When you find yourself dithering or unable to get motivated, tidy up.
It works, and here’s why.
At different times, we have different energy levels.
When you feel great, you should do something difficult and important. When you feel run-down, it’s efficient to do something that doesn’t require much thought
- because it’s probably the most you can achieve at that moment.
- because you don’t want to leave mundane tasks until you’re feeling great. Performing simple tasks during periods of high energy is a wasted opportunity to take over the world.
Usually, our energy level depends not upon how we have slept, what we have eaten or how healthy we are, but upon how motivated we are.
Motivation comes from having a goal and feeling that the goal is achievable and appropriately challenging.
Completion of such a goal gives us a feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction, which makes “appropriately challenging” harder than it was before – we feel we can do more.
Tidying up is a simple job that gives us more energy.
Tidying up gives us time to think about what we ought to do today. Usually, while tidying, we notice things – bits of paper, etc – that remind us of jobs we want to do.
Having a tidy desk, office, house etc makes us more organised, and makes us feel more organised.
In summary
If in doubt tidy up. It is useful in itself – usually the most useful thing we can achieve at that moment. It makes us feel more organised, helps us plan our day, and gives us the energy we need to attempt something more challenging.
Next time you feel unmotivated, try it.
If in doubt, tidy up.