This morning, after my partner left to go for a swim and then visit her mother, I actually sat down and did my tax return. Every year I swear I’m going to do it nice and early, and every year I leave it until late January. I don’t know why, as my situation is quite straightforward and it doesn’t take me very long to do. There’s just something about the official nature of the thing that makes it hard to get started on.

I’m a bit of a procrastinator at the best of times, especially when I find something unpleasant. I can spend hours screwing myself up to make a phone call, for example. I’ve got better at getting things done as I’ve got older but some stuff is still a struggle. The flip side to all the anxiety and stress is the massive relief when the looming task is finally accomplished. If only I could find a way to use the incredibly light feeling I know I’ll get afterwards to help me perform tasks earlier rather than later.