Gamify the Grind
We all have tasks that feel like a grind.
Work. Exercise routines. Cleaning the house. Sending emails. Writing reports. They’re the kinds of things we know we should do, but struggle to find the motivation for. Too often, these tasks sit on the to-do list, collecting dust while we look for something—anything—more enjoyable.
But what if the problem isn’t the task itself, but the way we approach it?
I learned this lesson in the most unexpected of places: a 3rd-grade classroom.
Changing the Approach
One year, I worked with a Deaf student who was learning his multiplication tables. For many kids, memorizing times tables is about as exciting as watching paint dry. But I wanted to make it engaging for him, so I grabbed a deck of cards.
I took out the face cards, shuffled, and drew two at random. The student multiplied the numbers. If he got it right, he kept the cards.
At first, it was just the two of us. But kids are naturally curious, and it wasn’t long before others peeked over and realized something was happening—something fun.
Soon, one more joined in, then another. Suddenly, it wasn’t just practice; it was competition. Who could answer the fastest? Who could collect the most cards? The classroom energy shifted—times tables weren’t dreaded anymore. They were demanded.
As the students got sharper, I turned it up a notch. Jacks became 11, queens 12, kings 13, and jokers 100. Later, we added three-card pulls. What was once a tedious routine became a thrilling game.
The students didn’t just learn their times tables, they looked forward to them!
“Have To” vs “Get To”
This simple game showed me something powerful: the task itself didn’t change, but the experience did.
Psychologists call this intrinsic motivation, when the activity itself feels rewarding, we no longer need external pressure to do it.
The Stoics understood this too. Marcus Aurelius famously wrote: “The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.” The “hard thing” can become the rewarding thing if we reframe how we engage with it.
Ali Abdaal, in Feel Good Productivity, makes a similar point: “When you find ways to make the process enjoyable, motivation takes care of itself.” In other words, productivity isn’t about pushing harder, it’s about finding the fun that pulls you forward.
Why This Works
When we connect hard tasks with enjoyment, we unlock staying power.
• Fun reduces resistance. We stop fighting the task and start leaning into it.
• Competition builds momentum. Friendly rivalry sharpens focus and effort.
• Play sparks creativity. What once felt rigid now has room for flexibility.
James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, reminds us: “You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.” If your system is dull, you’ll avoid it. If your system is fun, you’ll return to it again and again.
How You Can Apply This
Here are five ways to reframe “hard things” in your own life:
1. Exercise Games – Race your past self’s mile time or use a deck of cards to randomize exercises
2. Chores With Rewards – Put on a high-energy playlist and set a timer. Cleaning becomes a 15-minute dance off.
4. Creative Streaks – Track progress with streaks: one sketch, one sentence, one song riff per day. The streak becomes the motivation.
5. Workplace Wins – Gamify boring tasks. Who can clear the most emails in 20 minutes? Who can solve the problem with the most creative twist?
Don’t Push Through—Play Through
The deck-of-cards game showed me that the hardest, most tedious tasks can be transformed—not by changing the task, but by changing the approach. If 3rd-graders can look forward to multiplication drills, what might you look forward to if you reframed your own hard things?
