It can be tough to strike a balance between obsessive-compulsive, neatnik organizing and creative, free-flowing, rhapsodic, bohemian spontaneity. We tend to want to either obsess on and grind out an unpleasant project to completion or indulge ourselves in a day of artistic pursuits or a day of loafing and social media. My method to combat this is to alternate the less glamorous, even unpleasant tasks with the creative projects, a little bit of loafing or a small reward of some sort. It’s all about the dopamine.
Dopamine and other neurotransmitters are the subject of many a podcast lately. Teensy amounts of certain neurotransmitters can motivate us to accomplish great things or send us off on a shopping, drinking or gambling spree. Every addict knows that even a sip of sparkling water can give a little dopamine “hit” of pleasure. It doesn’t take much to reward our sweet, hungry, dopey brains. But you have to endure some deprivation for a while in order to fool the grey matter into thinking that something good for you is a generous reward.
For example, if you deprive yourself of champagne long enough, that sparkling water you allow yourself after a half an hour of raking leaves starts to seem delicious–even mood-altering. After a month without doughnuts, the apple sprinkled with cinnamon tastes like it came out of a pink bakery box and is just as satisfying to the sugar addict. Preferences of the palate that seemed set in stone fade miraculously after just a few weeks of abstinence.
Preferences for certain activities can also fade when they are not overly indulged for a while. What if you don’t let yourself stream a Netflix series for eight hours straight but instead let yourself have twenty-minute chucks of viewing for every two or three hours spent on a project? The show suddenly seems much more interesting and enjoyable. Similarly, save tasks you look forward to (planning a party, creating an art piece) for after chores that are more pressing but less fun, like taking out the trash, doing the laundry, washing windows, filing or paying bills.
Tasks that are detail oriented and precise, like writing a financial report, can alternate with tasks that are more random and allow for a little careless/carefree attitude, like gardening or laundry. Just the switch-up of activities can feel like a reward. Just be sure to make the period of time you work on each task is meaningful—at least an hour for thinking work and at least half an hour for more physical, less thoughtful work. Ironing, which manages to be both mindless and tedious, is a task best left back in the 1950s. I’m a little bit of a masochist, but I draw the line at linen.
To make alternating tasks easier, put your to-do list into two or three columns. The first column could be work requiring a significant amount of time and thought, such as financial paperwork or working on a college paper. The second column could be work that requires little thought and is more physical, like mopping the floor or raking leaves. A third column could be for errands—things you have to be dressed presentably for and that require you leaving the house or office. Each day should be a diverting mix of these activities.
One of my mentors, then in her late-80s, told me that the secret to happiness and productivity was to always have something on the calendar to look forward to. She meant an event or a trip, but in the context of this column, we can create ways to get that little hit of dopamine throughout the day. The healthier you make the hits and the more in alignment with your goals they are, the more fulfilled you will feel at the end of each day.
Rewards aren’t an excuse for going off the rails because “we’ve been so good.” Doing the “next right thing” is reward in itself—you will either plod grudgingly or jog merrily along to the completion of difficult projects. However, you will probably still want a few healthy rewards to keep that animal brain chasing the carrot and salivating at the bell. Get creative and have a few things in the refrigerator or cupboard and a list of fun activities so that when the time comes, the rewards are handy.