You look at your to-do list and a feeling of dread washes over you. Your least favorite task jumps off the page, mocking you, knowing that if you don’t get it done, you won’t be able to finish your work day. Does this sound familiar?
Maybe it’s personal business admin, maybe it’s one small piece of an otherwise awesome project, but either way, it can’t be ignored—and no amount of procrastinating will make it any less painful.
We asked the Upwork Facebook community to let us in on their secrets for successfully completing tasks they don’t like to do. Here is a sampling of the awesome tips they had to offer.
“If it’s a huge project I break it into chunks. So for long articles, I’ll do basic research and an outline, take a break and do something else. Then I’ll come back and start writing little chunks at a time. Other times, I’ll just set a timer and make myself work for 30 minutes on whatever it is. You can get a whole lot of stuff you don’t like doing done in 30 minutes. (It works for cleaning the house too!) Also, occasionally, I go all ‘Rocky’ and jump around giving myself a pep talk. It’s a good thing I work from home, because the ‘Come on Angela, just get this done and then you can take a break,’ jump-chant would look really moronic in an office.”
— Angela Gingerich Brown
“I think about how much happier I am working as a freelancer on my own terms than [I would be] in an office [doing a] 9-5, and that perspective makes even the worst of tasks look like cake.”
— Melanie Lech
“I just look at my vision board. I have a photo of a home office that I want and I say to myself, ‘completing this task will let me have my dream home office.’ After that, I feel inspired and motivated to work.”
— Loida Shiroma Dofiles
“I set a reward for that particular task. It may be a feast in my favorite restaurant or a small gadget. A compensation always pays off for such tasks and it gets done.”
— Ekhtearul Islam Neero
“Most of the time I automate the stuff I dislike doing! Don’t push yourself into tasks you dislike doing, automate them. Live your life with the DRY principle in mind. (*DRY = Don’t repeat yourself.)”
– Ylber Veliu
“I turn it into a game. For example, ‘I wonder if I can finish all my tax prep in two hours or less,’ or ‘Can I load the dishwasher by the time this song is complete?’ It makes it a lot more fun!”
– Laura Pennington
“I think of how my work will bring value to my client’s organization. No matter how mundane or boring a task is, it will still contribute to the success of my client’s projects and business. It will also serve as a stepping stone for me to gain more experience and acquire more skills. There is something to learn from every task even if I dislike it.”
— Gel
“It’s usually a smaller part of the project that I might not like doing. Taking care of myself—things like exercise, getting enough sleep, eating right, and drinking enough water—helps keep energy levels up and manage stress. Remembering why the client and I decided to work together in the first place, and wowing the client after a job well done, are enough for me.”
– Cartrell Hampton
“Balance the work tasks you don’t like with tasks you enjoy—and always make the time to blend in your non-work-related life joys. Only there in the balance can productivity really soar.”
– Shari Cruz
How do you motivate yourself to complete the tasks you dislike doing? Tell us in the comments!
Editor’s note: Responses edited for grammar, spelling, and clarity. The statements above are those of their authors and do not constitute the views or opinions of Upwork.
The post 9 Ways to Motivate Yourself to Do Necessary but Less-than-desirable Tasks appeared first on Upwork Blog.
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