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Pretend there is an imaginary wall in front of you. If you tried pushing against that wall, like a mime, your muscles would tense and after a minute you’d begin to feel tired. Continue for 30 minutes and you would probably need to sit down and take a rest.
I have noticed that when I am faced with a task that I do not want to do, I construct mental walls that are stopping me from getting started on the task.
I have noticed that most of my energy goes into mentally pushing through these walls, finding the willpower to convince myself to get started on that item on the bottom of my todo list that I have been putting off.
Having a routine can help as it doesn’t allow you to dwell on your next task. A routine allows you to go from one task to the next seamlessly and efficiently, reducing the friction.
Just like standing on top of a diving board and waiting until you have the courage to jump is harder than diving straight in, before you have the time to think it through. Your mind can be your own worst enemy, constructing confirmation biases on why you should wait or not do something.
Next time you notice yourself resisting doing something, try and allow yourself to override your mind and do the task without thinking.
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