Some of us have grown up with, "Eat your veggies, and you can have ice cream". That seems a reasonable reward for something that is good for your body, the veggies, and a job well done eating them.
Rewarding ourselves with treats, or fun activities after a job well done, can be an exercise in exploration of ourselves. Picking the chore or job that needs to be accomplished, and then matching a treat or reward afterwards, can be an exciting way to distract you from a job, or chore that may not be a favorite.
Mowing the lawn with 100+ heat indices is not enjoyable. Staying focused on the "doing", the "mowing", and not the heat, distracts your mind from the heat. Another way to distract your mind from the heat, is to think of the reward you will give yourself for a job well done.
Cooling off with a dip in the pool, a cold beer under a large shade tree, or a good old fashion shower, can make the job more bearable. While mowing, if your thoughts drift back to the oppressive heat, think about the reward to come. Notice the shift in your body, and how it reacts to the shift in your thoughts. Taking your mind off the heat by focusing on the reward, gives your body a happy thought to react to, as opposed to how your body reacts to focusing on the heat.
Distracting your mind can be done with any action you are performing. In my case, I have arthritis in both thumbs and don't enjoy extended periods of texting. So taking my own advice, I focus on the message I want to send, as opposed to the painful action of texting.
Healthy rewards are important. A cold beer or two after a good days work, ok. A twelve pack, probably not. An ice cream cone after dinner, ok. Eating half a gallon of ice cream after dinner, not so much.
But what about the job well done? Do you derive enjoyment from either, a job you have to perform, such as a chore, or a job you are paid to perform? Finding enjoyment in what you are doing will help make life more enjoyable, and easier to go with the flow. There is no rule book for finding enjoyment in what you are doing. That you will have to figure out yourself. Echkart Tolle talks about "The Three Modalities Of Awakened Doing" in his book, "A New Earth". https://awaken.com/2017/08/the-three-modalities-of-awakened-doing-eckhart-tolle/
When dealing with reward systems for a job well done, we need to be realistic about the rewards. Young children, teens and young adults, need guidance, boundaries, and rewards for learning behavior and responsibility. Setting up a reward system is a great way to teach them to continue that behavior into their adult years.
We all hope our children will grow up well balanced individuals, but life gets in the way, and a well balanced child can easily be tempted with today's lured offerings. Setting up reward systems and behavior contracts with kids is a great place to start. And as they grow into young adults and their own person, tell them to never forget their inner child, and to always strive to make their rewards fun.
Many adults forget their inner child as they get older, People get married, have families, and have to work harder to maintain a lifestyle they have become accustomed to. If behavior contracts are good enough for kids, why not adults? Find your playful inner child again by setting up an enjoyable reward system for yourself. Just doing this, can bring new enjoyment and discoveries in your life.
Search your soul. Ask yourself what you truly enjoy, and what your heart truly desires. Then go for it!! Muster all you have, and go for it!! This is your life. This is your journey to discover, and explore. Why not do your best to have fun doing it?
Carpe Diem!!