When my students have Occupational Therapy testing done, one item that is evaluated is their ability to initiate a task. I joked to a coworker the other day that initiation is the measure I would score lowest on.
There is often so much that I need to do and want to do. And I know that if I just started, I would get going, and I’d feel better about it. But I cannot, for the life of me, get myself to start.
I sit there knowing I would feel better if I just DID the thing I was avoiding, or putting off…..and yet, I can’t do it.
Why is that? What is it about starting a task that seems so dreadful, so daunting, so much that we end up avoiding? Why is it that this occurs even for pleasurable tasks?
How do we just DO IT, at least start it, especially when we know we will feel so much better once we get the ball rolling?
Do you ever avoid tasks? Do you struggle to begin something? What works for you?
3 comments
I am so on the same page with this. I wish I knew WHY I do this – but I do – and if it is something that HAS to be done I usually end up finally starting it only because the deadline is staring me in the face and I am panicking. At home, when it is something I “should” do rather than “have” to do I have learned to give myself a deadline. I plan something enjoyable then “convince myself” I can’t go do it if I haven’t at least started the task I need to finish. It works the majority of the time and I do find myself starting (not necessarily finishing) more tasks. :o)
I like your ideas! Setting deadlines help. Although sometimes I still avoid them :)