We all like structure, and quite a lot of us hate repetition, particularly those of us who can be a touch neuro-divergent.

Structure, and repetitive tasks, can be the cornerstone to efficiency, allowing us to spend more time doing. the things we like to do. I am also a firm believer that you are either an excellent craftsperson (for any form of creative or therapeutic discipline) or a good business person. And therefore, if you find a successful creative person, they are either not the best at their discipline, or have developed a good support structure around themselves

If we break it down, there is a good stepwise process for these sorts of repetitive tasks, whether it is administration, domestic chores, or business process.

Pick a task.

• Reflect: Does it need to be done, or is it something that you have fallen into the habit of doing?
• Simplify: Can it be simplified? Is there another way of doing that activity that will make it more efficient?
• Delegate: Can it be delegated to someone else?
• Automate: Can it be automated? Is there an online service, or a way of making it automatic as part of another task?
• Habituate: Can you habituate it?

Following the above process can reduce the number of mundane activities significantly.

When I grew up, my family always did laundry on a Monday. It was just the way of it and it took the day to wash, dry, iron and put away the laundry. These days we tend to throw things in the basket and do it when it is full, or when we need the top half way down. This is probably less efficient, so I have tried to instigate laundry day, which also has had the knock on effect of reducing the decision making processes regarding other areas of cleaning and tidying.

Similarly, the accounts and advertising elements of my business. I have outsourced the accounts to a professional, which is worth the cost in the reduction of stress. I could do it but they are better at it. With online tools, I have been able to automate the delivery of my marketing and advertising materials, blocking out a section of time per week to create and plan, and allowing an automated process to deliver it, leading to more time to actually interact with the clients, which is an area I enjoy and where I am gifted.

Pick a single area of frustration for yourself, review it and see if you can reduce that pain point. It will be worth it.