How to Get Passionate About Boring Tasks
Glen / 
46 Comments / 
October 21st, 2009 / 
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I recently opened up to you guys and allowed you to ask me anything you want. This wasn’t some ego trip so that I could claim guru status, but I noticed that the majority of times people emailed me, they apologised in advance for ‘wasting my time’.
Therefore, I wanted to make it clear that people shouldn’t feel bad for asking me questions, and the post was a chance for people to do so. One thing that surprised me was the number of comments and emails I received about how to enjoy things that you don’t. How to get through a chore you hate but have no choice but to carry on doing.
More specifically, people wanted to know how they could get passionate about the jobs they hated turning up to every Monday morning. Since leaving my job 8 months ago and only working on projects I love, my immediate response was to advise these people to get another job / task.
Of course, having worked in the rat race for 4 years, I should know that isn’t the easiest thing to do. So, I thought about it some more, and came across three strategies to help you bring passion into jobs that you dread or simply bore you to death.
After all, if you can’t get out of a situation, you can at least make the most of it.
Just Work for Two Minutes
The hardest part about doing any job or chore, is usually the mental battle before even starting on it. Knowing you’re about to fill up the sink and wash dishes, getting ready for work in the morning before the gruelling 9-5 or just procrastinating over the task which came to mind when you read the title of this post.
Something that helps me greatly, and research has proven to be effective, is to simply work on something for two minutes. That’s it. The next 8 hours might be hard, but surely you can do something for two minutes? You see, it’s nothing more than our thoughts that make a task hard or boring, and if you can just get started on something, it becomes so much easier.
Just start on that proposal. Just start on that design. Just start on writing that document. Even if you start it and actually stop two minutes later, you’ll likely suffer from a nagging feeling that something isn’t quite complete yet, and be motivated to finish it off.
Time Yourself
It’s probably a surprise to most people that whilst the majority of my work day is spent writing in some form, I used to absolutely hate it. I couldn’t stand English lessons and loathed having written coursework to take home. These days, I get passionate about my writing, but it didn’t used to be that way, and that’s where my ‘time yourself’ idea comes from.
Whatever it is you’re dreading or bores you to death, see how quickly you can complete it. Literally look at your watch or computer clock and note down the time. Then, get on with the task as quickly as possible, and see how you do. I’ve found this small injection of fun actually makes me much more productive and I enjoy seeing if I can beat the challenge on subsequent days.
Of course, don’t substitute quality for quantity, but you’ll find this method won’t necessarily lower your performance, just lower your focus on distractions.
Focus on the Outcome
I rarely recommend disregarding the process and focusing on end results, but if it helps you get through the day, then by all means use it. One person who commented said that they had three months left of a job that they hated with a passion, and wanted help getting through the hard times.
They made it very clear that there was no way out and they would have to continue to work. My advice, in this case, was for this particular person to focus on the reason they were there in the first place, and use that as their motivation to get through the day.
Are you doing it for the money? Focus on what you’ll spend it on.
Are you doing it for qualifications? Think about how they will help shape your future.
It’s so easy to get caught up in what we have to do that we forget why we do it in the first place. It’s also so easy to get caught up in the misery of actual tasks we don’t know how to get that task done and enjoy it at the same time.
By incorporating ideas like timing yourself, working for just a few minutes and focusing on why you’re doing what you’re doing, you’ll start to incorporate passion into the boring jobs of your work. If you have your own tips for injecting passion into jobs that fill you with misery, I would love to hear them in the comments!
P.S. I launched a new website this week called ViperChill. It is about Viral Marketing and the main focus is helping you build successful websites online that help you make money and quit your day job. The reason the slogan is about Viral Marketing is because the site aims to help you create remarkable websites that people naturally want to talk about. Make sure you sign up to the RSS feed to get future updates for free.
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I loved this post and you hit on some great points and tips. I LOVE the idea of doing something for just two minutes. I think what that does is at least “get the ball rolling” so to speak, and once we do that, it usually gets us moving forward into productivity.
Great stuff Glen!
Cheers,
Dayne
Definitely Dayne, glad you liked the post.
Thanks for your comment!
– Glen
Some great tips Glen. Although I still must say the best way to get excited about boring tasks is not to do them at all! Granted that’s somewhat of a simplistic view as there will always be times in which we have to do things we’d rather not.
I really liked your “work for two minutes” idea. I started doing something similar and found it uber effective.
I also like to to think about all the crazy cool things I can do AFTER I complete the boring crap. It gets me going pretty good.
I take it you didn’t read the intro?
I said the exact same thing. I would rather advise people to do something completely different, but if there’s not way to get out of a situation, these things can help.
To start a boring task, I have to make it fun in some way. When I did the 9-5 thing I used to make spreadsheets with the ugliest colors — on purpose, to entertain myself. then, for fun, i’d ask a temp if he thought my spreadsheet was killer, and guage his reaction.
of course, i’d always change it back to the tried and true.
anyway, find the fun somehow and START.
Interesting you say this Brian as I have just recently started using a timetable for my tasks. It’s not as ugly as yours though
I like the 2 minute one especially. When I am putting off a task, I take a moment to tune into how much stress it is causing me. When I become aware of it consciously (as usually it’s just a nagging whine at the back of my mind) I then make myself imagine how good it will feel to just get the damn thing done. I leave it to my brain to look at the gap between the two and go figure… it works most of the time.
Sometimes I have to actively negotiate with myself. I placate that inner child with the promise of doing something I want to do after the crummy task is done.
Honestly, sometimes being me is like managing a toddler…
Hey Emma!
Great to see you here. I like the idea of the good feeling once a task is complete. In fact, I’m going to use that in an upcoming project I’m dreading a little bit
Thanks for your comment!
I did read the intro
Just wanted to reiterate we were on the same line of thinking. Great tips for those who are stuck!
Yeah yeah
Hey Glen,
Good advice. I remember a used to set time limits on doing boring, agonizing tasks at work and school. I used to give myself “30 minute challenges” (or whatever a reasonable time frame for the task would be). It works really well. Plus, just getting it out of the way frees up a lot of mental energy too!
Take Care,
-Clayton
PS: I took a peek at ViperChill. Looks interesting. I’m eager to see what other things you’ll be sharing there.
Hey Clayton,
ViperChill will be focused on making money online and building remarkable websites to do so. I like the idea of a 30 minute challenge, as I said to Brian I’ve actually just implemented something similar recently.
I’ve had a lot of success with the Time Yourself method. I like the Two Minute idea.
Awesome Jonathan, good to see I’m not the only one
Glen – you are way too mature for your age man!
Here is a strategy that works for me – focus on working for only 33 minutes (with a timer lol), then rest 5-15 minutes and then work for another 33 minutes, rest, etc. 5-6 of those (you do nothing but work in these 33 minutes) will get a LOT accomplished. Even 1 or 2 however will give great results.
You can’t be taht much older than me dude
Interesting what time frames people are choosing. Any reason you chose 33 minutes?
Great post and SO useful! Thanks!
Loved the post as usual. I can attest that variations on this is how I’ve gotten through a number of projects. Also how I’ve gotten through some blog posts that I am just having a problem writing.
I’ve also had success with the 10 minutes on 2 minutes off. It’s the same concept as your proposing except with some minor tweaks. The short of it is work 10 minutes, then get up and /walk away from the project./ Then come back after 2 minutes. More details can be found here: http://www.43folders.com/2005/10/11/procrastination-hack-1025
I always seem to get boring tasks done with a smile on my face. I look at every task as a challenge, to prove I can do it.
Not only do I do that task but I do it well.
The key is your focus, and the things you are saying. If your saying I don’t want to do this, then your telling your body your not going ot do it.
If you tell yourself, I have to do it, you probably will.
Just look at soldiers at war, they are not only protecting their country but much more. They chose to be there, they want to be there. Kind of funny considering they get shot at and all…
So if you can chose to get shot at and do that with a passion why can’t you do the dishes or anything else?
We tell our mind there is something better, so we don’t do what it. If you have to work a job for another 3 weeks, and your telling your mind you want something better. Your mind is thinking “let’s go to that next step, why wait?”
Why not work those last 3 weeks very hard just to get a good recommendation or whatever.
Hi Mac,
Excellent comment which I can really relate to.
Something I’ve noticed on my 6 week challenge that instead of focusing on the things I can’t do, just focus on the things I want (can) do and the other stuff will naturally filter out of my head.
I think that’s similar to what you’re saying here.
Hi Glen, great advice!
The “two minutes” part is awesome, especially for the most deplorable tasks, which we tend to put off the most. Then they just loom larger and and larger. Working on anything for just 2 minutes is bearable. I find that once I get going on something I was dreading, it’s usually not so bad, after all.
I do the timing thing, too, but what I’m working toward is the “stopping” point. I give myself a time I’m going to stop working on something, be it an hour away, two, or three. I’ll even set an alarm. I work with no distractions during that time, seeing how much I can get done. Sometimes I’ve built such momentum I’ll work through the alarm, especially if I see the end of the task in sight.
Somehow, the “outcome” thing doesn’t work for me if it’s not something I’m passionate about. When I’m passionate, the outcome drives me through the process. When I’m not, my mentality is more of a “I need to get this over with” one!
Cheers,
Miche
A college professor/basketball coach always said “Success is doing what you don’t want to do, when you don’t want to do it.”
For some reason it always stuck with me.
Hey Glen!
I like the time yourself idea, see how fast you can complete a task. Challenges can make things more fun.
Viperchill is going to be massive in the internet marketing world man! I have big faith!
Cheers!
Glen,
I like the time yourself idea, it kinda goes right along with Tim Ferris and the 4 hourwork week in that you should give yourself a deadline and keep to it.
Vince
P.S I am excited about Viperchill.
Trying to be passionate about tasks you dislike is a recipe for internal conflict. Your suggestions are a good start towards reframing the situation to avoid having work be such a drag.
I definitely agree that it is important to evaluate what it is you’d enjoy doing and go about finding ways to do more of that. In addition, I’d add that some tasks will always be boring.
I’ve been getting a lot of mileage lately out of the notion of doing everything in the easiest possible way. This doesn’t mean not doing hard or boring things, but doing them in the easiest and quickest way, which includes relaxing physically and letting your breathing be full and relaxed while doing them.
What works for me is using http://e.ggtimer.com to set a tight deadline. This mentally blocks out distractions and gives me 15-20 minutes of hardcore focus, usually enough time to finish something I don’t care about (although luckily those tasks are few and far between these days).
“Since leaving my job 8 months ago and only working on projects I love, my immediate response was to advise these people to get another job / task.” – Oh man, that must have felt good.
I try to think of a job I hate as funding for my next job that I love.
Surprisingly, not so much. We sadly forget how horrible it is to be in a corporate position and think of your new position as natural.
Great ideas, I like to get the boring jobs out of the way before I can do the fun stuff and that motivates me.
The other good thing to do when it comes to boring jobs like housework or even supermarket shopping is to play some great tunes on your ipod and boogey through your jobs. You’ll get some odd looks in the supermarket but if you’re having fun who cares?
I try to come from the frame of mind that if you’re finding something boring, you’re not trying hard enough.
Getting creative makes the most “boring” tasks fun. Or at least as fun as your imagination is.
Haha…I was bored…came to Twitter…clicked on the link Annabel provided…and now you send me strait back to work! Thank you Glen
Thanks for the tips Glen.
Similarly to others who have commented I set my timer for 50 minutes, turn off the radio and write until the buzzer goes.
Then I have 10 minutes to pootle around on my guitar, tease the guinea pigs or have a cup of tea with a chocolate HobNob.
It takes 100% engine Power of Force to get locomotive to start running while it takes only 7% or less to drag the cars or carriages behind the locomotive.
This might explains the logic of two minutes(100% Starting Power) which might involve the entire mental engine and once it starts working and the rest becomes easy to drag with little or no effort.
Boring task is not easy. I have been working on my website for more than six months now, still, I am no where from making it real. It is so boring and still, I have no choice but to continue building it up in my extra hours.
I will have to take Glen advice by spending two minutes each day before I begin building my site. It is really BORING JOB!
Thanks to Glen for this innovative article which you are always bringing to our attention.
Cheer
Daniel
Hey Glen,
Rewarding yourself is an effective way to hurry up and get a boring task done.
It has worked wonders for me back in my 9-5 days. I’d sit in front of the computer, groaning about needing to finish a piece of code or spreadsheet. What I REALLY wanted to do was read the Penny Arcade webcomic.
So I said to myself: “Finish this task, and you can read webcomics for the next half hour.”
I utilized your tip for just starting and working for 2 minutes. That 2 minutes turned into me actually finishing the boring task. The whole time I couldn’t wait to enjoy my reward, so that motivation made me finish in an almost dash-like fashion.
Pick a reward that you’d love, then promise yourself you can enjoy it only AFTER you finished the boring task.
Of course, like you stated at the beginning, the best way to escape boring tasks is to love what you do. Leave that job.
For some, they’re just not open-minded enough to figure out how to get paid to be themselves. Don’t think about predetermined paths that don’t so hot anymore: an artist trying to get signed, a writer trying to get a book deal, a business thinking it needs an office and fax machine.
Don’t look at only the paths that are there. Be open-minded, take control of your path. Look at it this way: how can I deliver value (that I love creating) in a way that gets me followers/customers and then gets me paid?
All the best with ViperChill relaunch,
Oleg
Hey Glen,
These are great solutions–I think we all havetasks that we drag our heels on.
After 20 years of sales–I’ve developed a few tricks that help me get through the ick.
*Do the awful stuff first–give yourself no opportunity to brood on it throughout the day and create exucuses on why its not done. Cross it off the list while you’re fresh.
*Do something for 15 minutes–or at least tell yourself that. 15 minutes gives you an opportunity to engage and sink into the task. Without realizing it, you’ll probably work on it to completion.
*Think about how nice it would be if that task was off the list–that’s my version of concentrating on the outcome.
Excited about Viper Chill!
Take Care,
Jill
Pray To God But Row For Shore
Hi Glen,
Thanks for this great post. I especially like the last tip – Focus on the Outcome. Personally, I do find this to be very effective. However, I’d still strongly suggest people commit to finding out what they really love to do and then commit to finding out how to make a living doing what they love. One great resource to help them figure that out is of course Jonathan Mead’s The Zero Hour Workweek.
Cheers~
Mark
Hola Glen!
Hitting the nail on the head with this one! I really needed some motivation to get my (2008!) filing done and the 2-minute tip is my favorite. Getting started is the hardest thing for me to do and this is a super smart mental trick!
You gave us only three, but look at all the other tips provided by the readers! This is a wonderful community and reading your blog is like a treat (my reward!).
Good luck with ViperChill! I’ve already learned a lot from you but will absorb that one up like a sponge too!
Getting passionate about boring tasks is certainly difficult… although I’ve been in a routine lately where even if I can’t BEAR the thought of doing the task, I promise to work on it for just 2 hours that day and then I put it down. I figure, even if I can’t finish it in one setting, getting started is better than nothing!
I am currently studying, and perhaps the best way to get going with a task you may deem as boring is definitely the 2 minute rule you have illustrated above.
It is surprising just how much you can enjoy something when your actually busy doing it.
“It’s so easy to get caught up in what we have to do that we forget why we do it in the first place. ”
I agree very much. So think about why we’re here, why we actually have to do it, and calm down, you’ll find it’s not so hard any more. It can help.
Another tip: try to find something interesting and enjoy it while working. Sometimes this can help, too.
MONEY MONEY MONEY
Thanks Glen, The tips are really good… Thought of sharing with you things that I usually do when I find some of my tasks boring…
I keep a small interesting thing at the end of the boring tasks…i love to read pluginid. So, I keep a target that once i complete that boring task, i will read 2 posts on pluginid…this makes me do my boring task with a smile on my face as i am quite keen to do my interesting task once my boring task is done. It also helps me to do my boring task easily… I know this may sound silly but it works for me…
Timing myself, is something I really lag. I would start my day with a great action plan. But as soon as I get in some trouble, my mind drifts.
I need to work on this.
There’s the Pomodoro technique – basically you work for 25 minutes and then rest or do sth completely different for five minutes. You count everything in pomodores – for example “this will take 3 pomodores” – and if it’s too short, you can throw more pomodores at it
http://www.pomodorotechnique.com (they’ve got free pdf ebook about it)
I thought we should stress the importance of analyzing progress. At least, I think that works wonders fo me.I’m a orchestral composer and when I’m working through writing blocks I usually take some time to see how far I’ve come, whether thats how much of a particular piece has been finished or how much more talented(humbly speaking) I’ve become over the years by writing consistently. It may not be applicable to all things but it is definitely important for me.
I also love the “two minutes” idea. I’ll have to give that a try. I just hope I won’t get too logical about it and assume that I’m actually expecting more than “two minutes.” I hate it when I do things like that :-/
great thread