There are days that you seem not to like doing anything at all. Well, it’s pretty challenging, especially if you have to convince your brain to like doing hard things. But here in this article, you will discover how to do better than what you typically know. Read and learn more.
The Role of “Dopamine” On Doing Tasks
Dopamine is known as the pleasure molecule. This is also referred for improving mood as to why eating your favorite food keeps you happy.
However, it has something to do more with motivation than pleasure.
Such a neurotransmitter works before you even perform or complete a task. It acts by giving signals to your brain for an expected reward.
Expecting a reward motivates you to go and finish doing something. There is maybe no specific happening that excites. However, expectation keeps you going as anticipating a good reward.
When working, cleaning your house, or doing exercise, you might lose your expectation of a reward. But, consciously, you are mindful of receiving long-term benefits after doing such things.
What You Need To Do When Your Brain Is Not Listening To You
Your brain is one of the most stubborn and dominant organs in our system. So, Instead of forcing your brain to do what you command it, try to do the following things:
- Use practical ways to get your brain’s attention to listen to you.
- Persuade your brain by reconsidering your choices or making the options a lot more captivating.
- Create a desire, so your brain will follow whatever you ask it to do.
Scroll through this article to discover further.
5 Techniques To Trick your Brain To Like Doing Hard Things
See these effective means of tricking your brain on doing hard things and tasks.
1. Set Up Mini-goals
If you compare, watching an entertaining video for one hour looks effortless than using the same number of hours for working.
It may be unusual to feel demotivated or discouraged when facing a huge task like meeting a job deadline, proposing a project, or doing an essay. It is true if you have quick access to gratification.
The good thing is you can hack your system for working in your favor.
- Make your goal accomplishment system.
- Reward yourself after finishing a task
- Keep a mini-goals set-up or a to-do list
- You may split your tasks into smaller chunks so you will not quickly feel tired of doing them.
Your brain knows how you enjoy particular things like eating your favorite dessert or giving yourself an entertainment night. This can be your reward after doing hard things. Thus, there is a lot more you may offer because you know yourself more than anyone else.
2. Be Mindful
An excessive dopamine level can turn to addictive behavior due to how the brain adapts to such high levels and cravings.
Gaming, social media, or gambling are results of irregular or excessive levels of dopamine.
For that reason, being mindful is vital for maintaining a balanced dopamine system. If you are spending a lot of hours surfing the internet but see it as harmless, then your indulgence may have a potential long-term addictive pattern. It will make things more challenging for you.
These things may help you to become mindful:
- Limit your time spent with things you indulge in too much.
- Resist checking notifications if it makes you crave for more social media usage.
- Build a home or work routine.
- Set specific hours or days for doing your leisure activities.
- Allot enough and balanced time for indulgence and tasks at the same time.
3. Start Exercising
Exercise is known as another element for healthy living. It can also boost your dopamine for sustainable means. Exercising helps you improve your fine motor activities.
Here are other benefits of exercise:
- Creates proper blood circulation
- Stimulates neurotransmitters on an excellent state of mind while working
- Provides a sustainable way for motivating and giving you the right mood
- Makes you tackle task accordingly
4. Get Right Amount Of Sleep
Getting the right amount of sleep results in having the motivation to complete different tasks. When you have a good night’s sleep, you are more capable of doing things, even harder ones.
If you lack sleep, you may experience fatigue, negative feelings, stress, or demotivation. Thus, a quality sleeps brings out good results as:
- Regulated brain activities
- Ensured energy for the day
- Being calm and on the right state of mind
5. Listen To Good Music
Listening to good music significantly levels up your dopamine. It helps you stay motivated while working, exercising, learning, and more.
Music, especially the ones that you prefer to listen to, activate your learning and reward center in the brain. Meaning, it boosts your motivation by having proper levels of dopamine.
Additional Tips
These are additional tips to keep you doing the things you have to finish.
- Think of the Cost of Your Inaction
It will lead your brain to move towards the adverse risk of not completing your tasks. Thus, it develops your focus because you are aware of the possible results or losses of not getting things done.
- Remember That Indecision is Also a Decision
Doing absolutely nothing is your choice. So it will cause you more for every decision counts. Then, putting this in mind will trick you into doing better.
- Consider That All You Have Is Now
Remember that life is short. You do not know what will happen next, so maximize all the time that you’ve got.
Final Words
Now you know what to do. So your next challenge is to take the first step. You might not know; you are just one trick away from finishing that hard task on your mind. As they say, it will just seem impossible until you get it done.
Citations:
Lok, T. (2020, May 06). How To Trick Your Brain Into Doing Hard Things. Retrieved August 13, 2020, from https://danlok.com/how-to-trick-your-brain-into-doing-hard-things/
Wyman, P. (2020, June 24). 5 Ways to Trick Your Brain to Do Hard Things. Retrieved August 13, 2020, from https://www.howtolearn.com/2020/06/5-ways-to-trick-your-brain-to-do-hard-things/