Too much to do…
Written on February 11, 2010 from the desk of DevelopmentDear Devora,
I have so much stuff on my to-do list I don’t know where to begin. Any suggestions?
- Aaron, Marketing Major, 2010
The Talmud tells us that a person who is commanded to do something and does it is greater than a person who isn’t commanded to do something and does it. So whether your task is mandatory or just feels that way try one of these suggestions by professional coach, Deborah Greyson Riegel.
Ten Ways to Motivate Yourself to Do What You Don’t Really Want to Do
1. Do the hardest, toughest, least desirable thing first – because then it’s done!
2. Verbalize why you’re doing what you’re doing. Ask yourself, “What do I ultimately want? Why is
this important to me?”
3. If doing the task or project isn’t important to you but it’s important to someone else (your professor, your friend, your parent, your community), then ask yourself, “How
does helping ______________ also serve me?”
4. Visualize the outcome and the impact of the task. Picture what it will look like and feel like
when it’s done, and the difference it will have made – even if it’s just a small improvement in
your stress level.
5. Cut a deal with yourself. (Mine usually involves dark chocolate.)
6. Get an accountability partner, and prompt them to ask you these three questions: “What are
you going to do? By when? And how will I know?”
7. Interview someone who actually loves doing what you have to do. See what excites them about the task, and keep an open mind. You don’t have to learn to love it, but you could learn to
dread it less.
8. Sever your ties to the past. As long as you are committed to despising a task because you have always despised this task, guess what? You’re going to keep suffering by choice.
9. To get started, remind yourself that “Ready is Overrated”. To get finished, remind yourself that
“Perfection is Impractical.”
10. Participate in a virtual retreat with a friend, colleague or coach. Everyone picks a task to do at
the top of the hour. Connect by phone to discuss where you are on your project and where you
need to be. Everyone should identify a goal to achieve in the next hour. Hang up and do it. An
hour later, reconvene by phone, check in, troubleshoot, and create a new goal. Repeat as
needed. Everyone wins!
Dear Devora,
I have so much stuff on my to-do list I don’t know where to begin. Any suggestions?
- Aaron, Marketing Major, 2010
The Talmud tells us that a person who is commanded to do something and does it is greater than a person who isn’t commanded to do something and does it. So whether your task is mandatory or just feels that way try one of these suggestions by professional coach, Deborah Greyson Riegel.
Ten Ways to Motivate Yourself to Do What You Don’t Really Want to Do
1. Do the hardest, toughest, least desirable thing first – because then it’s done!
2. Verbalize why you’re doing what you’re doing. Ask yourself, “What do I ultimately want? Why is this important to me?”
3. If doing the task or project isn’t important to you but it’s important to someone else (your professor, your friend, your parent, your community), then ask yourself, “How does helping ______________ also serve me?”
4. Visualize the outcome and the impact of the task. Picture what it will look like and feel like when it’s done, and the difference it will have made – even if it’s just a small improvement in your stress level.
5. Cut a deal with yourself. (Mine usually involves dark chocolate.)
6. Get an accountability partner, and prompt them to ask you these three questions: “What are you going to do? By when? And how will I know?”
7. Interview someone who actually loves doing what you have to do. See what excites them about the task, and keep an open mind. You don’t have to learn to love it, but you could learn to dread it less.
8. Sever your ties to the past. As long as you are committed to despising a task because you have always despised this task, guess what? You’re going to keep suffering by choice.
9. To get started, remind yourself that “Ready is Overrated”. To get finished, remind yourself that “Perfection is Impractical.”
10. Participate in a virtual retreat with a friend, colleague or coach. Everyone picks a task to do at the top of the hour. Connect by phone to discuss where you are on your project and where you need to be. Everyone should identify a goal to achieve in the next hour. Hang up and do it. An hour later, reconvene by phone, check in, troubleshoot, and create a new goal. Repeat as needed. Everyone wins!