9 winning ways to approach that task you really hate doing

Here are a few strategies to help you find the motivation for doing tasks you hate and win every time you push them to completion. Use these strategies and you will be on your way to getting more work done, consequently gaining more time for rest and doing things you really love.

1. Create a To-do List & Tackle Your Hardest Tasks First

To-do lists are the single best solution for making sense of your work and daily life. Organization and scheduling is much easier if you have a daily, weekly, or monthly to-do list as your point of reference. Most of the time, you will spot your least favorite tasks at the very bottom of your to-do list. The trick to getting these done is simply moving them to the top. This way you will gain a boost of motivation when thinking about more pleasant things that come right after the hard part.

2. Give Your Tasks More Depth

Boring tasks are annoying because they are very narrow and don’t allow you to be creative. A good solution to this problem is giving your task more depth. This is how you will make it more interesting and become focused on the task, consequently completing it faster than ever before. Consider your activity as an art form that deserves to be mastered. Look at the potential ways in which you could achieve more in less time. Take small steps to make the task more enjoyable and always look for smart ways to optimize it.

3. Measure Time Spent on Various Tasks

One of the best methods to stop wasting time is to start measuring it. Record how many hours you spend on various activities during your day and put them all into a chart. Every time you look at this chart, you will want to keep it moving in the right direction. That’s how you get a powerful motivation boost for your work. If you procrastinate, you will see its consequences right in front of you. If you are facing a series of things you absolutely need to do but don’t enjoy, create a chart to keep track of the time you spend on working towards their completion.

4. Come up With Another Goal

Transforming an awful task into something pleasant isn’t always an option. But you still need to get it done. This is where you can use your objectives as effective leverage. Instead of despairing over your activity, try to think about it in broader terms. What is its meaning for your bigger picture of success? This perspective will help you to see the task in a different light and get a motivation boost when you realize that it’s necessary for reaching your final goal.

5. Set a Timer

If you need to complete a short mindless task, set a timer to ensure that you get it done as quickly as possible. Create a specific window of time and you will be challenged to keep your focus throughout the activity. This way you will also get to more pleasant tasks sooner.

6. Make the Most Out of Your Time

Sometimes the most boring tasks are those which involve mindless repetition of the same activity. Use this time to do something meaningful. If you are stuck in traffic, listen to motivational audio-books. If you are waiting for an appointment, you could read a book. You can actively prevent this time from going to waste by adopting these habits that allow to live a fuller and more mindful life.

7. Focus on Your Task

One way to stomach the unpleasant activity is to simply focus on it. Sometimes intense focus can help you start loving tasks you previously hated. Commit to this activity and invest all your energy to concentrate on it. Instead of thinking about all things you could be doing instead of this one, focus and do your best to complete it as efficiently as you can.

8. Break it Into Smaller Parts

Getting started is where things get difficult. We generally like to avoid tasks we hate for as long as possible. When we finally get started, we might get stuck for ages. If an activity looks intimidating, you should break it into smaller components and commit to every single one of them.

9. Delegate Tasks You Hate to Other People

Look around and you will find people in your life who could help you with these activities. If you build an image of yourself as too capable, others might easily start taking advantage of your ability and willingness to work on such tasks. It’s not a solution that will work for every kind of activity, but if the tasks in question can be outsourced, and you can afford it. Just think of all the time you will gain to spend on other, more profitable or enjoyable activities. Plus, by hiring someone you will be helping them out as well.