Why do we avoid? It happens all the time. We carry a task along for days, weeks, months. We focus on absolutely anything else that is not the task, we don’t want to do it. Many times the task is inconsequential, send an email, go to the bank, put a picture on the wall. But we don’t do it and days and weeks go by and we drag the task along.

This behavior is universal and costly. We all have tasks that we avoid, tasks that take up mental space without ever getting done. The irony is that most of these tasks would take only a few minutes to complete, yet we spend hours, days, or weeks thinking about them instead.

The psychology of avoidance

Avoidance is a natural human response to discomfort. When something feels unpleasant, difficult, or uncertain, our brain naturally tries to avoid it. This is an evolutionary adaptation that helped our ancestors survive dangerous situations.

The problem is that our brain treats all discomfort the same way. Whether you’re facing a life-threatening situation or just need to send an email, your brain responds with the same avoidance mechanism. It doesn’t distinguish between real threats and minor inconveniences.

Avoidance creates a vicious cycle. The more you avoid something, the more it builds up in your mind. The task becomes bigger, more intimidating, and more unpleasant. This makes you want to avoid it even more.

We avoid tasks for different reasons. Sometimes it’s because the task is boring. Sometimes it’s because we’re afraid of doing it wrong. Sometimes it’s because we don’t know how to do it. Sometimes it’s just because we don’t feel like it.

The common thread is that avoidance feels better in the moment. It’s easier to scroll through social media than to make that phone call. It’s more pleasant to watch TV than to organize your desk. The immediate reward of avoidance is stronger than the delayed reward of completion.

The cognitive cost of carrying tasks

We spend our precious cognitive energy to keep it on our subconscious to-do list. This is the hidden cost of avoidance that most people don’t realize. Every task you’re avoiding is taking up mental space and draining your energy.

Your brain can only hold so much information at once. When you have multiple tasks floating around in your mind, they compete for attention and processing power. This makes it harder to focus on the things you actually want to do.

The Zeigarnik effect explains this phenomenon. Your brain tends to remember incomplete tasks better than completed ones. Unfinished business creates mental tension that only resolves when the task is completed.

Carrying tasks creates background stress. Even when you’re not actively thinking about a task, it’s still there in the background, creating low-level anxiety and reducing your overall sense of well-being.

The mental load compounds over time. One avoided task is manageable. Ten avoided tasks create significant cognitive burden. Fifty avoided tasks can be overwhelming.

Why small tasks feel big

Many times the task is inconsequential. Send an email, go to the bank, put a picture on the wall. These are simple tasks that would take minutes to complete. So why do they feel so overwhelming?

Small tasks often lack clear structure. When you don’t know exactly how to do something or what the outcome should be, it feels bigger than it actually is. Uncertainty creates resistance.

Small tasks don’t provide immediate rewards. The benefit of completing a small task is often invisible or delayed. You don’t get the same dopamine hit from organizing your desk as you do from checking social media.

Small tasks can trigger perfectionism. Even simple tasks can feel overwhelming if you’re worried about doing them perfectly. The pressure to get it right can make you avoid getting it done.

Small tasks often involve other people. When a task requires interaction with others, it can feel more complex and risky. What if you say the wrong thing? What if you bother someone?

Small tasks can represent bigger issues. Sometimes avoiding a small task is really about avoiding a larger problem or decision. The task becomes a symbol for something more significant.

The resistance paradox

I would take a relatively small amount of time to just do it and get it out of the way. This is the paradox that makes avoidance so frustrating. You know that doing the task would be quick and easy, but you still can’t bring yourself to do it.

Resistance is not rational. It doesn’t follow logic or reason. You can know that something is good for you and still resist doing it. You can know that something will only take five minutes and still put it off for weeks.

Resistance is emotional. It’s driven by feelings, not facts. The task might be small, but the feelings it triggers are real. Fear, boredom, uncertainty, and overwhelm are all valid emotions that create resistance.

Resistance is temporary. The feeling of resistance is not permanent. It comes and goes, and it can be overcome. The key is to recognize that resistance is just a feeling, not a fact.

Resistance is often strongest right before you start. The moment right before you begin a task is often when resistance is at its peak. Once you start, the resistance usually fades.

The power of getting it done

Beat the resistance, get it out of the way, it will be worth it. This simple advice is more powerful than it sounds. The act of completing a task, no matter how small, creates momentum and builds confidence.

Completion creates positive feedback. When you finish something, your brain releases dopamine and you feel a sense of accomplishment. This positive feeling makes it easier to tackle the next task.

Completion reduces cognitive load. Each task you complete frees up mental space and reduces background stress. You can think more clearly and focus better on what matters.

Completion builds trust in yourself. Every time you follow through on something you said you would do, you strengthen your self-trust. This makes it easier to take on bigger challenges.

Completion creates momentum. Small wins add up to big results. Each task you complete makes you more likely to complete the next one. This creates a positive spiral of productivity.

Practical strategies for overcoming avoidance

Start with the smallest task. When you’re feeling overwhelmed by multiple avoided tasks, pick the smallest, easiest one and do it immediately. This creates momentum and makes the next task feel more manageable.

Use the two-minute rule. If a task will take less than two minutes, do it right now. Don’t think about it, don’t plan it, just do it. This eliminates many small tasks that would otherwise accumulate.

Break down larger tasks. If a task feels overwhelming, break it into smaller pieces. Instead of “organize the garage,” start with “put away the tools on the workbench.”

Create clear next steps. For each task you’re avoiding, identify the very next action you need to take. Make it so specific that you can’t avoid it. Instead of “call the bank,” make it “dial the bank’s phone number.”

Use time constraints. Give yourself a deadline for completing avoided tasks. The pressure of a deadline can help overcome resistance and create urgency.

Eliminate decision fatigue. Don’t waste energy deciding whether to do a task. If it needs to be done, just do it. Save your decision-making energy for more important choices.

The mindset shift

Recognize that avoidance is a choice. You’re not helpless in the face of resistance. You can choose to act despite your feelings. The task doesn’t have to feel good to get done.

Focus on the relief, not the effort. Instead of thinking about how unpleasant the task will be, think about how good it will feel to have it done. Focus on the relief and freedom that comes with completion.

Accept that some tasks will always feel unpleasant. Not every task needs to be enjoyable. Some things just need to be done. Accepting this reality makes it easier to get them done.

Practice self-compassion. Beating yourself up for avoiding tasks only makes the problem worse. Treat yourself with kindness and understanding, then gently encourage yourself to take action.

Celebrate small wins. Acknowledge and appreciate every task you complete, no matter how small. This reinforces the positive behavior and makes it more likely to continue.

The bottom line

Avoidance is expensive. Every task you carry around in your mind costs you cognitive energy, creates stress, and reduces your overall productivity and well-being.

Resistance is temporary. The feeling of not wanting to do something will pass. The task will still be there, but the resistance will fade if you just start.

Completion is liberating. Getting things done, even small things, creates a sense of freedom and possibility. It opens up mental space for the things you actually want to do.

Start small. Pick one avoided task and do it right now. Don’t think about it, don’t plan it, just do it. Experience the relief that comes with completion.

Build the habit. Make it a daily practice to complete at least one avoided task. Over time, this habit will transform your relationship with tasks and dramatically reduce your cognitive load.

Beat the resistance, get it out of the way, it will be worth it. This simple truth can change your life if you apply it consistently. The freedom that comes from completing avoided tasks is worth every moment of effort it takes to overcome resistance.