I find myself forgetting to use motivational helpers, rewards and so on. Of course visualizing the end result is a motivator, or something in the future (weekend vacation) but having some immediate things helps, too.

I was reading on the Zen Simplify blog or website and reminded to not feel guilty by thinking that we have no discipline, but instead being intentional about how everyone needs positive motivators; identifying "simple pleasures" and using those. Some would be rewards, and others could be used during chores, cleaning, decluttering.

For example, I forget the power of music. Partly it is because I like to do some of my decluttering and cleaning when I am home alone and so I do enjoy quiet. But I when I finally stop and put on a great zoomin' CD, I think, man, now that almost makes dusting fun-- why don't I do that more often? Similarly, I enjoy some radio shows like Car Talk. Often I am listening in the car while doing errands, but this is a great belly laughing "treat" to have on if you are working in one particular room filing & sorting piles, so I might aim to schedule around it.

Other typical "simple pleasures" that can be rewards for getting a certain job done are chocolate, cup of favorite tea, read a chapter in favorite book, hot bath, etc.(ooh, or all of those together!)

I have started a list of things that I think work for me, to keep myself from forgetting to build in some fun and motivation !