DylanIn a world that celebrates the virtues of productivity and accomplishment, it’s interesting to often find ourselves avoiding complex tasks essential to our success. Whether it’s a critical project at work or a challenging personal conversation, we procrastinate and let fear or discomfort dictate actions and timelines. What’s at play when we avoid these tasks? How can we overcome them to lead a more fulfilling life?
We’ve all been there: staring at a looming deadline yet wasting time scrolling through social media, avoiding dealing with that urgent email, or even tidying up our desk (or kitchen or whatever). Anything to keep from tackling that difficult task. Avoiding these tasks isn’t just a time-management issue but an issue of self-regulation and self-management.
At the core of this procrastination can be that saboteur in the back of our heads amplifying our fears: fear of failure, criticism, or even success. As I build out my coaching business, there are routinely countless things I should be doing, including writing regularly. I love this work and want to do more, but visibility is critical. Despite that, it has been months since I wrote anything. There was always a reason to put it off. There were many “I need to do ____ first” or “As soon as ______ happens, I’ll write.” Meanwhile, 6+ months passed, six whole months where I could have been dedicating some time to writing versus whatever the shiny object was in front of me.
Have you ever found yourself falling into this trap? Prioritizing something that may not be a priority or waiting for a trigger event? Reflect on those moments when you dodged a critical task and chose the easier path. What were the emotions driving your avoidance?
The downside of consistently giving in to these avoidance excuses can be debilitating. In the short term, there is a sense of relief. Still, over time, the consequences (in my case specifically) were the missed opportunities, the stress of not moving the practice forward, and even the self-doubts about whether I could continue to build. It becomes a vicious cycle: avoidance breeds more avoidance, turning complex tasks into seemingly insurmountable challenges.
So, how do we break free from this cycle of avoidance? The key lies in adjusting the viewpoint or perspective on complex tasks. Instead of focusing on the daunting magnitude of the task, break it down into smaller, more manageable pieces. As I started writing, setting achievable deadlines for each part finally allowed me to experience a sense of accomplishment and, slow as it may be, forward momentum.
What’s a challenging project you’ve been putting off? How can you look at it differently or break it down into smaller parts to make some progress?
Understanding why we avoid necessary yet difficult tasks is the first step towards combating the habit. With this awareness and a few simple strategies, we can overcome the tendency to procrastinate and take decisive action instead. It’s time to embrace the difficult tasks that come our way and, in doing so, unlock our full potential.
Ready to conquer your next challenge? Turn avoidance into action and start reaping the rewards of your newfound courage.
