Dear Charlotte,

I'm incredibly bored by all of my tasks. I feel like it's endless. Do you have any tips for dealing with this? I'm feeling resentful.

Dear Resentful,

The drudgery of tasks can be boring indeed. I had a client point out that the word 'task' is dreary, and is about doing things because you must, not because you want to. I suggest a creative approach where possible.

We can whistle when we clean, or clean while playing loud music and dancing wildly around the house I know a family with a tradition of cleaning together for a frenetic hour every weekend. We can marvel at how things work or question their forms and functions. Why does this fork have three tines? Why is the sound of the tumble dryer so pleasing? Henry James advised the young writer to "try to be someone on whom nothing is lost." Sometimes paying attention to these boring tasks can enliven life just a bit.

The other strong suggestion I have is to please give yourself just a pocket of time in your everyday life, even if it means putting the laundry down or not getting through something on your list. Just a moment to let loose. Insist on it. No one else can make this happen but you. It might mean dancing, or singing, or doodling. But do something that is not a task.

Yours,

Do you have a question for Dear Therapist? Send it to [email protected] with Dear Therapist in the subject line and Charlotte Fox Weber or Kelly Hearn will get back to you.