Is there some task or project you’ve been doing your creative best to avoid working on? I’ll bet there is. But instead of wasting energy worrying about it, you can learn to overcome your resistance and tackle important tasks quickly and efficiently so that you’ll move forward faster. Here’s how.

Identify the problem

If you’re looking for a job, maybe you are dragging your feet over networking or practising your interviewing skills. On the job, perhaps you’re putting off calling that unhappy customer. Or maybe you’re hesitating over taking the first steps towards kicking off that career change you’ve been contemplating for long.

Prioritise the tasks at hand

Ask yourself where the task or project you’re avoiding fits into your roles, responsibilities and goals.

Are you avoiding something you should be doing? We most commonly resist tasks vital to success in our job or job search. Such resistance holds us back.

One of my job search clients was the perfect example. Feeling shy about selling herself and fearing rejection, this client had put off following up on referrals she had gathered from friends. After I held her accountable for making those calls, some of those initial leads led to informational meetings, further referrals and an eventual job.

If you avoid repetitive tasks, like filling out expense reports, following up on customer-service surveys, delegate them or get them done another way before they become bigger issues. For example, a self-employed client had neglected to file his taxes for four years. At first, he didn’t see his financials as important. By the time he realised otherwise, the problem had become too big for him.

Are you avoiding something you shouldn’t be doing? If you repeatedly resist doing tasks that are central to your job, you might have a bigger and different problem.

Understand the root cause

Common reasons include lack of clarity about the next step, poor work habits, operating out of your comfort zone and fear. If you understand the root cause of your resistance, you can start doing something about it. Use these techniques:

• Work within a structure. For example, use the first hour of your day to tackle whatever you’re resisting.

• Determine the next action, and do it.

• Break daunting work into small steps.

• Overcome fear, inertia or shyness by putting your resistance in perspective. The importance of your job search, earning a living or performing well in your position outweighs any real or imagined consequences that could result from these reasons for resisting.

Of course, resistance can be a good thing if taking action could have negative consequences. Say you’re angry about how your manager treats you, and you want to get that anger off your chest. Spouting off to the boss at the first chance you get could jeopardise your career.

Hold yourself accountable

A career coach would ask you to identify the things you’re resisting, why they’re important and then hold you accountable for getting them done. But you can answer to yourself. Following this system will train you to identify and tackle the important jobs. Master this, and you’ll dramatically increase your personal and professional performance.