Front Loading Future You

Q4 is a funny season. We’re looking ahead to new goals, new plans, and fresh energy for 2026. But if you’re like most entrepreneurs, you’re also carrying a backpack full of “avoided tasks” – little extra rocks you’ve been lugging around for way too long.

You know exactly what I’m talking about. It’s that task you see on your list, or that thought in the back of your head, that once you see it or remember it, you just groan, and immediately move on to something more “important.”

Sometimes it’s the little things:

• Dealing with that stack of sticky notes, half-scribbled lists, or parts of ideas.
• Clearing (or cleaning!) your desk or office space.
• Finding and adding those dates or reminders to your calendar.
• Sending that email you’ve been meaning to write.

And sometimes it’s the bigger things:

• Restructuring a process you know isn’t working.
• Revising something that’s out of date but still “good enough.”
• Having the difficult conversation you’ve been putting off.
• Gathering or reviewing your data – even if it’s not where you want it to be yet.

Rarely is any of this shiny. Or particularly fun. But whether big or small, these tasks pile up and they can become… heavy. And if you don’t handle them now, they’ll follow you right into 2026.

Avoided tasks aren’t just procrastination – they’re energy drain. They take up space in your head and slow down your ability to focus on the exciting parts of your business. Clearing them in Q4 means you start the year lighter, sharper, and ready to take action.

So how do you tackle them?

• Prioritize it. Know yourself. Do you get moving by knocking out a small, quick win -clearing the sticky note stack, sending the email – or do you feel free only after wrestling down the hardest one first – revising that SOP, making the call?
• Time it. Use a timer for the small stuff; you’ll be shocked at how fast it disappears!
• Incentivize it. Give yourself a reward – a coke, a walk, or just the joy of checking it off the list. Bigger tasks might deserve a bigger reward 😊
• Block it. For the big rocks, block an hour or even a day. For the small pebbles, try a 15-minute sprint.

And here’s the real mindset shift: it’s not about catching up. It’s about front loading your future self.

• If I take care of this now, I’ll be ready to start fresh in January.
• Once I finish this, I’ll be comfortable calling that person.
• Next time I reach for this, I’ll be so glad it’s already done.
• The next time I do this, it’ll go so much faster.

Entrepreneurship isn’t only about chasing big goals. It’s also about handling the small, unglamorous things that keep your business steady.

So before the year ends, face the task you’ve been avoiding. Clear out the dust. Drop the rocks. Don’t drag them into 2026.

And by the way – if you need some help, motivation, or accountability, let’s talk. That’s exactly what I do.