Mentally reframing the tasks you’re not looking forward to each day can make them easier to accomplish.
That’s the point of this post. There’s a story to go along with it along with some tips for how to apply that idea if you’d like to keep reading.
Still with me? Great!
To (re)kickoff this post, allow me to ask: When was the last time you reconsidered the unpleasant tasks you have to do in your job?
One such task I often had to do in 2010 was receive chemotherapy via an IV while having late-stage cancer.
At one point, in an effort to entertain myself and those around me, I decided to decorate my IV pole.
So, while undergoing chemo in the hospital, I borrowed some donated items and got to work.
After adding some stuff from the hat/wig donation center, my pair of glasses, a flower, and some paper lips a nurse supplied, my creation was complete.
And as you can see from the picture, it looked like a dog monster.
I had started with an IV pole, come up with a goal (which was to use it for entertainment purposes), and created something that met that goal.
Being hooked up to an IV pole wasn’t fun. In order for it to be something that it wasn’t, I had to rethink what the IV pole could be.
Years later, I still think about that dog monster and how creating it brings to light a simple truth in business…
You can take something as it is, or you can think about what it could be–and make it happen.
And by doing so, you’re creating your own dog monster.
Here’s how you can put this into practice…
- Write down three tasks you dread doing each day.
- Now, think about how you could mentally reframe each task into something that meets the goal of being less dreadful.
- That could mean starting a timer for 30-60 minutes and focusing your energy on that task for the specified amount of time, knowing that you’ll get a 10-minute break once the timer goes off.
- It could mean reframing the task by viewing it in a new light, such as by thinking of reasons why you “get to” do the task rather than “have to” do it.
- If it’s a routine task, reframing it could mean taking some time to reconsider how you might do the task more efficiently.
Try reframing your not-so-fun tasks.
I think you’ll be surprised how much more enjoyable your day becomes once you create your own dog monster.
