Following up on unpaid invoices.
Writing product descriptions & sales pages.
Oh, and that relentless, never-ending pile of emails.
As a business owner, there are certain tasks that probably make you cringe.
Stressful, boring & annoying tasks that you have to complete, one way or another — whether you like it or not.
If you’re like most people, you probably procrastinate (big time) and then wind up racing to get things done on time, making an already-unpleasant situation even more icky than it needs to be.
I used to be a total stress-preneur — with a terrible attitude and lots of time-wasting habits. Thankfully, those dark days are long behind me. But it didn’t just “happen.” I had to make some changes — starting with my ‘tude.
Along the way, I created a 3-step process for making stressful business tasks WAY more fun.
Here it is:
1. Reframe it.
2. Make it a guilty pleasure.
DO IT, and then…
3. Give yourself a reward.
(Note: this pleasure-boosting system can make pretty much ANY task more fun, including working out… doing yard work… folding laundry… you name it!)
OK. I’ll show you how to apply my lil’ system to a couple of common business frustrations so that you can see how it works:
ANSWERING EMAILS
Reframe it.
Instead of telling yourself: “Unnngh. So many emails. This sucks. I’m wasting so much time in my inbox! I could be working on my Pulitzer Prize-winning novel!”
Tell yourself: “The fact that people are writing to me… is an honor. I’m going to pour tons of love into every response, stay focused, move quickly, and get this done.”
Make it a guilty pleasure.
Instead of crouching over your computer in a dark room filled with sadness & the sounds of Selena Gomez’s tears, set the scene for a happy, productive work session!
Make your environment beautiful.
Put a vase of fresh flowers near your computer.
Turn on a chill music playlist (if you want to feel super-zen) or some epic movie trailer music (if you want to feel like Jon Snow from Game Of Thrones charging into battle).
Think about ways that you could make your emails more fun to write… and more fun for other people to read!
Could you include motivational quotes or links to Gosling Gifs in certain emails, as a little surprise for your reader? Why the heck not? You’re a grrrrrown woman (or man!) and you can do whatever you want.
Give yourself a reward.
All done? Pour yourself a cup of Caramel Chai Tea. Inbox ZERO. Ahhhh.
ADMINISTRATIVE TASKS
Reframe it.
Instead of telling yourself: “I HATE [invoicing / researching / scheduling appointments / organizing information / proofreading / formatting blog posts / etc]. This work is totally BENEATH me and my superior intellect!!!”
Tell yourself: “Successful business owners pay attention to the details — and complete every task with thoroughness, love and care. This is part of my work. I’m gonna do it right.”
Make it a guilty pleasure.
Channel your inner Joan Holloway from Mad Men and make “office management” the sexiest two words on earth.
One fun idea? Host a get-together with friends and get all of your administrative minutia done, together!
Invite people over. Serve mock-tails and 50s-inspired appetizers. Encourage stylish attire & retro eyeliner, of course.
Have everyone write down their administrative get-it-done list. Set a timer for one hour. Enforce a “no chit-chat” policy for that hour. And… go!
Then, once the hour is up, take a break, share what you’ve completed, set a timer again… and get back to work for another round.
Getting micro-tasks done can be way more fun in a group setting. (Somehow, it’s easier to focus when everyone is lasered into their work, side by side, tappity-typing together.)
Co-working for the win!
Give yourself a reward.
Once everyone at your Mad Men-inspired soiree has completed their get-it-done list (or as much of it as possible!) binge on a couple episodes of your favorite TV show. Complete with a popcorn tasting tray to pass around. Yummm.
WRITING BLOG CONTENT AND WEBSITE COPY
Reframe it.
Instead of telling yourself: “Writing is SO HARD! I suck I suck I suck I succccccccck!”
Tell yourself: “Writing is just like anything else — the more I practice, the stronger I become. And: I don’t suck. I’m perfectly capable of sharing advice, telling stories, and describing things that excite me. Let’s do this.”
Make it a guilty pleasure.
Instead of “forcing” yourself to write about things that bore you (because you’re “supposed” to)… choose topics & titles that feel like a guilty pleasure for you.
A blog post with 10 tips for healthy weekday dinners? Snoooore.
Or… a blog post with 10 healthy dinners inspired by Oscar-nominated films? WAY more interesting, memorable and fun! (Hungarian goulash inspired by The Grand Budapest Hotel, anyone?)
When YOU are having fun writing your content, it tends to be a lot more fun and addictive for your audience, too.
Give yourself a reward.
Satisfy your inner wordsmith with unfairly cute notebooks, stationery, pens and stickers from Kikki K.
Or bake yourself a batch of cupcakes with HAPPY WORDS INSIDE. OMG. Dying.
BOTTOM LINE:
There are no “boring tasks.”
Just stale, boring, whiny attitudes. (As a former professional-level whiner: I know.)
Switch up your thinking. Be playful. Turn chores into games, a la Mary Poppins.
And of course: dole out treats for good behavior!
If — after making all of these tune-ups — you’re still feeling stuck and overwhelmed, then by all means: get some help!
There’s no shame in delegating tasks to an assistant if your business has grown beyond what you can pleasurably handle on your own… or hiring a pro to handle tasks you’re simply not qualified to do (think: legal documents or complicated tax paperwork)… or enrolling in a writing course to spark fresh ideas & upgrade your communication skills… or getting a second pair of eyes to proofread your work.
But don’t start registering for endless courses or hiring people willy-nilly in the hopes that the “perfect team” will magically solve all of your problems & instantly make you happier and more productive. That’s not how it works.
Adjust your attitude, first. Then grow your support team from there… if you truly need to.
Wishing you a chilled out, stress-free workday.
Guilty pleasures foreverz.
