Have you ever felt as if you lacked the strength to complete the tasks on your to-do list? Or even afraid to face your to-do list already?
Did you know that you could be dealing with a fear of to-do lists? Do you fear creating, facing, or doing your to-do lists? Yes, that kind of fear exists! Some actually call this “Task Paralysis”.
“Task paralysis is a transient feeling of being stuck in a place of uncertainty, unsure of where to begin.”
– Mary Kingsbury Enquist of NYU Langone Medical Center
Yes, you heard it right. Basically, the main roots of these fears are the thought of not knowing where to start and the fear of being stuck in the middle of our tasks. This actually boils down to the excessive desire for perfectionism, and this perfectionism causes you to develop fears of not meeting your own expectations with your actions on your to-do lists.
But how do we conquer this fear of to-do lists, also known as “task paralysis”? Here are some easy ways that you can try them out:
Acknowledge how you are feeling.
First of all, the most important thing of them all is to acknowledge your fear that it exists. Instead of completely denying it and forcing yourself to face it, start by gaining some perspective on what you are feeling and processing it fully.
While doing this first step, you’ll definitely get to realize the roots of your fear and it’ll make you realize what personal coping mechanisms you can use to conquer not having to deal with this again.
Take it step by step.
Give yourself enough time to meet your to-do lists, such as giving attainable deadlines for them. Also, when you start with one task, finish this one task first before moving forward to the next. Avoid opening all your to-do’s, then force yourself to finish all your to-do lists at once. If you have big tasks that seem to be too overwhelming already, you can pause for a while and break down these big tasks into small tasks.
Also, when you start with one task, finish this one task first before moving forward to the next. Avoid opening all your to-do’s, then force yourself to finish all your to-do lists at once. If you have big tasks that seem to be too overwhelming already, you can pause for a while and break down these big tasks into small tasks.
By doing this, you’ll probably start regaining your momentum towards finishing your list.
But if you’re a leader and find yourself having trouble here that causes anxiety already, better check out our free Leadership eBook. You can also check out our To-Do List to keep those fears away and live a life filled with peace, pleasure, passion, and purpose!
Don’t forget to take a breath.
Well, once you gain momentum and find yourself continuously doing all your tasks, please don’t forget to take a breath. You also deserve to take a break, and by doing this it does not mean you’ll be losing your momentum, but rather that you’re actually going to recharge your momentum.
You’d probably be thinking that you might make a mistake or miss something if you take a break for a while. No way! Stop with that perfectionism thinking again. Breathe and relax!
Lastly, celebrate and reward yourself.
Celebrate and reward yourself. You did it! Maybe there are still a few things that need to be done, but right now, focus on WHAT YOU HAVE ALREADY DONE. Remember that you took a step, and you’re already one step closer to the finish line of your to-do list. So grab that positive reinforcement so that the next time you face your to-do list, it won’t be that dreadful any more.
Another way of rewarding yourself is by buying yourself some things that you like and that could be useful to you. You may want to try out our To-Do List, created especially for someone like you who wants to keep those fears away and live a life filled with peace, pleasure, passion, and purpose! So what are you still doing? Check this out already.
Tasks Paralysis may be a relatively new concept in our ears, but in reality, this has been present in most of us already. So if you find yourself having trouble getting things done, maybe a little push from a mental health professional (like us, STACS) is what you need.
Shirley Therapeutic and Consulting Services, LLC is a diverse therapy clinic that can meet the needs of anyone. If you’d like to talk about your mental health, feel free to message us here.
References:
https://www.clearvoice.com/blog/task-paralysis/
https://www.buzzfeed.com/tracyclayton/justonething
https://www.inc.com/jessica-rovello/does-your-to-do-list-give-you-anxiety-try-making-these-2-easy-changes.html
