Avoiding thoughts just make them Louder
The more I try to get it off, the more impatient it gets
You know that feeling when you’re deep into a Netflix binge, and the next episode starts auto-playing? Yeah, you should probably stop. But wait, laundry is staring at you from the bed, and dishes are breeding something suspicious in the sink. Yet, somehow, your brain seems to tell you that just one more episode is the answer to life’s problems. Spoiler alert: it doesn’t. But trying to avoid your responsibilities is much like trying to avoid your thoughts, it just makes them louder and obnoxious.
Let’s face it, avoidance is easy, like that warm blanket you wrap yourself in when you’re pretending your to-do list doesn’t exist. Who wouldn’t want to step into a world where the worst decision you have to make is whether to watch Friends or The Office for the hundredth time? The mess that awaits you in the real world grows messier by the second. The laundry pile has suddenly come to life. And what’s waiting in that sink?
But what happens when you ignore them? The guilt creeps in. First, it whispers, then it yells. And suddenly, you’re trapped in a mental tug-of-war: “Should I pause Netflix and do the dishes?” “Nah, I’ll just relax a little longer.” But the more you avoid it, the louder that nagging voice gets.
The Sarcastic Side of Silence
You might think you can outsmart your brain by pretending the thoughts don’t exist. It’s a bold move, but it rarely works. Telling your brain to “shush” is like telling a toddler they can’t have candy. Your brain, much like that toddler, will just start screaming louder. “Oh, you don’t want to think about that deadline? How about I remind you of the dishes you STILL haven’t done instead?” Great. Now, instead of one thought to avoid, you’ve got a whole list — complete with a mental image of the laundry eyeing you judgmentally from across the room.
Embracing the Chaos
The more you try to avoid uncomfortable thoughts — especially those about work stress or unresolved projects — they will get louder. When you push tasks off-you are thinking you are saving yourself from a headache, but actually, you are amplifying your worries. Every minute becomes guilty and distractions become something that only provides temporary relief. The forgotten project becomes the constant specter eating away at our serenity and perpetuating this vicious cycle of anxiety that makes more weight at the office. What does my boss think?
Will I be losing credibility? echoes in our minds, making us more anxious, leaving our breath mostly caught in the throat than going out. Rather than running off into avoidance, welcoming these thoughts can be a blessing.
This is where we set up time to address the standby project and break it down into chunk able tasks, and finally deal with the discomfort of silence that turns into a constructive dialogue with oneself, affirming that our stress is valid, manageable, and worthy of being challenged. By dealing with our workload rather than letting it simmer in the background, we regain our focus and dial down the volume on anxious thoughts. So, when you are tempted to shift away from that discomfort, be reminded that admitting it might just be the opening move toward clarity and balance.
Plus, dealing with thoughts isn’t as scary as it seems. Sure, some thoughts might feel like a messy pile of laundry you don’t want to touch, but once you start sorting through them, they’re more manageable. And when you tackle them with humor, it becomes even easier. Picture your procrastination as a cartoon villain twirling its mustache, threatening to ruin your day. Laugh at it! What power does it have when you refuse to take it seriously?
