When it comes to enjoying an activity, when you do it is almost as important as what the activity is.
We often overestimate the inherent likeability of things–thinking that we like them because of how they are, instead of how they fit into our lives.
A common example of this is the longing most people have to make their hobbies into professions. Those that are successful at the transition often realize that a lot of the enjoyment goes away when it is a job. When you spend 2 hours woodworking as an after work release, it is much more enjoyable than building tables and chairs for 8+ hours a day.
This is true of smaller tasks as well.
In every job there are things you will like doing, and things you won’t like doing. Typically we begrudgingly accept the things we don’t like and push them off for the future. We look for ways out of doing those things instead of ways to make those things more enjoyable.
But if you prioritize those activities and give yourself time to do them while you are energized, you will find that you enjoy it a lot more.
Doing your least favorite activity first thing in the morning will make it a lot better than leaving it to the end of the day when you are tired and de-energized. And even the most enjoyable tasks in your day can feel like a great burden when you are burnt out.
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