Do these phrases sound familiar?
-Worst First
-Eat the Frog
-Bite the Bullet
-Get it Over With
-Face the music
Not exactly inspiring expressions, but they serve a purpose.
We all have that one (or two or three) looming tasks on our to-do list that seem impossible to complete. They’re often the ones that feel emotionally draining, require more brain power, involve conflict/discomfort of some sort, or are just plain boring. Yet often what awaits us on the other side of these trickier tasks is progress towards a goal, a relationship deepened, an unmatched sense of accomplishment, clarity, and peace of mind. So why do we save the hardest things for last? There are plenty of psychological reasons why we procrastinate, pretend we have more time, or rearrange our priorities to suit our energy (or lack thereof).
Named for Russian psychologist Bluma Zeigarnik, The Zeigarnik Effect explains why it’s easier to remember (and judge / shame ourselves for) unfinished tasks rather than the boxes we’ve already checked. Think of it as an emotional cliffhanger: our brain’s way of making sure we tune back in to finish the story.
Though it’s fascinating to delve into the “why,” I’m more interested in how to circumvent our habitual avoidance. In The Power of Systems: How to Create a Life that Works, Trevor Timbeck focuses on creating systems that help you override these emotional highs and lows so that you can stay focused on your goals. If your current system for accomplishing tasks isn’t working, that doesn’t mean you are a failure: it simply means we need to fine tune that system.
Here are some systems I’ve created for myself:
- Setting out my gym clothes the night before means I can pop up and go, eliminating the excuse of not wanting to wake my husband by rummaging in the dresser.
- Blocking out time for my more challenging tasks early in the day allows me to focus on them first and not get side tracked.
- Sending a touch-base email to the person I need to have a hard conversation with commits me to the conversation and gives me a sense of accomplishment for moving that needle forward while putting the ball out of my court until they respond. A brief but important respite!
When we find we need a brain break from the heavy lifting, it’s important to turn to meditative rest or a timed shift of activities with deliberate intention of returning to the initial agenda. Set a timer and stick to it.
(Speaking from personal experience, a brain break does not include Instagram scrolling, snacking when not hungry, or online shopping.)
Think about the tasks that will have the greatest impact on your day: How can you make them unavoidable? Systems are meant to be creative and are based on trial and error, so play with it. Give yourself one challenge to start and build your inner trust to honor a system. You might find yourself writing that work memo at 7am or heading out on a walk before the house wakes up.
