1633: How To Make Difficult Tasks Easier by Karl Staib with Marc And Angel on Productivity and Procrastination

[00:00:00] This is Optimal Work Daily, How To Make Difficult Tasks Easier by Karl Staib with MarcAndAngel.com. Why am I insisting on procrastinating right now? You all know what I'm talking about, that dreaded task that makes you ignore reality. It's just sitting on your to-do list ready to be tackled, but for some reason you keep checking your email. You just checked it five minutes ago, but maybe now there is an important email needing your attention. Does this sound like somebody you know?

[00:00:30] This is a common theme throughout many of our workdays. We keep avoiding a difficult task because we are afraid to face it. The questions of, what if I F it up? What if I screw it up? What if I can't do it by myself? What if I look stupid? These debilitating questions can kill the motivation of even the strongest person, especially if these questions are left to fester. Once the wound is open, it's hard to ignore it. Worry creeps in and it won't let go.

[00:00:58] Here are some of the concepts that I use to overcome my dread of a difficult task. Start now. When you let your molehill turn into a mountain, the fear only builds and builds until you face it. That means you just have to jump in and get started. Once you start, you will begin to identify your strengths and weaknesses. Breaking down the task in parts will make it seem possible and actually enjoyable to do. Separate the hard parts from the easy parts. Every task has its hard and easy parts.

[00:01:28] When you can separate the two, you can pick the type of work that fits your mood. Let's say you work best in the late morning. You can then choose to pick the hardest tasks for this time period. If your energy dips in the late afternoon, you can choose to do work that is easier and uses less brainpower during this time. Enjoy the emotional challenge. Difficult tasks are usually avoided because of the suffering that they may cause. You worry about how you might become frustrated, angry, or sad.

[00:01:56] Acknowledging these feelings is a great first step in building your emotional strength. A friend of mine told me that before she had kids, her patience was minimal. After having two kids, she has the patience of a saint. I'm always impressed with her calm demeanor when she is telling her kids to stop screaming while she is talking on the phone. She has this calm quality of a zen master. You can use a difficult challenge to become more patient, more relaxed, or just quicker to release frustration when you engage your emotional development at work.

[00:02:26] Figure out how this task will help the future you. When I was an assistant teacher, I dreaded the days when the head teacher was sick. It meant that I had to be the disciplinarian, timekeeper, leader, and so many other roles. It was easier to just follow the head teacher's lead. I kept thinking these thoughts until I realized that I could use the experience to my advantage because I wanted to be a teacher someday. Little did I know I would be a teacher of work happiness.

[00:02:53] I embraced the work as a way to become stronger instead of trying to avoid it. Chip away every day. You may look back at the end of the busy day and realize you didn't get half of what you wanted accomplished. This usually happens because you did the light work instead of the heavy lifting. The way to feel fulfilled at the end of the day is to tackle the difficult tasks early so you can ease up when your energy wanes. You'll be impressed at the end of the week at how much you were really able to accomplish.

[00:03:22] Find someone that wants to help you. A difficult task is dreaded because of all the work that lies before you. You feel like you can't do it all by yourself, and you shouldn't. That's why finding someone to help you is very important to your emotional health. This person can be a creative sounding board, as well as someone you can complain to when things don't go quite right. Find someone who doesn't have all the same strengths as you. Try to match yourself with a person who can make up for your weaknesses and complement your strengths.

[00:03:50] Ask yourself, am I the right person for the job? There are some jobs that just don't fit with your strengths. Heck, you can't be good at everything. When working for someone, you may not have the power to turn down a project. That's why number six is even more important. Adding people to your team will allow you to work on tasks that are aligned with your strengths. If you are repeatedly given work that you don't like, then you may need to make a change. You have an obligation to yourself to do work that makes you feel successful.

[00:04:19] Share your insights with others. The bonus to working on a difficult task is the knowledge that you will gain. It's a great feeling to have this knowledge, but you need to take it to the next level. Try sharing it with others via blog, newsletter, over the phone, or in person. You'll love the reaction from your audience. And that's the best part of teaching. Teachers learn as much as their students. You just listened to the post titled,

[00:04:48] How to Make Difficult Tasks Easier by Carl Stabe with markandangel.com So let me tell you a little bit about Carl. He helps entrepreneurs understand their struggles and turn them into stepping stones. In 2010, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer and then was laid off from his job just a year later. And while of course those were difficult situations, he calls them blessings in disguise. Since then, he has stopped doing work that doesn't fit with his passions,

[00:05:15] and instead now focuses on things he truly cares about. He's the author of the book, Bring Gratitude, and has a lot to offer on his site. But I think that's going to do it for today. Hope you have a great start to your weekend if you're listening to me in real time. And I'll see you back here over the weekend, where your optimal life awaits. Hope you have a great start to see you next time.