If you’re struggling to find the motivation to tidy up, you’re not alone. That’s why there are so many different techniques out there that involve giving yourself a small reward for completing a difficult task. You can use apps to gamify your productivity or follow the tried-and-true Pomodoro method, where you work for 25 minutes and then take a five-minute break before starting again. These approaches might not work for everyone, so why not try a slight twist on the old reward system?

I got this idea while listening to a HuffPost podcast with Patric Richardson, author of House Love: A Joyful Guide to Cleaning, Organizing, and Loving the House You're In. Richardson suggests that the next time you're shopping for cleaning supplies, pick up a favorite candy, too, but don't eat it until it's time to clean. The idea is so simple, yet so brilliant: Having a "cleaning candy" to enjoy while you work gives you something to look forward to and can actually make you want to clean.

That reminded me of something I’ve done in my own life without even realizing it. A few years ago, I started watching Gossip Girl and I totally fell in love with it, but I’m not really a TV watcher. But I really wanted to watch that particular show, so I started watching it while I was at the gym. I swear to God, my time on the cardio machines doubled, if not tripled, because I never wanted to stop watching. Soon, I actually started to crave going to the gym at all, even though working out had never been something that energized or made me happy. It was more of a necessary chore, if anything, but the addition of a show that I could only watch while on the elliptical made it feel like a luxury.

A treat that you only consume while doing something you don't really like can only motivate you. It doesn't matter whether it's 'cleaning candy', a program, a podcast, a certain type of music, a special drink or something else.