Tedious tasks, busy work, toil—there are many ways to describe the everyday obligations we want to avoid. Completing tedious tasks is an unavoidable aspect of business and life and, often, a requirement for success. It would be hard to imagine anyone enjoying mundane, obligatory tasks, but the reality is, it’s nearly impossible to get a sustainable business off of the ground without this work.

There’s a competitive edge that comes with a willingness to remain diligent in the execution of tedious work. Much like any other skill, there’s a learning curve with completing tedious tasks. Over time, as you identify your motivators and accept your responsibilities, your mindset shifts from frustration to acceptance and perhaps even enthusiasm.

One of the many challenges faced by workers and business owners alike is managing the countless obligations a business demands. As you grow your team, how do you delegate responsibilities? As you work to perfect your product or service, how do you ensure that you reserve time to run payroll and review the books? And as you go to market, how do you remain energized with the ability to innovate, iterate, and execute while avoiding burnout?

And most important: How do you take an unpleasant task and turn it into something that can be accomplished relatively painlessly? Here is my advice.

1. REMOVE ALL DISTRACTIONS

We are currently living in an age of instant gratification, and with the ever-increasing presence of technology, we have the ability to satisfy any desire or craving with the tap of a finger. Distracting technology can hinder our ability to maintain focus on any specific task.

Set up a designated space for productivity, wherever that may be. Make sure to remove every temptation that could pull you away from the task at hand. If you happen to notice a tendency to consistently and mindlessly browse your phone, or if the dog can’t help but pester you to entertain, you should dock your phone in a different location and remove yourself from the dog’s reach.

2. COMMIT DEDICATED TIME TO TOIL EVERY SINGLE DAY

The same way you’d commit to a fitness routine, designate specific times throughout the day for the tedious tasks that are necessary to keep your business, career, or life afloat. Completing these tasks typically has long-term benefits, but it can be challenging to hold on to a long-term vision when you’re up to your ears in short-term stressors.

Try tools like calendar blocking or a Pomodoro timer. Busy work shouldn’t ever be all-consuming. Filing taxes or executing quarterly business reports isn’t necessarily fun, so allowing these tasks to consume more of your time than needed may lead to symptoms of burnout.

3. WATCH FOR SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF BURNOUT

Burnout typically occurs as a result of pushing through work that feels draining as opposed to empowering. Often, tedious tasks are just that: draining and not empowering. For this reason, it’s imperative to recognize early signs of burnout—exhaustion, fatigue, loss of interest, withdrawal from support networks—and understand that they are an indication that there might be a better, or more efficient, way to do what you’re doing.

Be ready to reevaluate and pivot when necessary. Burnout can signal that you are not properly managing your tedious work. I recommend reframing the symptoms of burnout as a tool, rather than a setback, and addressing the cause head on.

It’s important to remember that doing tedious work is a skill and, like any skill, you will improve over time. Be patient with the process and try your best to identify distractions that are delaying or preventing productivity, to establish a routine, and to avoid burnout.

Ultimately, we all must learn how to embrace tedium. Clear your space (both physically and mentally), manage your time effectively, and trust yourself to know when the time comes to pivot and evolve.