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Image via WikipediaI was reading an interesting article at Lesson In Life where Banji talks about how he motivates himself to do things like spring cleaning. It got me thinking about how I manage the tasks in my life.
I’m NOT a housekeeper. Cleaning house, doing laundry, washing dishes are all things that I despise doing. I feel like they are time wasters that suck up all the minutes I would much prefer spending doing other things like reading, writing my blogs or messing around with the dogs and/or birds. Those things all have a much higher rank in my life, but I still want clean clothes and dishes and a dust-free house, so in order to have all of those things I have to manage and balance it all out somehow especially since I can’t afford a housekeeper :/ .
Banji gives some excellent advice on motivating yourself to do those not-so-pleasant tasks and I’m going to have to try to make use of his tips as I face those grindingly boring chores.
He makes the point that I’ve already learned — do the most hated things first and get them out of the way. I guess I hate laundry the most, so when laundry day dawns, the first thing I do is sort it and get that first load in the washer. I’ve also learned to make myself fold the clean, dry laundry as I take it out of the dryer — that makes it easier (somehow — I know it’s psychological on my part) to get it put away and move on to the next load or chore.
I used to be a terrible procrastinator. Things that I didn’t like to do, I put off and put off until either the time to do them was so limited that it was do it or get fired or the need for the insert-chore-name-here became redundant. Rushing through a project is not always good. While some people claim they produce their best work with a tight deadline, I find that the opportunity for errors is greatly increased by that pressure even on those who supposedly perform well under it.
Procrastination is almost as addictive as cigarettes or alcohol can be and like both addictions, is debilitating and really hard to change. You start blaming everything and everybody else for your lack of performance. It affects everything in your life from work to marriage to self image. So, finding “tricks” to get you out of that death spiral can literally make or break you.
If you’ve ever been a procrastinator, you will find that it’s only too easy to slip back into those bad habits. I fight myself all the time over finding excuses not to do something I KNOW needs to be done. Some things I even know are beneficial and part of me still tries to find ways of getting out of doing them — like exercising.
I joined a gym and promised myself to go 3x per week. I did go 3x per week for the first month, but the last couple of weeks, I’ve found one excuse or another to not go but once a week and that’s not going to get me reaching my goal of a fitter me anytime soon! It’s not that I hate exercising, either! I’ve found that I actually like doing the machines and working out. I have promised myself that I will get back on track starting this week.
Do you have any tips for me to get me motivated to stay on track with my exercise program?
Is it easy for you to do mundane tasks or do you, like me, resent the time necessary to get them done?
Which is the stronger in your life; Procrastination or Motivation?
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July 21st, 2008 at 12:47 pm
I find that I exercise much more regularly since joining Curves (this is not an ad as I have no stock in the company). But each time, I have to sign in on the computer which keeps a record of my progress (and knows when I miss a day!). Also, Curves is more intimate than the gym I used to belong to. The manager and members talk together while we exercise and if I miss a day I feel I am missing important interaction with friends (as well as that physical activity). I work out there Monday through Friday about an hour at a time. In general, I have found it much easier to maintain my exercise schedule with Curves than with my old gym where I was the only one who was aware of my attendance or lack thereof.
July 21st, 2008 at 2:41 pm
Motivation for me to go to the gym is going into a dressing room! Those mirrors are awful. When I hit the gym hard for a week straight I see results. When I see results, I am motivated to keep going because I know it pays off. Good Luck!
July 21st, 2008 at 2:52 pm
Thanks, Patricia — I can’t do curves as it has too many high impact exercises associated with it. My badly arthritic knees just couldn’t take the pounding! The gym I belong to has a self-tracking sheet where you can record the machines you work out on, the weight and reps. That’s helping me stay on track as far as exercising all muscle groups and increasing weight on a periodic basis.
Gina — I’m afraid looking at myself in the mirror would be something to keep me away, not draw me in
My husband was most impressed with the muscle I made in my arm this weekend when picking up something. If even HE notices more defined muscles, then I’m doing something right.
July 22nd, 2008 at 4:26 am
Thank you for reading and the mention. Hopefully in a way those tips will not only motivate us but more importantly make clean house happen. Once I was so motivated but in the end, the house is still not satisfactorily clean
About maintaining motivation in exercise.. for me, nothing beats the oldest trick in the book, which is to keep reminding us on what ever started the whole health program. For example, maybe I watch a movie on the seriousness of obesity, and I got a sudden boost of motivation to start exercising. What I should get to maintain that motivation is of course to record that documentary and watch it again anytime I’m feeling like giving up. I don’t know about you, but that works for me
Do share if you find your own method. Cheers
July 22nd, 2008 at 7:52 am
Become very aware of just how great you feel after the exercise session is done. Is it the sense of accomplishment, the release of endorphins so that you are happier, are you stronger? Whatever that feeling is, really enjoy it for the moment and then when motivation lags, spend a quiet moment recalling that sensation and just how good it is. Reward yourself for taking care of you.
July 22nd, 2008 at 10:14 am
Thanks, Debbie! I know I don’t spend enough time enjoying the small pleasures of life. I need to be reminded of them every so often.
July 23rd, 2008 at 12:17 pm
As to dishes, here’s one thing I do always and it prevents pileups in the sink like a charm. I immediately wash whatever is used, even if it is a little spoon. Same goes for when I’m cooking something unless time is a factor in the recipe. Whatever utensil or kitchen ware I use, I wash before I go to the next step of my recipe. Works like a charm and now it is second nature to me.