We all have that one task that we absolutely dread doing. Dishes, laundry, homework, taxes… These are things that we need to do and may even want to do, even if it is just to get the thing done. And yet, finding the motivation to get that thing done eludes us. Sometimes motivation isn’t the problem though. Sometimes the task is built up so much in our head that it becomes daunting. Suddenly we convinced ourselves that the dishes are going to be impossible to do and we become paralyzed by the very thought of even starting the dishes.
Now, rationally, we realize that the dishes are not that big a deal but this is not the time for rational thought. The task paralysis is too strong. Often the problem for me seems to be time related. I don’t feel like I have enough time to do anything. So I do nothing. This is where the timer comes in. A lot of my struggle with time probably comes from time blindness so a timer can really help. But it can help anyone when they struggle with something like this. You choose an amount of time that you think you can handle doing the thing and set a timer for that amount of time. It could be 60 seconds or 5 minutes or any other time that seems reasonable to you. That is what is nice about something like this: it is all about your comfort and ability. So if you can only handle 2 minutes, then 2 minutes it is.
When your struggle with tasks like this isn’t time related but is instead mental or emotional energy related, what you may find is that, once you are up and doing the thing for your designated time, you can actually continue to do the thing a little while longer. This is where you can reset your timer and start all over again. It still helps to keep you from getting overwhelmed by the thought of doing it for an indefinite amount of time while allowing you to continue being productive. You could also adjust the amount of time before you restart the clock to give yourself more or less time, depending on how you’re feeling about the task.
This article from pickthebrain.com talks about more ways that you can use a timer to help you with productivity. Let me know in the comments if the timer works for you!