Most of us love the satisfaction of crossing off an item on our to-do lists, however important or mundane the task might have been. But this satisfaction alone isn't always enough to help us fight off procrastination. Add 'reward tasks' to your to-do list to give yourself that extra incentive.
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Once you've written down your tasks for the day, add to the list several small rewards, such as "sushi lunch" or "buy new album on iTunes." In addition to these activities, add a reward task that is both rewarding to you and to your productivity. This can be reviewing something for a friend, doing some research for your side project, or homework for a new skill you are trying to learn. These tasks are considered rewards because they are fun and they are things you look forward to doing, even though they are important commitments.
Match these rewards to your regular tasks. The more significant or difficult a task on your list is, the bigger the reward should be. This will give you that much more incentive to start scratching off items on your list.
h/t Quartz via Lifehacker
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