When You're Putting Off the To-Do List

If you were to write out a list of things to do, are there some things there that you have been putting off and putting off? 

Maybe you’re like me. If it involves stepping out of my comfort zone, like making an uncomfortable phone call, or doing something new, I put it on the back burner.  But what I’ve noticed is that even though I put it on the back burner, it is still there.  I can try to avoid it. I can try to put it off, but it just gets closer to the deadline, or more uncomfortable to do.  Even though I try not to look at it, just not looking at it increases my background stress about it.  So there it sits, boiling over on my back burner. 

I’ve done this for as long as I can remember.  But recently, I made a promise to myself.  I promised myself that I would not let those things sit and boil over.  When I wake up in the morning with one of those thoughts that starts with a groan, “Ugh, I really have to do that thing,” I do it ASAP.  

This might sound like complete common sense to a lot of you, but for me, this promise to myself has really changed things. I don’t have that boiling over mess leaking into my front burners. I don’t have this to-do list a mile long because I’m too uncomfortable to do it.  It just feels better. 

What’s on your back burner?  Is it time to clean it up?

Here's to conquering Stress,
The Stress Experts