Comments on: Four changes you can make to help you complete undesirable tasks

By: Timo Kiander

Timo Kiander — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:47:26 +0000

Great tips!

I think that timing is everything: doing the dreaded task in the first possible moment. Once it’s out of my mind, I don’t have to think about it anymore.

By: Claire

Claire — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 08:48:59 +0000

Thank you so much for this blog, it’s pouring with rain here in London and I have on my bright red wellies with huge bows – like you they make me smile. Thanks to everyone else who commented too.

I wanted to add to the comments about making the process of everything you do fun and enjoyable – I couldn’t agree more. I’m a hypnotherapist who works a lot with people who want to lose weight and the first thing I do is change their attitude from ‘dieting’ being dull, boring, restrictive (and so on) to ‘eating well’ being fun, enjoyable and exciting. You have to want to take the journey or the you’ll never get to the destination! and it’s so much easier to do things when we make them fun.

Thanks again, I’ve learned a lot!
Claire

By: Looby

Looby — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 04:42:26 +0000

Great post, my OH and I go to the dentist together, not only do I distract myself before while we chat but we go out for a late lunch together afterwards and make a fun afternoon of it.

And having lived my life in rainy countries I can attest to the power of a great pair of wellies and a selection of cute umbrellas to brighten dreary days.

By: Rebecca Curtis

Rebecca Curtis — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 03:58:49 +0000

I love all your suggestions! I usually will turn on some music with a good motivational rhythm and dance my way through chores! Makes it so much more fun and lately I have been able to get my 6 year old twins involved in the fun & chores too! Hmmm, wonder what my husband would think if I were to put hot pink file folders in our office??

By: KathyJ

KathyJ — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 15:21:27 +0000

I used to hate road trips for vacation or family visits until we began listening to audio books. Now I look forward to that part of traveling. It also works for exercise if the book is really good.

By: Jonathan @ punchlifeintheface

Jonathan @ punchlifeintheface — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 03:51:05 +0000

When I don’t feel like cleaning, I tell myself that I could meet the girl of my dreams at any moment, and whisk her back to my place in a whirlwind of romance. Do I want to bring her back to a dirty apartment or a clean one? That’s motivation enough.

By: snosie

snosie — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 02:26:57 +0000

I LOVE your rain boots, and even pre post, was thinking, if only I had water proof shoes/boots (for summer), then I would be less bothered by the rain, and water polo and polishing the shoes that get water marks, blah blah…

And the dentist idea is GENIUS! Just to find someone who does go to the same dentist…

Cindi – I think (out loud) like that too – to remind my colleagues we don’t get paid for the easy stuff, we get paid for the harder stuff, and to take it in our stride (and we are really paid handsomly for the amount of ‘easy’!)

I think the ‘people over’ trick works well (if they are or aren’t it can still work). My new home never looked as good as last weekend!

Lizzie – I permit myself the Kardashians when I work out, I figure I’m getting trash out (the fat etc) and only mental trash in!!

Overall, fantastic post, even if it causes some ‘recluttering’ (buying) to improve life

By: Katrina

Katrina — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 00:02:09 +0000

I also invite friends over to encourage me to clean. And audiobooks are a great way to get housework done as I limit myself of only listening to the audiobook while I’m doing housework. So, if I’m at a really good point in the story and I finish what I’m doing, then I have to do some other cleaning/tidying etc

@Ola “I know a girl who washes her windows with AC/DC”. The first thing I thought of when I read this was a super strong girl scrubbing a window clean with the back of one of AC/DCs guitarists. tee hee

By: Lizzie

Lizzie — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 22:33:16 +0000

Oh yes…I’m all about disguising things I hate to do. (Greatly influenced by the Mrs. Piggle Wiggle books as a kid. But instead of imagining that there’s a cruel queen waiting to judge my work, I sometimes think of my boyfriend–uh, maybe George Clooney–and how happy he’ll be when he sees how sparkling his villa is. Never mind…)

The thing that’s working particularly well for me at the moment is combining TV and working out on the new elliptical. Hardly a new idea, but I only watch fun TV while on the elliptical. (The news, for example, is NOT fun TV.) I take a break during commercials (I’m just getting started) and I don’t pay attention to how long I’m actually on the machine. So a busy day (like today) was a “Two Broke Girls” workout, but tomorrow will be a “Top Chef” one. Not perfect but much better than nothing!

By: JC

JC — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 22:31:00 +0000

One of the few things I like about traveling for work is having a clean uncluttered hotel room. I sometimes use that as inspiration for me to put things away, tidy, and make things feel like a 5-star (well 4-star) hotel room.

By: Verity

Verity — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 21:35:58 +0000

Great advice! And you described my laundry room PERFECTLY! I think I have some paint and lights to buy!

My strategy for shopping is to do it all in one morning. I have two small children, and the crowds are too big and the kids are too grumpy to do it in the evening. To pack 4 or 5 stops in one morning, we stop at our first few places then pick up some fast food and change diapers. Then we hit our last few stops. I used to hate running errands and would draw them out through the week or procrastinate on them. Now I look forward to the ‘splurge’ of going out to eat, and I make sure we only have to go out one day by lining up all my coupons and returns ahead of time.

Getting it done in one stroke makes the rest of our week run more smoothly too, and the kids are excited about shopping too!

By: joanna @ IWontBeAHoarderToo

joanna @ IWontBeAHoarderToo — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 19:49:33 +0000

I’ve tried to use a timer. Sometimes I’ll use it to compete with myself (can I fold all of my towels faster than last time, but just as neatly?). Or I’ll use it to make myself stay focused on the task at hand. Eg., If I can clean the kitchen for 15 minutes without getting distracted, then I can go play with our pets for 10 minutes.

By: Amber

Amber — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 19:48:29 +0000

I procrastinate big cleaning/organizing projects and I’ve finally figured out it’s because I don’t want to dedicate a full day or a half-day to them, particularly my precious weekends. Like organizing the files on my computer. I’ve been putting it off for over a year (and it’s just gotten more unruly in the meantime). So, I finally decided to just work on it for an hour here and there. It goes against my start-to-finish mentality, where I just want to get jobs DONE, but it’s the only way I’m every going to actually accomplish this task. I set a timer and work for the hour and then I walk away. It worked – I actually started the project this past weekend!

By: Marjoryt

Marjoryt — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 19:07:44 +0000

This also applies to things we like to do, but never get around to doing. For instance, I realized last week that my new sewing machine actually sits about 6 inches too high – the table’s too high and the sewing machine is high – which puts my hands and wrists at a bad angle, giving me carpal tunnel syndrome. Ridiculous – I’m hunting for the proper table for the machine, so my wrists are in a good position, and I’ll be back to sewing again.

By: RebeccaL

RebeccaL — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 18:40:41 +0000

Moving the litter box from a dingy corner of the basement to a brighter lit place near the laundry meant a.) I noticed it more, b.) I cleaned it more often, c.) Kitties and I were MUCH happier.