Three years ago, I noticed a disturbing pattern on my to-do list. Although I dealt with urgent items and relatively easy items in a timely manner, other tasks languished at the bottom of my list for months . Staring at me. Vigorous. Maybe even make fun of me.
These elements all had two things in common:
None of them had a deadline.
They were all very, very rude.
These nasty tasks did more than clog the bottom of my to-do lists. They were creating a buzz of anxiety in my daily life.
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For example, I would pass a slightly swerved semi-truck on the freeway and realize once again that I never made a will that would protect my children in the event horrible death of a semi-truck. Or watching my 2-year-old pass another incredible milestone and remembering, grimacing, that her baby book was dusty and empty while "clobber baby book" languished helplessly at the bottom of my to-do list.
These tasks never fit into my busy schedule as a mom of two and business owner, and I always prefer to do something else…anything , really – than to face them.
I could really only think of one way to make them happen:to invent a fake holiday.
It falls on the first Sunday in June, and it's called the Day national unpleasant tasks.
Unlike the holidays that leave you feeling stuffed and emotionally hungry, NUT Day creates pleasure out of pain.
National Nasty Tasks Day, or NUT Day, is a specific day of silence from self-harassment — a day to smile and wear it. It's a physical planning day after seven years of not seeing the doctor. A day of ridding the gutters of tiny baby trees growing in their thick mud of rotting leaves. A day of shamelessly asking for a raise.
National Nasty Task Day is in many ways the opposite of other holidays:it's anti-social. There are no parties, gifts or representative foods. You don't spend time preparing for the day; rather, it is a day of action and achievement. Yet the holidays, while there is certainly a degree of expected discomfort, create a surprisingly euphoric feeling that grows with each task completed. Unlike the holidays that leave you feeling stuffed and emotionally hungry, NUT Day creates the pleasure of pain.
It's done.
And there's no cleaning up afterwards.
My first NUT day was an absolute success:I asked for quotes to paint my house, something that needed to be done, but something I had been avoiding for months. It took literally five minutes and disappeared from my to-do list.
I organized my tax slips and estimated envelopes so they were ready to mail each quarter. It literally took five minutes and it disappeared from my to-do list.
I "fired" a client who wasn't paying enough and my business had overshot. It was unpleasant, but it literally took less than five minutes.
Related: 9 Ways to Stop Procrastination and Get Things Done
My biggest takeaway from NUT Day was that most nasty tasks don't take a lot of time or effort to undertake before the ball hits. roll (make a phone call, write an e-mail, find information). After the initial rolling thrust, most tasks end with the forward inertia. Even bigger tasks (like the dusty baby book) become a lot less unpleasant once you find the slightly longer time frame to start with. Finish the baby book is much easier than starting the baby book.
My other takeaway was that doing unpleasant tasks in a large group (let's call it a bouquet unpleasant tasks) is extremely exciting, motivating and boosts esteem. Completing one unpleasant task gives you the energy to start the next one, and so on. At the end of the day, I was thinking more before the time was up. I didn't feel like I had worked all day. I felt like I could conquer the world. What started out as a tongue-in-cheek “party” really felt like a celebration.
Finally, much of the magic of NUT Day is that it creates a strict deadline for tasks that would otherwise fester. forever. Making a will (or other long-term planning tasks) can literally be put off for decades without a false deadline.
I was so aware of the nasty first day at work that I've been screaming about it ever since. the roofs. Or rather, I was telling my friends and colleagues about it in person and on social media. When the following June rolled around, my network wanted to join in the celebration.
I loved how some people picked one or two tasks that made their life better, while others completed a longer list. And some people have had minor surgery.
I asked a few of my friends over email what they did for National Nasty Chores Day last year and their answers capture the spirit of the holidays as well as the eerie euphoria that comes with the holiday. erasing chronic worries from the corners of your mind:
“I finally, after eight months, transferred my IRA from my old job to a new private account. ”
“I cleaned my damn oven! And for some reason, I loved every second of it! ”
“I went through my closet and drawers and pulled out clothes that I no longer wear. I put those clothes in bags, and at the stage I'm most proud of, I put those bags in my car. ”
“I untangled all the power cords under my desk. And then I felt free. ”
“I sent 100 professional emails. Literally 100 emails.
“I had a vasectomy. It wasn't that bad! »
I loved how some people picked one or two tasks that made their life better, while others completed a longer list. And some people have had minor surgery.
For the third annual National Nasty Duties Day, which falls on June 4, I'm oddly excited. I have the day blocked off and my list ready by my side. There are a lot of really, really nasty tasks out there (Finding a better cell phone plan ! Unsubscribe from spam lists !).
I can’t wait. Want to join me?
Related: How to trick your mind into doing things you hate to do
