Handling Unpleasant...but Important Tasks

Hi Everyone!

Welcome to March 2025!

It’s sad that festivities are over, and it’s back to reality. There are obviously some not-so-fun obligations to get done, like income tax ?? and medical check-ups ??.

But these things have to be done.

In this month’s career thoughts, I was thinking about how we put off important but unpleasant tasks that would benefit our careers.

Tasks that take us out of our comfort zone.

Tasks that if we completed or made into a habit, would be beneficial for us.

Here are some ideas:

1)???? Pair with something enjoyable.

If you have to attend a networking event, knowing they serve wine could be a nice thought to keep in mind.

Or you could promise yourself your favourite dessert after the event.

If you fear speaking up at meetings, bring along your favourite specialty coffee or tea.

2)???? Commit first. Say Yes. Make the appointment.

Having made a commitment, there’s some accountability. Knowing there are people counting on you would provide you the boost to get the task done.

Perhaps the event organizer is really counting on you to show up and support the event.

3)???? Lock it in.

This is where we block out a regular time do get tasks done.

For example, every Thursday morning is admin hour where you sort out all your reports or review your numbers.

4)???? Find your WHY.

It's so cliché but also, so true.

If attending conferences is not your thing, pause and rationalize the benefits. It brings purpose and meaning to the task.

?5)???? Gamify.

I like this strategy the most and I do it all the time.

For example, if attending industry events is not your thing, then make a deal with yourself – meet 10 people, have 5 serious conversations, 2 possible follow ups – and after that you win your freedom!

Then go get dessert.

Getting out of your comfort zone and doing challenging tasks need not be tricky. If you have hit a speedbump, do reach out to us. [email protected]

I wanted to take a minute to thank you if you have been following this newsletter for a while.

If you’re new to this, I wanted to share the purpose of this monthly newsletter. It’s sort of a career-companion, a regular reminder you are not alone in this journey.

There are many elements to career wellness. So this newsletter is like a gentle nudge… or a regular reminder to help us stay on track, and to do a few little things that would benefit your career as a whole.

Btw, we're organising a full-day event on the 19th of April for those in their 40s, figuring out what to do for their next steps.

We'll be talking about Pivoting to new roles, Progressing to greater heights, and starting Portfolio Careers - and we're having a panel of distinguished guests as well.

Click here for the full agenda!

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