Stop Dodging That Dreaded Task! 9 Ways to Halt Avoidance Procrastination

Cleaning out your car, returning phone calls, filling out paperwork — it’s easy to rattle off dreaded tasks we despise, but it’s much harder to motivate ourselves to complete them.Most of these tasks start small, say following up on an email, and then grow (in our minds or in real life) to overwhelming proportions as time marches on, deadlines slip by, and late fees begin to mount.

In time, we find ourselves alone — staring up at a dark, impending mountain that triggers feelings of impending doom and inevitable failure. “I’m just going to fail, so why bother?” “I’m not sure I can do this.” “I’ve done this before, and it didn’t work out.

Why would it be any different this time?”Success! You avoided the task. But instead of celebrating, you berated yourself with negative self-talk for your inability to do the activity you can’t stand: “Others can do it.

Why can’t I do it?” “I’m never going to measure up.” “I can’t do things.”You convince yourself to avoid a dreaded task but feel terrible for skirting it.