Making Your Tasks Funner
Post written by Leo Babauta.
How do you beat procrastination when the task you need to do are difficult, boring, pure drudgery?
Normally I suggest finding things to work on that excite you more, but sometimes that’s just not an option.
If you have to do a tedious task, make it funner.
(Yes, I know that “funner” isn’t’ a word. But it should be.)
Here are some ideas for making boring tasks funner:
- Play some upbeat (or alternatively, relaxing) music.
- Dance as you do it.
- Create a serene environment that allows you to enjoy being there.
- Have tea as you work. (Or wine, if you’re not at work.)
- See how quickly you can get it done.
- See how much you can get done in 5 minutes.
- Make it a game, with points for doing certain things. Level up after so many points.
- Create a challenge with someone else who has to do the boring task too.
- Challenge yourself, publicly, with a good reward if you make the challenge, and a penalty if you don’t.
- Do it with someone else, and have a nice conversation as you do it.
- Do it in spurts of 5-10 minutes, with a timer, and allow yourself to go on websites you enjoy or to play games you enjoy for a few minutes as a reward.
- Be creative, and challenge yourself to find your own ways to make boring tasks funner.