Compare The Time Spent Doing VS. Avoiding A Task

Do you ever have certain tasks that stay on your to-do list for days and days, sometimes even weeks?! I’m talking about the kinds of tasks that we are clearly avoiding because we’re thinking they will take more time or energy than we have…

The funny thing is, we often expend more stress and energy avoiding these tasks, than actually completing them! 😂

A few weeks ago, I needed to revise a chapter I was writing and “Revise Chapter” stayed on my to-do list for weeks. Let me tell you, every single day, I was beating myself up: “I need to do that revision! Just do it!” But for some reason, that task felt SO BIG in my mind, and I kept saying, “I’ll do it tomorrow.”

But honestly? It was always in the back of my mind. During the day, if I was doing something leisurely or relaxing, that little voice in my mind was saying, “You should be revising your chapter instead of relaxing!” And some nights, I even struggled to sleep. UGH. It was completely taking me out of the moment.

Have you ever experienced this? Maybe it’s replying to a text, or paying a bill, or running an errand. I’m specifically referring to those pesky tasks that we make bigger in our minds, so we put them off and off and off.

Well…I finally got to revising my chapter and it only took me 15 minutes. FIFTEEN MINUTES! I had spent days and days of stressing, when it was actually so easy to do! I actually laughed at myself, wondering why I couldn’t have done this right when I first needed to.

So for today’s modern magic trick, try doing a ‘Task Time Check:’

1. Make a list specifically for those tasks you’ve been avoiding.
2. Write down the hours/days you’ve spent by avoiding the task.
3. Write down the realistic number of minutes (or hours) it would take to complete.

By seeing these numbers visually, we can see the large contrast between the times of doing vs. avoiding, reminding us that the task isn’t as daunting as we’re making it in our minds. This will help motivate us to finally DO it. 😉 Then you can schedule a Life Admin Day, perhaps even a co-working session with a friend, and try to get as many of the tasks finally completed!

I promise, you will feel soooo much lighter and happier! And those tasks will take significantly less time than you expect.

✨Magic Monday Archive Episode✨

This week’s mini podcast episode has my favorite magic trick of all time: Voice Memo Journaling. If you don’t want to sit and write in a journal, I highly highly HIGHLY recommend you open your voice memo app and record your thoughts. It has become a daily habit of mine and it is SO therapeutic. Take a listen to hear all the benefits, what I’ve learned by doing it, and why it’s the best tool for your wellbeing. Oh, and my number now is officially 581 since I recorded the episode. 😂

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

The only way out is through.

-Robert Frost

ON A PERSONAL NOTE

ONE WEEK until we head back to Vietnam! I’ll admit it, it’s bittersweet… I’m beyond excited to be back in Vietnam, near the beach and eating bánh xèo again. But Bansko, Bulgaria truly is a magical place. If you’ve ever wanted to travel and be a part of an incredible digital nomad hub, put Bansko on your list! The community here is growing tighter and tighter, and just when we’re really connecting with fellow entrepreneurs, we’re also getting ready to depart. BUT, I’m excited to FINALLY be in a place longer than 3 months so we can grow a part of a community and not have to leave after a few months. Ahhh, the life of a digital nomad. 😉

Last night, we went to a special community dinner where we had homemade pizza and watched the episode of Shark Tank (in Germany, it’s called Lion’s Den) where our friend, Daniel, was on. He was pitching his business, Urban Challenger. I shared the story of going on an Urban Challenger adventure a few newsletters back, but the show hadn’t aired yet, so we didn’t know if he was going to get a deal or not.

So last night we finally got to watch him on the show and witnessed the ‘Lion’s’ grilling him with questions. AND HE GOT A DEAL! It was so amazing to see; and also incredible to hear his insights about the production, the Lions, and how the show has helped his business. And to think, this was a little idea that was created by him and his brother while exploring India… Very inspiring!

Have a magical, inspiring week, everyone!

xo, Andrea

• Instagram
• Podcast

You are magic. ✨