Three powerful ways to make your 'to do' list a lot more fun
Kate: What do you want to do this weekend?
Ricky: Well, we have to clean the gutters, grocery shop, do all the laundry, rake leaves, take the kids to soccer practice, and clean the house
Kate: I meant what do you want to do this weekend that’s fun?
Ricky: (Sigh) There’s a lot we have to do before we can even think about having fun.
If you’re Ricky in this scenario you’re not alone. Most adults have forgotten to add play and fun to their to-do lists because it seems frivolous, non-productive, and truth be told, most people have simply forgotten how.
Sure, I get it. We all have chores and letting them build up adds one more thing to our list. You know, the S- word — Stress.
But what if you started looking at your to-do list from a different perspective? Here are three super effective ways to approach it with responsibility and fun because they really can go hand in hand.
#1
I get to
Up-level how you talk about your chores and to-do list. How many times in a day do you start a sentence with “I have to….?” I challenge you to catch yourself and replace have-to with one of these:
I get to
I’m excited to
I am happy to
I choose to
I’ve decided to
I will
Changing your wording lightens the way you view your list. And remember, there’s nothing that you have to do. Looking at it from this perspective erases so much of your self-imposed pressure and helps you view the task from a more positive perspective.
“I’d LOVE to!” I’ll never forget when my daughter started replying to chore requests this way! Even when the chore was cleaning the toilet ;) It finally occurred to her that since she was going to have to do chores regardless of her attitude, she might as well have a good one :) What a difference it made for everyone involved, including her!
#2
(I get to) have fun
When you get to do the dishes you also have the power to do them any way you want. You can do them while catching up on your favorite podcast, while dancing, or singing (or both!)
You have the power to insert fun into anything you’re doing.
#3
(I get to) add time for fun and play to my list
You know what they say about all work and no play…it’s boring as hell, stressful, and makes you old before your time (or something like that…;)) so be sure you add fun stuff to your get to list.
Play for the sake of play (vs focusing on a certain outcome or metric) has so many benefits! It’s great for your health, creativity, energy, relaxation, happiness, and productivity.
Taking even ten minutes for play ironically makes you more productive and a better problem solver because it allows your mind to reset. You do better when you approach a task relaxed and centered vs the way we typically do it — with a lot of self-imposed pressure, stress, and negative motivation.
Important Note:
Be present and now when you’re having fun and turn off your cell phone, TV, etc.
Need some ideas? Here are a few:
— Get out the kid’s games
Color
Draw
Build something with legos or blocks
— Play silly made-up games with your pets, kids, or spouse
— Tell jokes
— Go outside and skip :)
— Play dress-up, build a fort, put on a skit
— Design an obstacle course with stuff you have around the house
“The whole culture is suffering from over-conscious intentionality, over-seriousness, over-emphasis on productivity and work,” says psychologist and cultural explorer Bradford Keeney. “We’ve forgotten that the whole picture requires a dance between leisure and work.”
Prove Bradford wrong and get your fun on!
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