Mini Rewards
Somedays, the tasks and goals set before us loom over us like a tall mountain while we stare up at it from the valley below. Whether it is finding the motivation to clean the whole house, writing a long paper, running errands, completing work projects, or even tackling our own creative endeavors, sometimes the plans we have seem bigger than the energy we feel we have to get them accomplished. When this is the case, sometimes we also need to plan for mini rewards as we accomplish each step along the way.
For example, let’s say you have a 20 page paper that is due in two days. Instead of trying to sit down and accomplish all of that work in one sitting, make a smaller goal of writing 3-5 pages at a time and then celebrating with a short, but fun, break when that is done. Depending on what motivates you, that could be a short walk outside, a fresh cup of coffee, listening to your favorite song, reading a chapter of an enjoyable book, making a phone call to a friend, or anything else you can come up with. If you keep planning for these kinds of breaks between the work that needs to be accomplished, you will find that you are both productive and fulfilled at the same time. By the time your goal is accomplished, you most likely won’t feel as drained as you would have if you had just plowed straight through. You might also find that your creativity and ability to accomplish the work increases as you allow your brain time to rest and refuel during the breaks too.
Think back again to the mountain analogy. Not many hikers set out to just reach the summit without stopping. Instead, they plan for breaks along the way. They pack snacks and take breaks, enjoying the beauty around them as they climb. Being outside in nature is what motivates them, not just the view from the top. By appreciating what is around them as they climb, they will find their ultimate destination is even more rewarding as they have been enjoying the scenery all around and haven’t just depleted themselves to reach the peak.
It can work the same way in our everyday lives. Yes, big goals and accomplishments are great, but they don’t have to be all consuming and drain the life and energy from us as we get them done. When you know you have a huge task in front of you that will require a lot of physical or mental energy, it is especially wise to also plan out ways to replenish your energy as you go. If you look at a list of what needs to get done in a day and see only the hard tasks, it makes it difficult to even want to get started. However, when you divide up the work with enjoyable breaks in between, your goals become more manageable and you are able to be refreshed while also being productive.
Challenges/Points:
Big tasks can often be intimidating to start, but planning for breaks in between working can give you the motivation to keep going.
When you don’t plan for mini rewards along the way, you may find you are too depleted to appreciate your accomplishments in the end.
Planning out mini rewards will benefit your mental or physical health and may even increase your overall creativity and quality of work along the way.
Questions:
Is it easy or hard for you to get started when you know you have a really big task in front of you?
How might planning for mini breaks or rewards motivate you both to start a task and to keep going?
Think about some big tasks you have coming up, what kind of mini rewards could you plan throughout the work to help you reach your goals?
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