(Background: I'm that friend)
Something that has proven successful for two people you and I know (Yuri, Ben) that might be helpful is making the to-do list, putting "today's tablet" somewhere prominent, and then saying "I will only take the tablet if I can't be otherwise productive." This seems to produce productivity more reliably for them, than modafinil does for me.
Previously: 5/14/12 (and explanation)
This is the public group instrumental rationality diary for the week of May 21st. It's a place to record and chat about it if you have done, or are actively doing, things like:
Or anything else interesting which you want to share, so that other people can think about it, and perhaps be inspired to take action themselves. Try to include enough details so that everyone can use each other's experiences to learn about what tends to work out, and what doesn't tend to work out.
Thanks to everyone who contributes!