“Default” task
We’ve been at this for more than a year now. Energy waxes and wains, and sometimes life gets busy for all the normal reasons. It’s easy to skip the resistance for a day, then a week, and before you know it, it’s not something you do “any more.” Push back : pick a default task!
A default task is something you can do without thinking too much. Do it when you’re busy or drained to remind your subconscious that you are a person who engages in acts of resistance!
How to do it:
It’s important that your default task be something you find easy to do. It should not take a lot of planning or willpower, and it should be easy to accomplish. It should be something you can do over and over, so you don’t have to choose a new thing each time. You may need to do some work ahead of time, but once done, it should take very little to do the thing. If decision paralysis is an issue, plan a default item someone else has already decided about. Here are some examples:
- Call about whatever is the top issue on 5calls
- Set yourself up to write Postcards to Voters now. Write 5 gorgeous postcards whenever you’re stressed.
- Donate an amount of money you can afford.
- Hand $5 to someone on the street, or tip an extra $5 cash on top of the regular tip
- Watch or read something that keeps you informed and motivated. HCR is a good choice.
- Call or send a friendly text to someone you’re overdue to contact.
- Leave a good book in a Little Library.
- do a favor for someone.
- Choose a zine to distribute. Fold five and distribute them.
For more inspiration, check out our “5 minute tasks.” (Not all are suitable for this, but many are!)
