A Task In A Mask: Why the Things We Avoid Aren’t as Scary as They Seem

Every now and then we all face a task we’ve been avoiding.

You know the one. The thing sitting quietly on your to-do list that somehow creates a pit in your stomach every time you think about it. So instead of tackling it, you push it to the back of your mind… and the bottom of the pile on your desk.

Maybe it’s tax prep. Maybe it’s organizing that closet you’ve been stepping around for months. Maybe it’s writing an uncomfortable email or making a phone call you’ve been putting off.

Whatever the task may be, our minds have a remarkable ability to inflate it into something monstrous.

We imagine worst-case scenarios. We picture awkward conversations. We anticipate frustration, confusion, or failure. Before long, the task starts to resemble something straight out of a horror movie. In our imagination it grows fangs, claws, and glowing eyes.

I like to call these villains “Tasks in a Mask.”

The task itself is usually quite ordinary. But the mask we place on it makes it look like the creature from Alien or Freddy Krueger lurking in the hallway. It feels ominous while it’s looming.

Yet something funny almost always happens after we finally do the thing.

We sit back and say, “Well… that wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought.”

So how do we remove the mask?

Here are a few simple steps to help you unmask the task and move forward.

Close your eyes and take a few slow breaths with extended exhales. This simple practice lowers the stress response and brings your system back into coherence. It’s important not to start a dreaded project in an agitated state, doing so only amplifies the discomfort. When your body is calmer, your mind becomes clearer.

Next, ask yourself a simple question: What is this task actually asking of me? 

Strip away the drama and identify the request.

For example, if you received a notification from the IRS that money is owed, the request is simply to make a payment or address the balance. When we look at the task clearly, it often becomes far less mysterious.

Then ask another important question: Can I fulfill the request? 

Notice this question is not “Do I want to fulfill it?” We already know the answer to that. The mask exists precisely because it’s something we’d rather avoid.

But simply affirming that you can handle it often reduces anxiety dramatically. Capability is calming.

If the task still feels heavy, consider the Four D’s method. When facing any task, you have four possible responses:

Do it. Delay it. Delegate it. Drop it.

Sometimes the best choice is to pass it to someone else. Sometimes the right move is to schedule it for later. And occasionally, the most liberating option is realizing it doesn’t actually need to be done at all.

But if, after considering these options, you decide the task truly must be completed, the next step is to break it down into baby steps.

Ask yourself: What is the smallest first step I could take?

Maybe it’s opening the envelope. Maybe it’s drafting the first two sentences of that email. Maybe it’s spending ten minutes clearing one shelf in the closet.

Small steps create momentum. And momentum dissolves intimidation.

A few other strategies can help as well:

Ask for help. Tasks often feel lighter when shared with a friend or colleague. Put it on the calendar so it has a clear time and place. Create a reward at the finish line to sweeten the deal.  

Before you know it, the scary creature disappears… and you realize it was just a normal task wearing a dramatic costume.

So the next time you feel that familiar wave of dread rising, take a breath and remind yourself:

That’s just a Task in a Mask.

And masks, as it turns out, aren’t really as scary as they seem.

In harmony,

~Delphine