We all have “to do” lists of tasks we either need or want to complete. I discovered long ago the tasks go easier and are more likely to get done if I think of the tasks as things I want to get done rather than things I have to do. I even say it that way. I rarely say, “I have to mow the lawn.” Typically it’s. “I want to mow the lawn.” It may sound like it’s a matter of words, but it’s more a state of mind.

There’s no secret here. We all like doing things we want to do. There is a perceived reward to either doing them, or as a result of their completion. The trick is doing the things on the list that don’t have the high reward value. There’s a simple solution to this. Think of the consequences of not completing the task. Maybe you don’t want to clean the cat’s pan or scoop the dog poop in the yard. Ponder the consequences of skipping these tasks. You’re going to have a stinky cat’s pan and one pissed off kitty, or you’re going to be scrapping out your shoe treads after stepping in crap while mowing the lawn. Even then, you and your shoes are going to smell like shit when you make the post -mowing beer run. Don’t offend your fellow shoppers. Scoop the poop!

In high school I read that we never do anything we don’t want to do. At first I thought Bullshit! My parents had me doing things I didn’t want to do all the time. As I read further, I had to agree with that I did things I don’t really want to do. I just needed to consider the consequences of not doing my parents’ desires. They could make my life very unpleasant if I refused them. So yes, I did want to do whatever they wanted.

It’s the same with any unpleasant task you’re putting off. If you consider the consequences of not completing the task, you might find it more desirable. So why not cut out the delays and stress of procrastination. Just admit from the start that you want to do something and do it.