Some of us have task avoidance because we may be imagining the task will be too big, too overwhelming, too hard, or will take too long 🥺 I've created worksheets for time tracking and breaking tasks down (coming soon) but those can get awful real fast too! Phone apps like "Focus Friend" (I can add screenshots in a separate post) gamify setting timers ⏲️ for tasks. But often I find it's the "hands on", analog (ie. not phone) tools that work best: Sand timers, egg timers, or this visual countdown timer that beeps loudly when the set time is up. If I have to do something I dread, I give myself an amount of time (usually 5-10 minutes) to make a dent in the task, and usually get more than I thought I would. The timer needs to be within sight/reach and easy to set. Plus I love this timer "clock" and just have to show it off! 😁 Do you have a tool or hack that helps you start on dreaded tasks?

Depending on where you are in the world, it's happening anywhere between Friday afternoon or Thursday evening, 11pm EDT to be exact. (Hey, I used to live in the US, I geddit.) Get your dreaded or creative personal projects ready to go! We're parallel-playing on Skool. https://www.skool.com/live/xGCjK9vBKCp (Bonus storytime: I used to call body-doubling the Starbucks Effect! If you're around people in Starbucks who are working on their laptops, you're more inclined to work--and stay--at your laptop. Your body is taking cues from the people and environment around you, and any distraction you experience will hopefully put you back on your own work. I'll try to moderate chats keep to only the first and last 5-10 minutes.)

What creative outlet(s) do you currently have? Feel free to share! Theres a local sketching and drawing group with weekly meetings during which I get to practice some street scenes in my small watercolor book. This one is so complicated that I'm still working on it --_-- If you comment and share in this thread, remember to like other people's WIPs! :D

One of the exercises I enjoy sharing in counselling sessions around identity is the VIA strengths survey. This is a 10-minute questionnaire that puts 24 character strengths or values into a unique order for you depending on YOUR answers. It's helped me get to know my younger counselling clients better, and can be very validating for anyone who may not hear positive validation or affirmations very often. My top 5 strengths have always been these: - Curiosity - Love of learning - Creativity - Appreciation of Beauty and Excellence - Humour (or humor, depending on where in the world you are!) If you're curious about what the survey will reveal as your top strengths, take it for free here: https://www.viacharacter.org/survey/account/register And share your top 5!

I'm Janet, and here's a picture of my workspace in Chiang Mai. (I just moved, and the lampshade got damaged--I'm currently waiting for my new one in the mail. I also collect owl figurines.) My hobbies and interests (outside of work) are almost too many to list, but I can highlight a few. I paint mostly in watercolors, knit, write, and pore over astrology charts. Previous hobbies (which may come around again) include beading and crochet. So, this being the first post in the group, who's introducing themselves next? :D If you like, post a pic of your work space as well!