To-do voodoo.

Ever notice that certain items on your to-do list get carried over from one day to the next? And the more days you put them off, the harder it seems to accomplish the tasks? Pretty soon, making that dentist appointment seems worse than reconfiguring your septic system with a garden spade.

As Hamlet once said, “Conscience makes cowards of us all.” The more we think about things, the harder they seem. The minute you notice an aversion to an item on your to-do list, whether it’s writing 47 thank-you cards or scheduling a colonoscopy, do it as soon as humanly possible. Crossing that dreaded task off your list will lift its weight from your shoulders (and your list) and give you a burst of energy. And just think of all that future worry you’re saving yourself.