On any given day there are things we don’t want to do. Everyone has preferences and the things we don’t feel like doing are the first things we procrastinate. Putting things off that are distasteful leaves a list of unwanted chores that builds up. In the end, it gives you nothing to look forward to and ultimately can lead to serious problems.

Distasteful tasks may be unpleasant but you could be making them worse than they have to be. Avoiding tasks because they aren’t your favorite… or they truly are gross or hard, could be depriving you of a level of maturity and normalizing doing hard things.

You Can Do Hard Things

It’s natural to want to avoid difficult, uncomfortable, or distasteful tasks but it may not be in your best interest. Learning to do things you don’t like can build character, stamina, and the ability to manage stress. These are desirable traits that help you achieve greater success.

Pushing through your aversion to a task and getting it done can normalize it and make it less distasteful, especially if it’s a new task. Everyone has a greater capacity to do things they don’t care for than they realize. Each day people are thrown into situations that overwhelm them with tasks they don’t want to do, but they do it anyway. You can too.

Find Your Why

If you know why you must do a distasteful task, it can help you pull the trigger and get it done. First responders must often overcome their aversion to seeing uncomfortable things in order to do their work. In the beginning, bodily fluids and disfiguring accidents can trigger them to want to avoid some tasks. Over time, dealing with the uncomfortable side of their work becomes normal and it doesn’t have the same impact. The consistent exposure and tackling the work reduces the impact it has because they understand why they are doing it.

Find and focus on why you need to do the uncomfortable tasks you have. Having clean laundry that smells great and looks good is a positive reason to want to wash and dry your clothes. Cooking foods at home is healthier, more nutritious, and saves money. Those are great reasons to cook rather than get a drive-thru meal. Exercise helps you feel better, look better, and get healthier, so when you are doing it and feel like you want to give up, think about these reasons and finish.

Outsource Instead of Procrastinate

If you truly dislike something you have to do and you have an option, outsource it. I bring my sheets and bedding to the laundromat and let them wash it for me each Saturday. Why? Because I value my Saturdays and don’t want to spend any of my time near the washer and dryer. The task has to be done and I can do it but I choose not to. Instead of putting it off, I let someone else do it and take that time back.

You can do this with yard work, housework, and in your business with tasks you can outsource to a Virtual Assistant or other professional. Weigh the costs and consider this option for the things you truly detest doing.

Challenge

This week, look at the items you keep putting off on your list and determine if you can outsource them to someone to ensure you get them done while also freeing up some time. For those things you have to do, push through them and identify why you are doing them.