Sep 17, 2026 · 22 min · 7 segments
Why do we avoid certain tasks, even when we know they need to get done? Sometimes it’s not the task itself, but the feelings attached to it. In this episode, we talk about dread, overwhelm…
Today, we are going to talk about the emotional side of getting things done and why sometimes we push off a task even when we know we need to do it.
Yeah.
Sometimes procrastination isn't about being lazy or not caring.
There's a whole slew of emotions involved.
Yeah,
definitely.
So there can be dread, overwhelm, perfectionism, boredom, or maybe just like, I really don't want to do this thing.
So then we push it off.
Yeah, I think that's what's interesting.
The task itself is usually pretty simple, requires one or two things, but the feeling and certainly my feelings attached to it.
to what that task is and then thinking about it in a broader sense is what usually feels really hard to even think about.
And so I want to push it away.
because I don't want to feel those feelings.
Yeah, you
don't want to think about it.
Whereas other tasks that I have that are just pretty simple and straightforward, paying a bill or saying my child is going to be a walker today or going to take the bus today, I have no emotional feelings about in the same way as emailing Rohan's teacher and saying, Was he able to use his walker? Using his walker is really important versus his wheelchair in certain scenarios because he has a lot of spasticity in his legs.
And then I'm thinking about overall his diagnosis and what he needs.
And I want to be able to provide all the things that he needs.
And I don't even know what he needs.
And I didn't even know that was happening.
So there's just so many things and so many feelings.
Associated with that task.
So that task becomes emotional.
Even though
it's just an email, now we're thinking about like...
Today, we are going to talk about the emotional side of getting things done and why sometimes we push off a task even when we know we need to do it.
Yeah.
Sometimes procrastination isn't about being lazy or not caring.
There's a whole slew of emotions involved.
Yeah,
definitely.
So there can be dread, overwhelm, perfectionism, boredom, or maybe just like, I really don't want to do this thing.
So then we push it off.
Yeah, I think that's what's interesting.
The task itself is usually pretty simple, requires one or two things, but the feeling and certainly my feelings attached to it.
to what that task is and then thinking about it in a broader sense is what usually feels really hard to even think about.
And so I want to push it away.
because I don't want to feel those feelings.
Yeah, you
don't want to think about it.
Whereas other tasks that I have that are just pretty simple and straightforward, paying a bill or saying my child is going to be a walker today or going to take the bus today, I have no emotional feelings about in the same way as emailing Rohan's teacher and saying, Was he able to use his walker? Using his walker is really important versus his wheelchair in certain scenarios because he has a lot of spasticity in his legs.
And then I'm thinking about overall his diagnosis and what he needs.
And I want to be able to provide all the things that he needs.
And I don't even know what he needs.
And I didn't even know that was happening.
So there's just so many things and so many feelings.
Associated with that task.
So that task becomes emotional.
Even though
it's just an email, now we're thinking about like...
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