Some chores are distasteful. They aren’t fun, but they are important. It’s easy to avoid chores that aren’t fun but, in the end, they add up and leave a mountain of things on your to do list. Sometimes it is a matter of breaking bad habits while finding ways to buckle down and get chores done and out of the way is far better than putting them off. Here are some strategies for developing habits that turn chores into micro habits so you can get them out of the way.
Step 1. Identify the chores you tend to avoid – Make a list of the chores you need to accomplish and identify the ones that you tend to avoid or simply ignore. Create a list of chores that need a micro habit to get them done.
Step 2. Identify what it is that makes them hard – Now your list contains the chores you like least and in order to overcome your objection, it’s time to get honest about why you avoid them. Determine what it is that makes you resist completing them. For example, you may have doing the laundry on your list. This may be distasteful because it takes up a lot of extra time you don’t have to spare. Identify what the reasons are that you put off the chore and list them.
Step 3. Start solving problems – Every reason you’ve listed needs a solution and that solution can become a micro habit. For the example of breaking bad habits of avoiding the laundry because it takes too long, you may be able to solve the problem multiple ways. You can either
Do a load of laundry each evening and put it away each morning
Set aside a specific time each week solely devoted to doing laundry
Sort and fold clean laundry as a family to tag-team the chore
Or
create a micro habit that works best for you
Step 4. Test your micro habit- Once you’ve determined your strategies for developing habits think will work, test it and see if it sticks. Be sure to hold yourself accountable to the micro habit and give it the proper time to see if it works. Modify the habit as needed to tweak it for your specific needs.
If you struggle with completing chores when they are bothersome or distasteful, it helps to create a micro habit to help motivate you and get success. Big chores broken down into small tasks can help you get the momentum you need to successfully attack chores that you love…and the ones you don’t.