--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's the task that's never started that's…" description: "\"It's the task that's never started that's more tiresome.\" — Gretchen Rubin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f6/gretchen-rubin-867_inspirational_it-s-the-task-that-s-never-started-that_3194888.png" --- # It's the task that's never started that's more tiresome. ![“It's the task that's never started that's more tiresome.” quote by Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f6/gretchen-rubin-867_inspirational_it-s-the-task-that-s-never-started-that_3194888.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f6/gretchen-rubin-867_inspirational_it-s-the-task-that-s-never-started-that_3194888.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f6/gretchen-rubin-867_inspirational_it-s-the-task-that-s-never-started-that_3194888.png) > “It's the task that's never started that's more tiresome.” [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Unstarted tasks linger in the mind, creating anxiety and a sense of incompletion that feels more burdensome than the work itself. **In simple terms:** Unstarted tasks cause mental strain. Key Takeaway Begin tasks to reduce mental load. Themes procrastination psychology productivity Mood motivational practical Type self‑help productivity When to use this quote - work projects - home chores - personal goals Key Concepts cognitive dissonance task avoidance mental clutter Questions to Reflect On - What small step can you take to start? - How does unfinished work affect your mood? A Different Perspective Some tasks may be overwhelming, leading to avoidance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Motivational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivational/) ## Related quotes > [The best way to finish an unpleasant task is to get started](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-best-way-to-finish-an-unpleasant-task-is-to-get-started/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm constantly on the hunt for insights about happiness or ideas about how to be happier - which probably makes me a somewhat tiresome…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/i-m-constantly-on-the-hunt-for-insights-about-happiness-or-ideas/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [Often, the more reliably you perform a task, the less likely it is for someone to notice that you're doing it and to feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/often-the-more-reliably-you-perform-a-task-the-less-likely-it-is-for/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [Multi-taskers often think they are like gym rats, bulking up their ability to juggle tasks, when in fact they are like alcoholics, degrading their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clay-shirky/multi-taskers-often-think-they-are-like-gym-rats-bulking-up-their/) [Clay Shirky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clay-shirky/) > [When people say, "It can't be done," or "You don't have what it takes," it makes the task all the more interesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-hill/when-people-say-it-can-t-be-done-or-you-don-t-have-what-it-takes-it/) [Lynn Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-hill/) > [Executives will talk about the importance of passion, but what they really mean is finding somebody who will work nights and weekends on their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/executives-will-talk-about-the-importance-of-passion-but-what-they/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“If you are sufficient for your task it's too small.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/if-you-are-sufficient-for-your-task-it-s-too-small/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [Our task is to look at the world, and see it whole.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-f-schumacher/our-task-is-to-look-at-the-world-and-see-it-whole/) [E. F. Schumacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-f-schumacher/) > [Panic, not the task, is the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melody-beattie/panic-not-the-task-is-the-enemy/) [Melody Beattie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melody-beattie/) > [No task is a long one but the task on which one dare not start. It becomes a nightmare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-baudelaire/no-task-is-a-long-one-but-the-task-on-which-one-dare-not-start-it/) [Charles Baudelaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-baudelaire/) > [If a child is off-task...mayb e the problem is not the child...maybe it's the task.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfie-kohn/if-a-child-is-off-task-mayb-e-the-problem-is-not-the-child-maybe-it-s/) [Alfie Kohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfie-kohn/) > [The task of a leader is to simplify. You should be able to explain where you need to go in two minutes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeroen-van-der-veer/the-task-of-a-leader-is-to-simplify-you-should-be-able-to-explain/) Jeroen van der Veer > [The task of an author is, either to teach what is not known, or to recommend known truths by his manner of adorning them;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-task-of-an-author-is-either-to-teach-what-is-not-known-or-to/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Sometimes, I feel promoting a film is a more difficult task than acting!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emraan-hashmi/sometimes-i-feel-promoting-a-film-is-a-more-difficult-task-than-acting/) [Emraan Hashmi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emraan-hashmi/) > [Never help a child with a task that they feel they can complete themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/never-help-a-child-with-a-task-that-they-feel-they-can-complete/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) ## More by Gretchen Rubin > [“Second Splendid Truth One of the best ways to make yourself happy is to make other people happy. One of the best ways to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/second-splendid-truth-one-of-the-best-ways-to-make-yourself-happy-is/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [Knowing what you admire in others is a wonderful mirror into your deepest, as yet unborn, self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/knowing-what-you-admire-in-others-is-a-wonderful-mirror-into-your/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [Being taken for granted is an unpleasant but sincere form of praise. Ironically, the more reliable you are and the less you complain, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/being-taken-for-granted-is-an-unpleasant-but-sincere-form-of-praise/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [“one Secret of Adulthood is “Never start a sentence with the words ‘No offense’”? “And”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/one-secret-of-adulthood-is-never-start-a-sentence-with-the-words-no/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [One of the findings that really interests me is that, although we think we ACT because of the way we FEEL, we often FEEL…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/one-of-the-findings-that-really-interests-me-is-that-although-we/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [We all want to get along well with other people, and one way to do this is to help people feel good about themselves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/we-all-want-to-get-along-well-with-other-people-and-one-way-to-do/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [During my study of happiness, I noticed something that surprised me: I often learn more from one person's highly idiosyncratic experiences than I do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/during-my-study-of-happiness-i-noticed-something-that-surprised-me-i/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [There is a preppy wabi-sabi to soft, faded khakis and cotton shirts, but it's not nice to be surrounded by things that are worn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/there-is-a-preppy-wabi-sabi-to-soft-faded-khakis-and-cotton-shirts/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [“There are times in the lives of most of us,” observed William Edward Hartpole Lecky, “when we would have given all the world to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/there-are-times-in-the-lives-of-most-of-us-observed-william-edward/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [“I started thinking more about music. I thought I'd accepted the fact that, as part of "Being Gretchen," I didn't really like music, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/i-started-thinking-more-about-music-i-thought-i-d-accepted-the-fact/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [If you've had something for more than six months, and it's still not repaired, it's clutter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/if-you-ve-had-something-for-more-than-six-months-and-it-s-still-not/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [“The pleasure of doing the same thing, in the same way, every day, shouldn't be overlooked. The things I do every day take on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/the-pleasure-of-doing-the-same-thing-in-the-same-way-every-day/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [Although we often assume that feelings inspire actions, in fact, actions also inspire feelings. By pushing myself to act happier, I make myself feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/although-we-often-assume-that-feelings-inspire-actions-in-fact/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [I love finding - or inventing - ways to categorize people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/i-love-finding-or-inventing-ways-to-categorize-people/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [“After someone's death, how strange to see the value drain away from his or her possessions; useful objects such as clothes, or dish towels,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/after-someone-s-death-how-strange-to-see-the-value-drain-away-from/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) [Explore all 346 Gretchen Rubin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) ## More Inspirational quotes > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We talk to God--that is prayer; God talks to us--that is inspiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-emilie-cady/we-talk-to-god-that-is-prayer-god-talks-to-us-that-is-inspiration/) [H. Emilie Cady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-emilie-cady/) > [You cant be controlling in improv.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-walsh/you-cant-be-controlling-in-improv/) [Matt Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-walsh/) > [The man who can master his time can master nearly anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-man-who-can-master-his-time-can-master-nearly-anything/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-seldom-experience-regret-for-anything-that-you-ve-done-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Just understand that the good that you want is already here. All you have to do is get in harmony with it. And you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/just-understand-that-the-good-that-you-want-is-already-here-all-you/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/if-you-want-to-build-a-ship-don-t-drum-up-the-men-to-gather-wood/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupéry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [Obviously, if you don't love life, you can't enjoy an oyster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-clark/obviously-if-you-don-t-love-life-you-can-t-enjoy-an-oyster/) [Eleanor Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-clark/) > [It's not the method, it's the mindset.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-gilbert/it-s-not-the-method-it-s-the-mindset/) [Andy Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-gilbert/) > [It's a hard thing to describe. It's just this sense that you got something to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/it-s-a-hard-thing-to-describe-it-s-just-this-sense-that-you-got/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [Too much familiarity breeds contempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/too-much-familiarity-breeds-contempt/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [We never really perceive what color is physically!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-albers/we-never-really-perceive-what-color-is-physically/) [Josef Albers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-albers/) > [Politics is not an issue whether you like or dislike , but every citizen must involve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khem-veasna/politics-is-not-an-issue-whether-you-like-or-dislike-but-every/) [Khem Veasna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khem-veasna/) > [God reveals Himself through surprises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/god-reveals-himself-through-surprises/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) [Browse all 114,561 Inspirational quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's the task that's never started that's more tiresome.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gretchen Rubin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/it-s-the-task-that-s-never-started-that-s-more-tiresome/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Inspirational" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/it-s-the-task-that-s-never-started-that-s-more-tiresome/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f6/gretchen-rubin-867_inspirational_it-s-the-task-that-s-never-started-that_3194888.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f6/gretchen-rubin-867_inspirational_it-s-the-task-that-s-never-started-that_3194888.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f6/gretchen-rubin-867_inspirational_it-s-the-task-that-s-never-started-that_3194888.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's the task that's never started that's more tiresome.” — Gretchen Rubin", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Gretchen Rubin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It's the task that's never started...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/it-s-the-task-that-s-never-started-that-s-more-tiresome/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/it-s-the-task-that-s-never-started-that-s-more-tiresome/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```