How To Start Doing Something You Really Don’t Want To Do
The trick is just getting started… because that really is the hardest part
I’m currently studying for my pre and post natal coaching certification and to be honest, it is really hard for me to start studying at the end of the work day. It’s not that I’m not excited about the course; I’m genuinely interested in the material and really excited to work with more postpartum women but the last thing I want to do at the end of a long work day is crack open a textbook.
Each day I would set the intention to sit down at the end of the day and work through a chapter. But the idea of doing a whole chapter was daunting. I didn’t feel like I had an hour+ in me to sit down and focus after being burnt out from work. And so I just wouldn’t start.
Until I set a timer.
The idea actually came to me from an Instagram story that I saw probably over a year ago. A mom had shared that when she has a task she really doesn’t want to do, like unloading the dishwasher, she just sets a timer and that puts it into perspective that it’s actually not as bad as she’s making it out in her head. Yes, unloading the dishwasher is a kinda annoying task, but in reality it only took her a little over 3 minutes. And 3 minutes of a very bearable task isn’t really worth complaining about and procrastinating.
I don’t know why this video popped into my head as I was contemplating whether or not I’d study… but it did. And so I flipped the idea a little bit. I asked myself how much time I could commit to studying right now; what felt attainable? The answer was 30 minutes.
So I set a 30 minute timer. I decided I didn’t need to commit to an entire chapter because who knows how long that will take. But if I just set a timer, I can commit to a finite amount of time and that felt way more manageable. And once the timer went off, I actually kept going until I finished the chapter.
Getting started is the hardest part. There are so many things that we know we should do, that we’ll be glad we did once it’s over and that will ultimately enrich our lives and make us better. But that doesn’t mean these are always the most fun or exciting activities (taking a walk, hitting a training session, meal prepping… you know what I’m talking about).
So the next time you’re finding yourself dragging your feet getting started with something that you “should” do, just set a timer for an amount of time that isn’t off putting to you. Even 5 minutes is better than 0 minutes. And chances are that once you start, you’ll be happy you’re doing the thing and keep on going anyway.
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