We’ve all been there: something lingers on our to-do list, day after day. We tell ourselves we’re too busy, that it hasn’t become urgent enough, or that more pressing matters have taken precedence. But sometimes, even tasks that should be a priority—ones that would only take a few minutes to complete—keep getting pushed back. Why does this happen?
The answer might be simpler than we think: we’re just not that excited about them. Like the title of the movie He’s Just Not That Into You, it turns out we’re not that into certain tasks. They don’t inspire us, energize us, or bring us joy. So, we procrastinate—not because they’re hard or time-consuming, but because we simply don’t want to do them.
The Irony of Avoidance
What’s ironic about this avoidance is that when we finally tackle these tasks, they’re often not as bad as we imagined. Many take far less time or effort than we feared, and completing them brings a surprising sense of relief. The dread of having the task hanging over us is often worse than the task itself. And yet, this cycle of delay continues for many of us.
There’s also the added benefit that completing these lingering tasks can have a significant positive impact on our lives. They free up mental energy, remove a source of stress, and often clear the way for more enjoyable activities. In fact, the longer we procrastinate, the more these tasks tend to weigh on us, amplifying their perceived difficulty and making them seem even more daunting.
Learning from the Frog
This pattern is similar to the concept behind Brian Tracy’s book, Eat That Frog. The premise is simple: if the first thing you do each morning is “eat a frog” (i.e., tackle your biggest, most unpleasant task), then nothing worse will happen for the rest of the day. The task is out of the way, and you can move forward with a sense of accomplishment.
It’s true—by dealing with the “frog” first, you relieve yourself of the dread that lingers when you push it off. You gain momentum and set a productive tone for the day. Yet, despite the logic of this approach, many of us avoid it. Why?
Why We Struggle with “Eating the Frog”
- Emotional Resistance: Tasks that we procrastinate on often carry emotional baggage—fear of failure, perfectionism, or simple dislike.
- Lack of Urgency: Without a looming deadline, we prioritize what feels urgent rather than what’s important.
- Comfort in Routine: We gravitate toward easier, more enjoyable tasks to avoid discomfort.
- Mental Overestimation: We exaggerate the difficulty or time required for a task, making it seem more intimidating than it really is.
A Mindset Shift for Tackling the Tough Tasks
If we want to break this cycle, it’s helpful to reframe how we think about these tasks. Instead of focusing on how unpleasant they seem, we can focus on the relief and sense of accomplishment that comes from completing them. Here are a few strategies to help:
- Start Small: Break the task into smaller, more manageable steps. Often, just starting can build the momentum needed to finish.
- Use Rewards: Give yourself something to look forward to after completing the task, like a favorite snack or a short break.
- Set Deadlines: Create urgency by imposing your own deadlines, even if they’re arbitrary.
- Visualize the Outcome: Imagine how good it will feel to have the task off your list and the benefits it will bring.
- Tackle It First: Adopt the Eat That Frog approach. Commit to doing the most dreaded task first thing in the morning before distractions set in.
The Relief of a Cleared Plate
Ultimately, avoiding these tasks only prolongs the stress they create. By tackling them head-on, we gain not only the satisfaction of accomplishment but also the mental clarity that comes from no longer dreading what we’ve been putting off.
So, the next time you find yourself avoiding a task, ask: is it really that bad, or am I just not that into it? Chances are, once it’s done, you’ll wonder why you waited so long—and feel a lot better for having done it.