For inherently dreary things (calorie-counting, closet-clearing, tax prep) try a techie strategy:
"Gameify" it. Using apps on your smartphone or other gadgets, you can earn reward-redeemable "points"—for tedious activities like rep-counting (
Nexercise) or housecleaning (
Chore Wars). Even ticking off to-do-list items can be fun when you beat your own time—or make it into a contest (
Focus Booster).
