It happens – maybe it’s something you never liked doing, maybe it’s a project that has dragged on and has become uninspiring or maybe it is something you don’t feel all that confident at. Whatever the reason behind the dread, sometimes the hardest part of tackling a yucky task is just getting started.
Isn’t it amazing the lengths we go to avoid doing a yucky task instead of just ripping off the bandaid and being done with it? All that fretting, stalling and the I-don’t-wanna’s not only wastes time, but it drains your mental energy worrying and anticipating. And isn’t it always the same old story? You finish it and think to yourself, “Gosh, that really wasn’t all that bad.”
How to Rip Off the Bandaid and Get It Done Already!
Bright and Early – Instead of spending the day dreading it, get it over with first thing in the morning when your energy and motivation is at its highest. It’s the best way to handle those daunting tasks plus starting your day with a big win sets an important tone for the rest of the day!
1-2-3 GO! – Stop thinking about it and just count to three, take a deep breath and GO! Plunging straight into what you dread doing headfirst eliminates all the fussing and fretting and before you know it, it’s done!
Just Start – Start somewhere, anywhere! Pick a tiny corner of the yucky task and start nibbling away at it. Maybe that tiny corner is organizing your notes, maybe it’s outlining your strategy for tackling the task by breaking it down into manageable chunks. It doesn’t matter what you do – just start!
Promise – Create a false deadline by promising a deliverable by a specific date. Nothing motivates you to get a task done more than missing a deadline (real or otherwise) so create them by promising others and attaching a timeline.
Schedule – Block it off in your calendar, turn off the distractions and chain your bum to the chair until it’s done. If you don’t allocate time for the tasks you dread doing, somehow they never seem to get off your to-do list and onto your desk!
Double Shot Plunge – Coffee, chocolate or rock and roll – whatever gets you in the groove take TWO and go! It’s critical when tackling projects on your “Do not love to do and in fact kind of hate” list that you power up for peak performance!
Bribery – When all else fails, resort to bribery. That’s right – the same tactic that gets your three-year-old to eat her vegetables, works wonders on grown-up you! Put your favorite treat on your desk, book a mani/pedi or promise yourself whatever reward will get you to the finish line!
How do you motivate yourself to do what needs to be done? Share your top tips in the comments below!
2 Comments
You’ve got great tips here! My favorite is 1-2-3 Go.
I also tell myself that I only need to do the dreaded task (if it’s a multi-step project) for 10 minutes, and then I can quit today if I want to. Often that’s all I need to get some momentum and keep at it for a while longer.
I also chunk down projects into tiny, discrete steps and then tackle the steps rather than the project.
Good tips – I use a couple of them. Definitely need Gloria Estefan and other happy music playing to get housework done, and bribery/rewards are always useful. The other thing I do is inch by inch – work 5-10 minutes then take a break.