W@TW: The Acorn and The Tree

The other month as I was speaking to one of our sons I was reminded that the acorn doesn't fall too far from the tree.  Our son was talking about all the various work he had to accomplish and how he was going to do so.  But in the midst of his lists he mentioned a task that needed to be done that he hadn't accomplished yet. 

He had to make some grown-up phone calls to settle a missing rent check.  From the questions he was asking, it was obvious that he would do anything else, email, send a text or even write a letter, but not pick up the phone and talk.  He just doesn't like communicating over the phone.

I totally get it.  For me, talking over the phone is one of those least liked things especially when it is for a routine "administrative" type of discussion. The problem becomes the more one doesn't have to do it, the more difficult it becomes.

Touche.  

I was reminded of how I will avoid doing something I don't like to do.  I will do ANYTHING else.  

In the case of my son, as I heard his excuses I thought to myself, "just do it. and get it over with",  But then I realized that many times when I am faced with something I don't like to do, I cannot  "just do it"  and don't do it.   And when I delay and it is after the fact,  I kick myself for not doing the task at hand when it was time to do so.  The task has now become even more difficult.  For instance, I may have not told someone something that is important and now it is a big problem of communication- feelings get hurt, important items misplaced or an opportunity is lost.   All because I couldn't "just do it and get it over with". 

Recently I was reading again about how to approach your day when you have difficult tasks: Of course the first thing is that you should prioritize- what is the most important thing to do today in a descending order from most to least importance.  And then they suggest that you "eat that frog"- do the most difficult thing or the item that you don't want to do, first.  

For me, doing things that I don't like to do I am reminded not of the frog but of the acorn and the tree.  That which I see my son struggle is exactly my own. My son reminds me to "just do it and get it over with." 

What about you?   Do you struggle with completing tasks?  Why or why not?  Have you ever noticed traits in family members that you also exhibit?  Do you have recommendations or advice to give them on how to handle such traits?  Do you follow your own advice?