Labour

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There is a reason you are frequently drawn to tackling the well-defined, tangible tasks on your list before the theoretical, strategic ones.
The experience of completion of labour is rewarding.
This is why gardening, tidying the house, or even cooking a meal feel like an accomplishment.


You may put the task off, but when you do finish it, your brain experiences a direct sense of gratification.
Building a strategy, in your mind, does not promise the same level of gratification, therefore the motivational threshold for action is higher.
The key to shifting this is creating tangible actions that support more abstract work like building a strategy.


This is not a “brain hack;” it is simply understanding the relationship between your motivational systems and action.
If you are feeling stuck and overwhelmed, starting with a tangible labour task can build momentum to “unstuck” you; yes, go garden for an hour.
If the important work is abstract, distilling it down into tangible milestones helps play upon your mind’s preference for labour completion.



Brewing coffee is a labour of gratification,
- Morning Cup

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