Often when I start feeling guilty for putting off a task (even if I genuinely didn’t have time), the guilt makes it harder for me to get back to it. It’s an additional emotion that I have to barge through in order to get started.

What if the person is annoyed with me for still not having replied? What if they’ve followed up with a strongly worded email that I’m now going to have to suffer through? And I’m going to have to come up with an excuse for taking so long. This would have been so much easier if I’d done it yesterday.

The guilt increases exponentially. How do you dispel it so that it’s not in the way of actually getting to the task?
(Alcohol and sleep deprivation does not count)

  • OneWomanCreamTeamEnglish
    7·
    6 months ago

    I also recommend taking 10 minutes a day to just sit, close your eyes, and focus on your breathing. If you notice your mind wandering, congratulate yourself for noticing, let the thought be, and return to your breathing.

    That sounds like it’ll be life changing when I get around to trying it out in a year and a half.

    • null@slrpnk.netEnglish
      7·
      6 months ago

      In writing it out, I was very conscious of how long its been since I was doing it regularly, and how I’m absolutely going to start it again “soon”.

    • Szyler@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1·
      6 months ago

      Start with doing it for just 30 seconds. An assisted pushup against the wall until you ate strong enough to do it for real.