The most important thing for you to work on is often also the thing that’s causing you the most anxiety. And the longer you ignore it, the more stress it causes. It lingers there on your to-do list just reminding you that you have to face something you’d rather ignore.

When I’m feeling overloaded with work and stressed about how much I have to get done, I’m consistently surprised how much better I feel—and how much more productive I become—once I just dive in and take care of the one thing that’s worrying me most. It’s a liberating feeling to cross that item off the list. And once you slay that beast of worry, the rest of your work doesn’t seem all that difficult.

Start writing that paper.  Make that uncomfortable phone call.  Ask that tough question, start that research, or have that difficult conversation.  The best way to handle stress is often to face the source head on.