Let's admit it ... sometimes we just have to do something boring and there is no way around it. Is there a way to sweeten the pill? Try the following strategies to add excitement and motivation to your boring tasks. 1. Use fun tools, gadgets and accessories to do the task. A nice pen, a sleek notebook, a shiny techno-gadget can have surprising soul-soothing qualities and help to move you along.
2. Schedule some fun to reward yourself for completing the boring project and instead of focusing on how bored you are, visualize the fun part. The anticipation of the reward is a great mood-booster in itself.
3. Use the boring task as a procrastination method for something even less exciting. When do you feel the urge to clean the house? When you need to work on a presentation or study for an exam. What's fun and what's boring is relative.
4. Approach the boring with the beginner's mind. You don't know that it's boring. Is there anything new to learn from this task? Do it and pay attention as if you were doing it for the first time. Question how you do things and why. Have you noticed how kids can be fascinated with most ordinary things? How they really study an object, poke and prod and test it? Unleash your own curiosity.
5. Explain what you are doing to a child. Their questions may force you to look at the situation from a different perspective. They will make you wonder.
6. Talk to a person who enjoys doing what you consider boring. Their passion and commitment can make the most ordinary thing look extraordinary. Enthusiasm is infectious.
7. Role-play and pretend to be somebody who is really good at the task you are about to do. What makes them so good at it? Get into their mindset.
8. Capture the power of contrast. Pair up your boring task with an activity that you enjoy. Brew some good coffee, turn on your favorite CD. You will feel better.
9. Change the process. Speed it up or slow it down. Add a challenge. Exaggerate or eliminate. Do things differently.
10. Fuel your competitive spirit. Find somebody who has to do the same thing and turn the task into a competition.
11. Change your physical environment. If you task is portable, take it to a park, beach, coffee shop. If you have to stay in the office or at home, change the lighting, turn on a water fountain, buy some flowers, put up a nice painting or poster on the wall. Look for things that stimulate your senses: smell good aromas, listen to soothing sounds, divert your eyes to take in beauty.
12. Create a story around your project. Define your goal. Find your direction. Are you a struggling hero in conflict? Are you bracing yourself for a big obstacle to overcome? Write the script and make it exciting.
How do you fight boredom?
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Contributor's Note
I adapted this intel from my post at my blog Lawsagna.
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