Sometimes I get into a rut. In most cases, simply writing about a task and breaking it down to micro-steps is more than enough to get me going, but there are situations that I just don’t want to do something.

First of all, I try to confirm the assumption that I really need to do it. If it’s really needed, one thing that helps me is to try to make it fun and exciting by adding some crazy rules to it.

You have to do it in half the time it would usually take. Go!

You have to do it five times faster than usual. Go!

You have to do it with your eyes closed. Go!

You have to do it while also documenting it, so you never have to do it again. Go!

You have to do it while also automating it, so you never have to do it again. Go!

It all boils down to the following core question: since I really have to do this, what can I do to make it more fun, exciting, or challenging?

Is there any task you’ve been procrastinating for a long time? Can you just drop it? Otherwise, what can you do to make it interesting?