Conquer Scary Tasks You've Been Avoiding

Scary tasks are ones we procrastinate about and avoid tackling for as long as possible. But neglecting these projects creates stress that detracts from your overall productivity. Here are some tips to meet monster tasks and conquer them:

Organize and Prioritize

Writing down the steps involved in a project, thus breaking down a giant task into smaller, more quickly accomplished mini-tasks can change your perception of the whole job. Prioritize which parts you need to work on first, then create a schedule and stick to it. Getting started right away and keeping a steady pace will rob the task of its power to overwhelm you.

Create Accountability

Big projects often drag on because they lack clear deadlines.  Once you’ve created mini-tasks establish a deadline for each one.  You’ll find the more mini-tasks you accomplish the greater your eagerness to see the whole project completed.  Being able to see the finish line is a great motivator.

Make it Rewarding

Another benefit of breaking a project into smaller components is the opportunity to reward yourself each time you meet a deadline.  For some just being able to cross that item off the list is enough, for others maybe a latte, a lunch out or a movie feels like a reward.

Good leaders recognize when they provide a reward for a job well done, they increase the chance of having that positive behavior repeated. The same principle goes for rewarding yourself.  And don’t forget — the end of a big project calls for a big reward!