Turn your worst tasks into an unmissable event

When the thought of drafting my application essay made my chest tighten, I realized pure willpower wouldn’t cut it. So I picked a hole-in-the-wall café fifteen minutes from campus that I’d never visited. I told my roommates I’d meet them back in two hours with the draft—or I’d look foolish. The unfamiliar hum of espresso machines and gentle clinks of cups felt like an anchor.

I slung my bag on a rickety stool, silenced my phone, and opened a blank document. The scrawl on my calendar—“Draft personal statement, 3–5 P.M.”—felt less like an option and more like a performance invitation. My hands shook for a minute before I started typing. Sentence by sentence, the ugly essay outline became a coherent draft.

An hour in, I felt the pressure of potential embarrassment if I left unfinished. That tiny social risk—friends expecting me back, the café watching a lone writer—kept me honest. I powered through the toughest paragraph, surprised at how quickly the words flowed once I started.

Later that evening, the draft sat complete on my laptop. I’d conquered the most dreaded task without letting fear or distraction win. Best of all, I never once had to rally extra motivation—they’d set the stage for success.

This method works by shifting the psychology of avoidance. Changing your environment and adding a mild social stake leverages commitment devices from behavioral economics. You make it too inconvenient or embarrassing to quit early, so you end up doing the work you’d otherwise dodge.

Find a cafe or study nook at least a short trip away—somewhere you won’t want to bail on. Schedule an arrival time and commit to staying for one to two hours on your worst chore. Tell friends where you’ll be and what you’re tackling so you can’t easily skip out. When you arrive, silence distractions and focus solely on that dreaded task. The unfamiliar spot and social stakes will give you the push you need. Give it a try this afternoon.