My project list contains projects i'm intended to do yo fulfil my goals. During the week lots of new next actions enter my @work list. Usually they are not supporting my goals and i'm not motivated to do them. Anyway i have to do them.
Next actions, projects and motivation
- Thread starter pavelsoloviev
- Start date
Suelin23
Simplicity on the far side of complexity
I find that with tasks I'm not motivated to do, the best approach is to work how how to do them fast, easily and efficiently. If I think they won't take too long, it doesn't seem as bad, and try and mix up your day with some tasks you like and some you don't like, so you don't end up with whole days of tasks you don't like.
pavelsoloviev;82815 said:
There's a book called "Eat That Frog" that suggests you start your day with the least-pleasant task, as all tasks become more attractive/easier to do once you complete the worst thing (e.g. eating a frog).
There's also the Pomodoro Technique, where you set a timer for 20 minutes and commit to working on a task only for those 20 minutes. With such a small commitment, it can be easier to get started, and once you've started, it's easier to keep going.
For me, it's all about reducing the starting friction. If you have to run 5 miles, and don't want to, don't focus on "run 5 miles" -- rather, focus on tying your sneakers. Tying sneakers is easy, right? Then open the front door. Then start. Once you're on the running path, you're almost assured of finishing.
Don't worry about it, its a myth IMO that every single thing you do should be aligned as such that its fulfilling you on some deep personal spiritual scale (im scrubbing this toilet so I can have a clean and happy home for my wonderful family...).
Its true that if you really sit down and think about it you should be able to find some reason why you're doing it at all, but there are so many small and frankly dull tasks in life that you don't have time to sit and think about where they all sit in the greater scheme of things.
Indeed people forget that actually sometimes its not something you want, its that the alternatives are worse. I don't want to clean my toilet, but then I don't want it dirty. I don't want to go shopping on my day off, but then I don't want to have no food all week. I don't want to go to work but having no wage and reducing my chances of getting a good one in the future is worse. Yes sometimes you want to do something, but only compared to the alternative.
Its true that if you really sit down and think about it you should be able to find some reason why you're doing it at all, but there are so many small and frankly dull tasks in life that you don't have time to sit and think about where they all sit in the greater scheme of things.
Indeed people forget that actually sometimes its not something you want, its that the alternatives are worse. I don't want to clean my toilet, but then I don't want it dirty. I don't want to go shopping on my day off, but then I don't want to have no food all week. I don't want to go to work but having no wage and reducing my chances of getting a good one in the future is worse. Yes sometimes you want to do something, but only compared to the alternative.