Tedious tasks to do today? This might help!
On Friday I heated up my lunch (leftover pasta from the Jamie Cooks Italy book, in case you’re wondering 😋) and took it to an online workshop. We were a small group and one of the first opportunities to share was around the question “What’s your passion?”
If someone asked you that question in the context of your work, could you answer right away or would you need a moment to think about it?
To be honest, I don’t subscribe to the idea that our ultimate happiness lies in our ability to take what we’re passionate about and make that our life’s work. But I do believe that when you’re self-employed it helps to have a strong sense of purpose. A connection to WHY you’re doing what you’re doing.
After all, growing a business is not all sunshine and lollipops. It can be hard, especially if you’re flying solo and doing all the things yourself. Even when you DO have a team to help, you still have to do things you don’t want to do from time to time.
You know the sorts of things. Things like dealing with the stacks of paper building up in your office, keeping on top of your accounts, putting together a privacy policy or chasing up late payments.
Those uninspiring, sometimes unpleasant tasks that have to be done but that we keep putting off because, let’s face it, there’s always something more fun to do instead.
So why am I mentioning those tasks in the same breath as talking about your passion, purpose and Big Why?
Because, strange as it may seem, making a connection between the tasks you find tedious and the bigger picture can be surprisingly motivating.
Let me show you what I mean:
Creating a privacy policy ensures your clients feel safe, reassuring them that you’re taking good care of anything they share with you during your work together. That feeling of security will help them relax into the space you’ve created, so you’re able to support them more deeply, more quickly.
Organising piles of paper that have stacked up around you will make it easier to find things, saving you time and energy. You’ll feel calmer and less distracted by your surroundings, making it easier to focus on what’s truly important in your business: showing up and taking care of your people.
Can you see that when you follow the thread, there’s always a connection between the mundane, tedious tasks and the people you’re here to serve / the message you want to spread / the thing you care so deeply about / the reason you started your business in the first place?
As I often tell the fabulous humans inside Make It Happen Club, many of us are used to using our passion/purpose/Big Why to motivate us when it comes to the big things, but what if we could use it to get the smaller, day-to-day, mundane things done too?
Wouldn't that be fabulous?
Fancy giving it a go?
What’s one thing you’ve been putting off because, quite frankly, you’d rather watch paint dry?
Got one?
Now, how can you link that back to your passion, purpose, mission, big why (use whatever language works for you)?
And what’s the next step to move you closer to getting it done?
Let me know in the comments below so I can cheer you on!
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