Cleaning the fridge (and tackling tasks that you just don't want to do)

?Coming back from a long vacation is painful in itself. What makes it worse is the list of things that you have to do, which are not you favorite tasks (like dealing with loads of laundry, dead plants and a fridge, which calls for a thorough scrubbing). This last one is a big ticket, thankless chore, which took way too much of my time today. But now it's done. I have a clean fridge and a few tips to share about this task, which apply (I think) to many things that you have to do, but just DON'T WANT TO.

1.?TIMING is crucial. It is everything. This is not my discovery and if you need some proof, check out Daniel Pink's book When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing.

In my case, the fact that the fridge was almost empty helped a lot. Finding the right WHEN is just as important (if not more) as deciding WHAT and HOW.

?2. Nothing gets done without MOTIVATION. To be motivated is to feel propelled to do something. When you find the task enjoyable and satisfying, you are intrinsically motivated, and do not need an extra push. However, there are many activities, which we do not like doing (like cleaning the fridge), but we will do them IF we find extrinsic motivation. Deci and Ryan, the psychologists, who came up with self-determination theory, suggest that you are more likely to complete activities, which you do not inherently enjoy, when you have autonomy over the task, and when you can internalise and integrate the value of the project. This may look like the image of a sparkling clean fridge or a similar clear outcome in sight. Picture it, talk about its importance to others, think about what you will get as a result of the accomplishment, pick a reward and keep it in near sight (I see you afternoon cocktail ;))

?3. When I headed onto my cleaning adventure, I knew I had to MAKE IT EASY. Having a clear process (well-defined steps and order) makes any task feel more manageable. If your project does not have compartments like mine, make them! Remember the joke about how one can eat an elephant? One bite at a time!

?I found other ways to make my task easier - played some music, used the shower to clean the very big drawers (life hack alert!) and found supporters (family members cheering my effort). All this made me keep going, one compartment at a time, until it was actually done. It was not that bad and I may even do it again (well before the summer of 2022).

What are your hacks for dealing with tasks that you just don't want to do? Share in the comments below.

#taskmanagement #projectmanagement #challenges #motivation #selfdetermination?

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