2 New Tactics For Prioritization When You've Had Enough
How I'm approaching the tasks that just won't get done
Last June, I wrote an article about how to effectively manage your to-do list, but lately, I haven’t been following my own advice.
Today, I noticed several tasks that have been lingering for months:
Finish watching my barefoot course
Finish watching my YouTube course
Finish watching my breathing course
...and many more
All of these are courses I started months ago but never finished.
Looking at these tasks makes me uncomfortable because it raises questions:
Could finishing these courses significantly improve my life?
If I was willing to pay for them, wasn't I once deeply committed?
They haunt me yet, I still have to move forward.
But how?
I've thought a lot about why these tasks remain unfinished. Usually, prioritizing comes naturally to me, especially since becoming a mum, but these tasks stubbornly resist completion.
After reflecting for weeks, I realised it's not uncommon to leave tasks unfinished. Not every project or course needs to be completed entirely, especially if the value has already been gained. Constantly prioritizing other things might indicate a deeper issue.
Why do we leave tasks unfinished?
Psychology suggests several reasons:
Fear of Failure: Finishing tasks invites potential criticism and judgment, which people instinctively avoid.
Perfectionism: Avoiding completion due to fear the result will never meet your expectations.
Lack of Immediate Rewards: Without quick rewards, motivation can fade quickly.
Loss of Interest: Early excitement fades, leaving the task feeling tedious or unrewarding.
Fear of Success: Success can increase expectations, responsibilities, or discomfort with change, leading people to avoid completing tasks.
Feeling Overwhelmed: Tasks that feel confusing or overly demanding often lead to avoidance.
Decision Fatigue: Having to make too many decisions about a task can drain energy, causing people to abandon it.
Poor Time Management: Struggling to clearly prioritize tasks allows them to become overshadowed by new or seemingly urgent responsibilities.
Self-Handicapping: People might leave tasks incomplete to provide an excuse for potential failure ("I didn't really try, so I didn't fail").
I'm struggling with the three courses right now for different reasons:
The barefoot course doesn't offer immediate rewards - I've already been walking barefoot for 6 years, so I'm skeptical about what new information it might provide.
The YouTube course lacks interest for me - I have no intention of becoming a YouTuber, so I'm not placing much importance on it.
The breathing course feels overwhelming - the technicalities of advanced breathing techniques could make my to-do list much longer since there's so much to learn.
How I’m Going to Tackle This:
I've tried breaking tasks into smaller steps, time-boxing, accountability, and rewards. Ultimately, I've accepted that these tasks simply aren’t important enough right now—and that’s perfectly okay.
Still, seeing them unfinished stresses me out. So, I’ve created a balanced plan:
Flexible Modules: For courses allowing module flexibility, I'll quickly assess the remaining content. If something is useful now, I'll schedule it; otherwise, I'll confidently remove it from my list.
Sequential Modules: For courses requiring sequential completion, I'll play them in the background during other tasks. If something catches my attention as genuinely valuable, I'll set aside dedicated time.
I'm starting this today. Wish me luck!
Do you relate to this? How many unfinished tasks are sitting on your list, and which ones can you let go of today?
-Selda
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