For me, part of this is also about permission to *stop* doing the thing if I still don't want to do it after I've done my ridiculously low-bar minimum. Most of the time I won't do that -- most of the time I will keep going. But if Before-Activity Me thinks that During-Activity Me will be stuck doing a potentially unpleasant activity for too long, then I just... won't start. "Too long" seems to vary with stress levels and their effect on executive function and anxiety.
Tangentially, I think this is why starting my Focusmate sessions for the day with morning prayer and journalling is so helpful, too. They're both pretty easy things to do. If I tried to start with, say, PhD stuff, or something that required leaving the house, it would be a lot more overwhelming. But praying the Office is literally reading a website, and I have permission to skim. And journalling is sometimes emotional heavy lifting, but often just train-of-though daydreaming about the allotment or what have you, and a sentence of journal is sufficient if it comes to it, so if I think of something else that's urgent, I know I can do that. And then I am downstairs and in my dressing gown (usually; sometimes I achieve clothing beforehand but again, it doesn't *matter* if I don't), and I may as well keep going.
no subject
For me, part of this is also about permission to *stop* doing the thing if I still don't want to do it after I've done my ridiculously low-bar minimum. Most of the time I won't do that -- most of the time I will keep going. But if Before-Activity Me thinks that During-Activity Me will be stuck doing a potentially unpleasant activity for too long, then I just... won't start. "Too long" seems to vary with stress levels and their effect on executive function and anxiety.
Tangentially, I think this is why starting my Focusmate sessions for the day with morning prayer and journalling is so helpful, too. They're both pretty easy things to do. If I tried to start with, say, PhD stuff, or something that required leaving the house, it would be a lot more overwhelming. But praying the Office is literally reading a website, and I have permission to skim. And journalling is sometimes emotional heavy lifting, but often just train-of-though daydreaming about the allotment or what have you, and a sentence of journal is sufficient if it comes to it, so if I think of something else that's urgent, I know I can do that. And then I am downstairs and in my dressing gown (usually; sometimes I achieve clothing beforehand but again, it doesn't *matter* if I don't), and I may as well keep going.