3 Tips to Address Task Avoidance

Written By Emily Bottegal, MS
 
 

We all have those extremely long to-do lists, and if we are being honest, some of those tasks have been on our list for, well, many seasons.  I am amazing at crossing off the stuff that I actually like, like running errands or doing laundry, and am great at leaving those things like making a doctor's appointment or organizing the garage, right there on that piece of paper for however long it needs to be there.  No matter our age, we have responsibilities that we need to do, and no matter how great it feels to avoid them in the moment, they don’t magically disappear.  

Here are three tips to to avoid task avoidance:

  1. Write it Down

    It does not exist until we have written it down.  Once we write it down it becomes a real thing that we are purposely going out of our way to look at and ignore.  It not only helps us with organization, accountability, and memory retention, but can also help with reducing your cognitive load.  If you keep your todo list in your head, you are undoubtedly going to forget something.  When you see it on paper or through reminders, it serves as a visual cue of what needs to be done and can help ignite the motivation to get it done.

  2. HABIT STACK

If I am already going to be outside, I can stop by the garage and clean off one shelf on my way inside, or bring in the trash cans from trash day.  Instead of trying to find the motivation to do something completely different, try stacking it to somewhere you will already be or are already doing.  If you are up doing something you want to do, you won’t need to find as much encouragement to do what you need to do.

3. USE A TIMER

The Pomodoro Method - Working in small chunks of time helps increase productivity - is proven to be effective for focus. Think about a basketball game- the players take a break each quarter to hydrate and game plan.  These breaks are helpful for their bodies the same way work breaks are helpful for your mind.  For younger children or adolescents, try encouraging them to set a timer for 10 minutes or play 2 songs while they clean their room- this makes it feel less overwhelming or daunting, and instead like there is a clear start and end time they can work off of. 

Emily Bottegal, MS

Ensuring students achieve academic, social/emotional, and personal success, Emily has a passion to empower students to succeed in and out of the classroom. Emily coaches from a strength-based approach and believes every individual has the ability to achieve success with the appropriate support and skills in place. She has dedicated her professional life to working with youth in school and community settings. 

Prior to joining the team, Emily worked as a School Site Coordinator and Home-Based Counselor in the Washington, DC area. In these roles, Emily engaged directly with students through individual counseling sessions and small group interventions focused on helping students meet personal goals relating to academics and managing emotions. Her direct experience helped her to understand the challenges individuals face both academically and personally, ultimately leading to her developing lessons around time management, scheduling, study skills, and organization. 

Most recently, Emily worked at a nonprofit, helping secure specialized instruction and support necessary to improve educational outcomes for low-income children with learning disabilities and developmental delays.

Emily has a Master’s degree in Counseling from Johns Hopkins University.

http://www.lifesolvedcoaching.com/who-we-are
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