What is your task?
Do you ever find yourself drowning in a sea of to-dos? I certainly do. As a pianist and composer, my mind often races with competing priorities - that album I need to finish, the upcoming performance I haven't fully prepared for, emails waiting for responses, and the constant pull of new musical ideas demanding attention.
The weight of these unfinished tasks creates a particular kind of anxiety for me. I've noticed how easily I fall into procrastination when deadlines aren't imminent, only to find myself more stressed later. My hunch is that it’s a cycle that many of us know too well - the more we avoid, the heavier the mental burden becomes.
Recently, I found some simple but profound clarity in a book called "The Courage to Be Disliked" by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga. The book presents Adlerian psychology through a conversation between a philosopher and a young man, exploring how we can break free from past limitations and find happiness.
One particular insight has become something of a mantra for me. When feeling overwhelmed, the philosopher suggests asking yourself a simple question: "What is my task in this moment?"
It's actually deceptively powerful. The philosopher explains that many things we worry about aren't actually our tasks at all. Your task isn't to ensure everyone in the room likes you. Your task isn't to solve problems that may never materialize. Your task isn't to complete an entire album in one sitting.
When I sit at my piano feeling the weight of an entire project, I now try to pause and ask: "What is my task right now?" Often, it's just to work on a single piece, to refine a particular passage, or even simply to explore a new melodic idea for an hour or so. That’s it.
This mental reframing has been liberating for me. It pushes away the chatter and clutter and narrowly focuses my attention on what truly needs my energy in this moment. Nothing else is my task right now. Just this one thing.
I've found myself more present with my music, more productive in my studio time, and paradoxically, more capable of tackling larger projects by breaking them down into these "current tasks right now."
Have you tried something similar? I'd love to hear your thoughts on this approach or any techniques you've found helpful for managing creative anxiety and procrastination. What tools do you use to quiet the noise and focus on what matters?