In my opinion,the path to happiness is a balanced life. There are alot of daily tasks that we find boring and we all know how fun distractions can be! (Thanks Internet!!)
Some tips that help me get moving:
1) Set small achievable goals. Grab some post it notes and set out the areas of your life you want to improve upon. Ex. "Home Goals,Personal Goals,Work Goals,Summer Goals,etc. Set four or five small goals in each area have chosen. Checking off these small goals will feel like an achievement. And if you are nice to yourself and give yourself a pat on the back once and a while you will be more likely to do things. While checking off one thing feels great,imagine seeing your whole post it note checked off! Or challenge yourself by setting 3 goals in each category one easy,medium and hard.
2) Just do it! Nike had it right. Ever find once you start doing housework,or working out you get on a roll and before you know it your enjoying seeing your improvements? Put on some music and just get it started!
3) Decorate!! But first you have to clean! What is the point of decorating if your house is messy?? Get a clean slate,and then do little, but high impact things. Like hanging a new print on a wall,or re arranging your furniture. Even just adding a house plant can get you inspired!
4) Time yourself. If you are anything like me,you'll spend hours dreading a mundane task. Agree to yourself you will set a timer for 10 min. You will be amazed at what you can get done in that time,and that some tasks actually take less than that. Trust me,it only feels like a lifetime to wash the dishes.
5) Have a goal you want to achieve daily? Jerry Seinfeld uses the "don't break the chain" method. Set up a calender and check off each day you work out,or practice your stand up,whatever your goal is. Seeing your achievements visually will encourage you to stick to your daily goal. Once you get a long chain going,you will want to push yourself to not let your hard work go to waste.
6) Agree on a reward. Remember how we talked about patting yourself on the back? Whether its a little treat like a five dollar latte (you worked six days in a row and deserve a treat!),or a big treat like a new purse (You got up the nerve to ask for that raise!) depends on how hard or easy your goal is.
7) Streamline. Get rid of anything you don't need and you will be amazed at how clutter free your life can be. Keep things you find useful or beautiful,but stick within reason. Just because you have a collection,doesn't mean you have to keep lesser specimens. Do you really wear the "skinny day" pants in your closet? Keeping something just cause your Mom gave it to you? Some of us fear the charity drop box,but its actually very freeing to throw a giant bag in there!
8) Stop having hidden piles. Have a closet you keep closed because its messy?Maybe a stash of clothes under the bed?? Micro-organize high traffic areas (ie, pantry,linen closet) . If everything has an official home,you'll never wonder where things go.
9) Have a "set down" area,for things that don't quite have a home or things you use frequently.Whether its a box or a basket,or a table top,try to find homes for things before the piles gets unmanageable.
I've noticed making small changes like these have made a big impact on my life. :)
Do you have any tips or tricks that help you get things done?? Share in the comments below.
