{"id":2421,"date":"2022-12-07T09:48:45","date_gmt":"2022-12-07T09:48:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/?p=2421"},"modified":"2025-10-28T14:48:22","modified_gmt":"2025-10-28T13:48:22","slug":"how-to-handle-tedious-tasks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/how-to-handle-tedious-tasks\/","title":{"rendered":"How to handle tedious tasks"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_79_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title ez-toc-toggle\" style=\"cursor:pointer\">Table of contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/how-to-handle-tedious-tasks\/#Change_your_environment\" >Change your environment<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/how-to-handle-tedious-tasks\/#Multitask\" >Multitask<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/how-to-handle-tedious-tasks\/#Outsource\" >Outsource<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/how-to-handle-tedious-tasks\/#Choose_your_background\" >Choose your background<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/how-to-handle-tedious-tasks\/#Treat_yourself\" >Treat yourself<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/how-to-handle-tedious-tasks\/#Use_working_techniques\" >Use working techniques<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/how-to-handle-tedious-tasks\/#Put_Your_Brain_in_a_Good_Mood\" >Put Your Brain in a Good Mood<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/how-to-handle-tedious-tasks\/#Outsource-2\" >Outsource<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/how-to-handle-tedious-tasks\/#Get_by_with_a_little_help_from_your_friends\" >Get by (with a little help from your friends)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/how-to-handle-tedious-tasks\/#Just_do_it\" >Just do it<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Change_your_environment\"><\/span>Change your environment<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>You might not be able to change the items on your to-do list, but if you&#8217;re a <a href=\"https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/5-necessary-qualities-of-a-good-freelancer\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">freelancer<\/a>, you most likely can easily change your environment.<\/p>\n<p>Consider changing your regular desk to a small table in a nice caf\u00e9, going to a library, sitting on a bench in a park, or (if you&#8217;re lucky) on your balcony. Changing your regular workplace makes things a bit more interesting and breaks the mundane pattern.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-2423\" src=\"https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/how-to-handle-tedious-tasks-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1120\" height=\"630\" srcset=\"https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/how-to-handle-tedious-tasks-1.jpg 1120w, https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/how-to-handle-tedious-tasks-1-980x551.jpg 980w, https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/how-to-handle-tedious-tasks-1-480x270.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1120px, 100vw\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Multitask\"><\/span>Multitask<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>If your job doesn&#8217;t require too much concentration, consider multitasking. Remember \u2013 it only works if you can focus on two things at once.<\/p>\n<p>Research from <a href=\"https:\/\/hbr.org\/2022\/04\/research-how-to-power-through-boring-tasks\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Harvard Business Review<\/a> describes the concept of \u201ctangential immersion\u201d when a manual or low-attention task is combined with a more brain-engaging one. Two concurrent activities (like doing taxes while listening to your favorite podcast) engage the mind, reducing overall boredom and increasing persistence.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Outsource\"><\/span>Outsource<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"301\" data-end=\"899\">There comes a point in any freelancer&#8217;s life when outsourcing some tasks is necessary to grow your business efficiently. It might be more effective to pay another professional to handle the Excel sheet you dread, or manage administrative tasks, so you can focus on what you truly excel at. Platforms like <a href=\"https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/for-employer\/\">Useme<\/a> make this simple: you can find trusted freelancers or virtual assistants for specific tasks, handle contracts safely, and even automate the settlement process &#8211; all in one place. By delegating the mundane, you free yourself to concentrate on the work that inspires you the most.<\/p>\n<div class=\"hs-cta-embed hs-cta-simple-placeholder hs-cta-embed-292413961431\" style=\"max-width: 100%; max-height: 100%; width: 2112px; height: 658.6666870117188px;\" data-hubspot-wrapper-cta-id=\"292413961431\"><a href=\"https:\/\/cta-eu1.hubspot.com\/web-interactives\/public\/v1\/track\/redirect?encryptedPayload=AVxigLLfkfQB2KJXX1QR2yCZngmylb%2FSA%2BEzJGmpQWe6R5rGmu4L%2FMltE2aQEWO9HiJPcVcilg1xSkGb%2FbJztUsQK%2FA29HHw80wju0n3A44WH%2B3fhLHc1DWpDzdWJVqxzsVW2CarfCPoEEzuQc9kfbn7tbzjoaQEBGfJHp7Gsc6vrSqmkEftFdTjfC6gtSC9gg%3D%3D&amp;webInteractiveContentId=292413961431&amp;portalId=27198211\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" style=\"height: 100%; width: 100%; object-fit: fill;\" src=\"https:\/\/hubspot-no-cache-eu1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com\/cta\/default\/27198211\/interactive-292413961431.png\" alt=\"Baner CTA_txt 2 (8)\" \/><br \/>\n<\/a><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Choose_your_background\"><\/span>Choose your background<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>There&#8217;s nothing like a good focus playlist. Boost your productivity by playing some great tunes or tuning into a white noise wave station \u2013 whatever genre you prefer that puts you in a better mood. Data proves that music can boost the dopamine levels in your brain, which means that with the right songs in your background, your boring task will be more enjoyable.<\/p>\n<p>Explore the Spotify library for an almost endless supply of deep focus mixes, from classical and jazz up to productivity-aimed binaural beats, and you might just program your brain into finally ticking the boxes.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Treat_yourself\"><\/span>Treat yourself<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>You deserve it! The hack is: only after you complete your list. Incentivize yourself to spend the necessary time on repetitive tasks by visualizing a reward later. Work for a bit, and then have to do something nice for yourself. Having a great snack or a refreshing short walk can really help in moving you forward.<\/p>\n<p>For bigger projects, try turning your routine into a role-playing game, exploring the concept of <a href=\"https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/how-to-gamify-your-work\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">gamification<\/a>. With each big milestone crossed off your to-do list during the week, celebrate by having a fun weekend or reading a very interesting book. The reward depends on you, so try to find something that makes a strong incentive.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Use_working_techniques\"><\/span>Use working techniques<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Set a timer for a <a href=\"https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/home-office-when-do-remote-working-hours-matter,161\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Pomodoro technique<\/a> session, mix up the order of tasks to complete, and create a flow in your online calendar. Some suggest getting to your repetitive tasks first thing in the morning or sorting them into topic groups and conquering them one by one.<\/p>\n<p>There are many proven strategies to optimize your work and finally stop chasing deadlines. They might not make you less bored, but they will help you finish the job quicker. Worth the try!<\/p>\n<p>Of course, what works for most people might not be the right way for you. Understanding what works better for your nature and optimizing your productive time according to your needs is a thinking exercise that will really benefit your business in the future.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-2424\" src=\"https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/how-to-handle-tedious-tasks-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1120\" height=\"630\" srcset=\"https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/how-to-handle-tedious-tasks-2.jpg 1120w, https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/how-to-handle-tedious-tasks-2-980x551.jpg 980w, https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/how-to-handle-tedious-tasks-2-480x270.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1120px, 100vw\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Put_Your_Brain_in_a_Good_Mood\"><\/span>Put Your Brain in a Good Mood<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Studies suggest that our ability to deal with tedious increases when we&#8217;re in a good mood, naming boredom as the main reason for procrastination. Instead of waiting and endlessly putting off tasks, try to enhance your mood right before sitting at work.<\/p>\n<p>Pay attention to the importance of good sleep, exercise, and correct nutrition to our emotions. It just might be that when you&#8217;re happy or rested enough, you&#8217;ll finish your grunt work jobs in an instant.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Outsource-2\"><\/span>Outsource<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>There comes the point in any freelancer&#8217;s life when outsourcing some tasks is necessary to further grow your business. It might be more efficient for you to pay another professional to fix the excel sheet you hate and focus on something else instead.<\/p>\n<p>Consider hiring a <a href=\"https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/virtual-assistant-perfect-first-freelance-job\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">virtual assistant<\/a> to relieve you in some of the paperwork and gain the time to do what you&#8217;re superb at. Another idea is outsourcing to technology. With the number of tools and tutorials on the internet, there&#8217;s a fair chance you can automate your task. It&#8217;ll take a bit more time, but you&#8217;ll be free of the mundane forever.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Get_by_with_a_little_help_from_your_friends\"><\/span>Get by (with a little help from your friends)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>One of your boring tasks is going to the post office? Make an errand date with a friend! Perhaps they&#8217;re also dealing with something incredibly mind-numbing, and you can invite them by for a work-buddy freelancing session later. Or, make a new friend by joining an online focus room. This not only makes it more fun but adds some accountability. Nothing like some friendly peer pressure!<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Just_do_it\"><\/span>Just do it<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>\u2026 And if everything else fails, we&#8217;re afraid the cold hard truth is\u2026 you just have to do it. Tedious tasks are part of both personal and professional life, and sometimes there&#8217;s just no way to work around them. It&#8217;s okay! Remember, if there was no boredom, we wouldn&#8217;t really appreciate the exciting things.<\/p>\n<p>Breathe in, breathe out, make yourself a good cup of tea, stop thinking too much and make it happen. Good luck!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Are you desperately searching for help in dealing with a very boring task before the deadline passes? We might have some good ideas for you on how to handle the grunt work.<\/p>\n<p>Let us help you with making the first step towards what seems impossible. Here are our tips on how to handle mind-numbing tasks at work.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":2422,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","content-type":"","inline_featured_image":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[23],"tags":[49,54],"class_list":["post-2421","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-for-freelancers","tag-freelance-cooperation","tag-freelance-tips"],"modified_by":"\u017baneta","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2421","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2421"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2421\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5552,"href":"https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2421\/revisions\/5552"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2422"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2421"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2421"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/useme.com\/en\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2421"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}