"لا شيء مرهق مثل التعلق الأبدي بمهمة غير مكتملة."

We've all been there—staring at that one task that just won't get done. It's not the difficulty that drains you, but the fact that it lingers, unfinished, like an unwelcome guest who simply won't leave. You know, the longer something stays on your to-do list, the heavier it feels? That’s the core idea here. When you keep pushing off a task, it starts to weigh on your mind, sapping your energy bit by bit.

Historically, such sentiments have been echoed by many, but this particular thought was captured by William James, a philosopher and psychologist. He lived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a time when the industrial revolution was reshaping the world, and efficiency was becoming a buzzword. People were starting to understand that mental fatigue could be just as crippling as physical exhaustion. James was keenly aware of the mental toll that incomplete tasks take on us.

Think about that big project at work you’ve been putting off. Every day, it sits there, a constant reminder that it needs your attention. It's not that you're actively working on it, but it looms in your thoughts—nagging at you during meetings, popping into your mind when you're trying to relax at home. This is the kind of fatigue James was talking about. It’s not the work itself that’s tiring; it’s the constant mental presence of the unfinished business.

Okay, picture this: you’re planning a surprise party for a friend. You’ve got a lot of the details sorted—venue, guest list, decorations—but you’ve been dragging your feet on the invitations. Every day, you tell yourself you’ll do it tomorrow. But tomorrow turns into next week, and next week becomes two weeks. Meanwhile, the thought of those unsent invitations is a constant stressor. It’s in the back of your mind when you’re at work, when you’re out with friends, and even when you’re trying to unwind. It’s exhausting, right? You’re not actively working on it, yet it’s like a cloud that follows you around, draining your energy.

So, how do you shake off this mental fatigue? The advice is simple: just start. Break the task into smaller, manageable pieces and tackle it bit by bit. Don't aim for perfection on the first go. The key is progress, not completion. You’ll find that once you start, the task often isn’t as daunting as it seemed.

Imagine you’ve got a report due. Instead of fixating on the entire thing, commit to writing just the introduction. Or even simpler, outline the main points. The act of starting creates momentum. It’s like pushing a heavy boulder. The first shove is the hardest, but it gets easier once it’s rolling.

Here's a relatable story. My friend Sarah had been meaning to clean out her garage for months. Every weekend, she'd say, "Next weekend, for sure." And every weekend, it loomed larger in her mind. Finally, she decided to spend just 15 minutes on it after work one day. She ended up spending an hour and felt a huge weight lift. By the end of the week, the garage was spotless. The task didn’t change, but by starting, she changed her relationship with it.

So, the next time you’ve got that nagging, unfinished task hanging over you, remember: just start. You'll feel lighter, more energized, and free from that invisible weight. Trust me, your future self will thank you.