Learn Polish: Zawsze odkładasz trudne zadania, zamiast poprosić o pomoc. - You always put off difficult tasks, instead of asking for help.

To express 'instead of' followed by an action, Polish simply uses zamiast followed directly by the infinitive form of the verb. In this sentence, it connects immediately to the infinitive poprosić. You do not need to conjugate it or add any extra linking words like English does with 'of doing'.

Why does this sentence mix the imperfective odkładasz with the perfective poprosić?

Odkładasz is imperfective because the word zawsze (always) indicates it is a repeated, habitual action. On the other hand, the alternative action poprosić is perfective because the speaker is suggesting a complete, single action: you should just ask for help once and get it done, rather than making a continuous habit out of the asking process itself.

Why is there an o before pomoc?

The verb poprosić (to ask or request) pairs with the preposition o and the accusative case to show what you are asking for. Therefore, poprosić o pomoc is the fixed, standard way to say 'to ask for help'.

Does odkładasz literally mean to 'put off' a task?

Yes, the verb odkładać literally translates to 'to lay aside' or 'to put away', but it is the standard Polish word for postponing or procrastinating. You will also frequently hear the phrase expanded to odkładać na później, which means 'to put off for later'.