Pair, don't just reward
Fold laundry during a favorite show. Wipe counters during a call. The dopamine comes from the pairing itself, not from a prize promised at the end — which is also why reward systems for cleaning tend to stop working after a while. More small hacks like this work the same way.
Make progress visible immediately
Choose the task that shows a visible before-and-after in under a minute, like clearing one surface, over one that takes longer to look different. Visible change is its own signal that something worked.
Use music as a timer and a mood-setter
One song per task gives you a natural stopping point and lets the song's energy match the task — upbeat for a quick reset, calmer for something slower.
Celebrate the small thing, on purpose
Say out loud or note down what you actually did, even if it's small. This closes the loop dopamine needs, instead of moving straight to the next thing as if nothing happened.