If you have even been exposed to the Harry Potter phenomenon, then you know what a Dementor is.
J.K. Rowling’s non-human, Dark creatures “feed upon human happiness, and thus cause depression and despair to anyone near them.” (According to harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/Dementor)
In the Harry Potter world, whenever the evil Dementors appeared on the scene, those present would feel an icy coldness as the despair set in. The same thing happens to me when I sit down to write marketing emails.
I think we all have our Dementors. They are tasks and activities that are more than “not fun,” no, they suck the life out of us. Dementors bring with them a series of side-effects, including severe procrastination. They have a huge emotional cost because they chip away at our energy, confidence and productivity.
What are yours? Cleaning the house? Doing your finances? Checking email? Making cold calls?
What can we do about Dementors?
Recognize Them:
Sometimes just calling it what it is—that’s enough to help you bite the bullet and deal with it. There might be some tasks or activities that you are subconsciously avoiding. Maybe it’s time to just face it, acknowledge it, process it and then move on. Do this: List all of the tasks and activities you have within a particular area of focus (your home business, your art, your household, your work, your hobbies). Find the ones you avoid the most and then write a rant (an honest-to-goodness rant) about why you hate those tasks. Get it out of your system so that next time you have to do it, you can just swallow hard, and then get it done.
Eliminate Them:
Oh, yes, it would be great to have a house that just cleans itself. Ha. Ha. But ask yourself, is there some hoop you are putting yourself through that isn’t truly necessary? Do some things really need to be done as often as you do them? For example, one of my Dementors is matching our medical insurance statements with those from the doctors’ offices. I used to handle them as soon as they came in the mail. Now I throw them in a folder and do them once a month. Same hated task, at least a third less often.
Delegate Them:
Not to harp on house cleaning, but it’s an easy example. Are the others in your household pulling their weight? Many hands make light work. Mete out more responsibility to those who help make the mess. If your Dementor is a work-related activity, maybe you can hire someone to help. If cashflow is a problem, consider a trade. You could provide your product either free or at a reduced rate. And consider a variety of workforce resources. Students often have skills we need and are willing to work for a lower fee in exchange for the references and job experience. Retirees often have experience and more spare time to take on a small side job.
Reward Yourself:
Plan the activity you enjoy to come right after you finish the one you hate. If looking at the 10,000 emails in your inbox makes you want to switch right over to Spider Solitaire, use that as your reward (as opposed to your avoidance strategy). Set a goal for how many emails to open and eliminate, and then reward yourself with something—but seriously, something more satisfying than Spider Solitaire.
Yes, we all have Dementors. Some are more paralyzing than others. Hopefully these strategies will help you cope with and overcome yours! What are your Dementors?
