketers use:

From speaking to our community, we know there are a few tried-and-tested ways people get into the right headspace:

• The Diver – opens the brief and gets straight to work, figuring things out along the way.

• The Planner – writes a checklist or breaks the task into smaller steps before touching the actual work.

• The Refresher – makes a tea or coffee first, using the ritual as a mental reset.

• The Collaborator – chats it through with a colleague to bounce ideas and gain confidence before starting.

None of these are “wrong”; they’re simply different strategies for switching your brain into gear.

Rituals or procrastination?

It’s tempting to see these habits as procrastination. But research suggests that many of them are actually productive. Pausing for a hot drink can reduce stress and improve focus. Writing a plan helps you structure thoughts and avoid overwhelm. Even chatting with a colleague isn’t wasted time, it builds clarity and sparks creativity.

The key difference is whether these rituals help you move forward or cause you to stall.

Tips for breaking the “starting barrier”:

If you struggle to get going on new projects, try these approaches:

1. Break it down – Split your task into the very first small action (e.g. “open the brief” or “write one headline idea”).

2. Set a timer – Promise yourself 10 minutes of focus. More often than not, you’ll keep going.

3. Pick your ritual intentionally – Grab that coffee, write that plan, but make sure it leads into action.

4. Celebrate momentum – Acknowledge once you’ve started. The hardest part is already done.

Embracing your own style:

Every marketer has their own way of working, and that’s part of what makes the industry so creative. Whether you’re a diver, a planner, a refresher, or a collaborator, the important thing is recognising what helps you get going.

Because at the end of the day, productivity isn’t about avoiding quirks, it’s about leaning into them to create momentum.​

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Photo by vadim kaipov on Unsplash