Why Do You Need a Specially Appointed “Day of Hate”
Even if you truly love your job, there will always be aspects that you fear more than others – be it answering a certain category of emails, answering phone calls, or keeping a log of expenses. Maybe you knock them all out in the morning, or you have some other system. Or maybe you put them off until you can no longer, and then you have to struggle to get everything done.
Either way, Michael Thompson, a writer and career coach, says there is a better way: schedule a “hate day” where you do all the things you really hate. In an article first published on Medium and then syndicated to Business Insider , he explains how Hate Day works and why it can make your week better and more productive. Here’s what you need to know.
How to schedule a hate day
In the article, Thompson describes Hate Day as “a day every week when I pile up all the tasks that steal my energy to complete in one long, sustained blow.” When he mentioned this system to a friend in Munich, Thompson learned that there is a German term for this (of course) called “Kleinscheiss tag” – or “shitty little day.”
Part of the beauty of the Kleinscheiss Tag, at least to Thompson, is that it allows him to quickly filter annoying tasks and requests as they come in throughout the week. Yes, it may sound like he is putting them off, but in reality he is putting them in a virtual pile to sort out on his assigned day of hate. This “frees up a ton of free space,” he says , allowing him to focus on his most important work.
How to answer inquiries between days of hate
But what about the inevitable responses from people emailing you right after a day of hate and getting nervous about the response? In situations like this, Thompson recommends responding with something simple, such as “I’ve got this scheduled for Wednesday,” to acknowledge receipt and let them know they’re on your agenda. “It allows you to quickly keep yourself and others in the loop without using constantly positive brain space for tasks that slow you down,” he adds .