Make Boring Things More Exciting

I hear a lot about boredom. My clients often lament how boring class is or how boring adulting can be. Truth! It’s usually pretty easy to stay focused on things that are interesting to us. But the boring stuff? Ugh. It sometimes seems impossible. That’s when I get questions like, “How can I make class less boring?” and “How can I make things more exciting?”

Let’s be honest: life is filled with boring things! There are countless tasks that we must do, but don’t want to do. Such is life. We talk about this in one-on-one coaching. Here are some examples that surface in those discussions:    

•        Doing my homework

•        Cleaning

•        Picking up dog poop

•        Grocery shopping

•        Planning meals

•        Making meals

•        Brushing my teeth

•        Paying bills

•        Making phone calls

•        Scheduling appointments

The list could (and does) go on…

So what do I say when people ask these types of questions? I send them to the ICU. This acronym comes from Sarah Kesty of the Executive Function Podcast, but the idea is shared by many (including Casey Dixon in this article in ADDitude Magazine).

The I in ICU stands for interest:

• Can you give your brain a job during the boring task? (e.g. taking sketch notes during a meeting or class)

• Could you start with the part of the task that seems the most fun? (e.g. drawing a mind map because drawing the task is more fun) 

• Can you gamify your experience? (e.g. keeping track of how many times a teacher says a certain word; or thinking of a question that you want answered during a meeting)

• Can you find ways to listen/read to find out more? (e.g. listening to a podcast about the topic; researching another article or video to learn about it in a different way)

• Can you increase the novelty? (e.g. using new colored pens or washi tape; freshen it up by slightly changing how, where, or when you work on it) 

• Can you offer yourself a reward upon completion?

The C in ICU stands for connection:

• Can you make the task social? (e.g. using a body double)

• How can you involve other people?

• Better yet, can you incorporate movement? (e.g. taking a walk while getting quizzed by a friend)

• Can you tell someone else about your plan? (e.g. finding an accountability partner)

• Can you connect this to something you actually care about?

• Can you list the ways these boring actions impact you/others? 

The U in ICU stands for urgency:

• Can you create ways to make your brain feel more pressed to do the task? (e.g. using timers; trying to beat the clock; gamifying the task so that you can earn points toward a goal) 

• Can you set deadlines for each (teeny tiny) part of a task?

• Can you set a timer for 20 minutes - just to see how much you can get done?

• Can you use a habit tracker to show your progress?

• Can you create a physical reminder to finish the task? (Dixon mentions a client who “determines the number of return calls he needs to make each day, and places that number of paper clips in a bowl. Each time he makes a call, he removes one of the paper clips from the bowl. This way, he easily tracks his progress for the day, and creates a sense of urgency. He wants that bowl to be empty.”

There’s no shame in needing (or getting) support in this way. If you know your brain needs some stimulation and motivation, give your brain what it needs. Choose one idea that resonates with you, and give it a try!

And, remember: We must be gentle with ourselves. Little by little, change happens.