Have you ever noticed that one of the weird things about tasks you hate is that they often aren’t as bad as you thought once you start them? You may have also noticed that when the task is done, you feel an amazing sigh of relief and wondered why you put it off for so long.

So what is it that makes you think they are so bad beforehand?

Often it’s the way you are thinking about the task.

You remember a time in the past when you were ridiculed for doing something. You imagine how dreadful the other people involved will be and how painful the experience is going to be. You imagine being treated badly and not being able to respond effectively. You spend ages building the picture in your head.

Is it surprising that you don’t feel motivated? Here are a few things you can do to make it easier.

Who says it has to be Fun? Some things just Aren’t

This is undeniably the case, so why dwell on them? It’s much more motivating to think about how nice life will be when they are finished. That’s what people who find it easy to be motivated do. You can do the same.

It sounds obvious, but it’s worth a go.

Focus on what the improvements will be when you have finished the unpleasant task. Build a rosy picture in your mind of what that will be like. Imagine exactly what you will see, what you will feel and what you will hear.

Make it clear and bright; make the sounds loud and the feelings strong.

Enjoy the Task

Find a way to enjoy the task.. One may be doing them in more pleasant surroundings, or listening to your favourite music while you do them.

Ironing is definitely not something I enjoy, but I manage it by changing my state of mind, accepting it has be done and watching a film on TV whilst doing it.

Think carefully about what you could do to make the task enjoyable. This can be hard at first because when you are contemplating unpleasant things your brain tends to shut down and just look on the dark side, refusing to admit there are opportunities for improvement.

However, those opportunities are always there. So talk it through with a friend and ask him or her for suggestions and how they do the same task.