HBR 20-Minute Manager Boxed Set (10 Books) (HBR 20-Minute Manager Series)

Keep Up the Good Habits

55

dar will help you control your inclination to

save every thing until the last minute. By seeing

these items on your calendar, you’ll feel respon-

sible to complete each task in a particular time

frame, and you’ll gain a sense of accomplish-

ment every time you complete one.

• Reward yourself. Take a coffee break or go talk

to a colleague once you’ve fi nished a particu-

larly dreaded task. Or force yourself to leave a

task that you do like until after you’ve fi nished

the one you don’t. On days that you just can’t

seem to focus, consider paying yourself a dol-

lar for each task you accomplish and use the

money to buy something you’ve been wanting.

The promise of the reward can help kick-start

your motivation.

• Get help. ...