What if the “secret to happiness” is…doing a small, slightly uncomfortable thing now—so tomorrow (and next week… and tax season) feels easier?

In this episode, we talk about what we’re calling the discomfort dividend: the idea that a little effort, inconvenience, or mild discomfort in the present can pay you back later with more ease, less stress, and better momentum.

We share real-life examples—like writing down our “Big Three” the night before, building a simple dishwasher routine, staying on top of bookkeeping and payroll, and freezing meals for future dinners—and we explore why doing things as they happen is often dramatically easier than trying to “catch up” later.

If you’re craving a calmer week, smoother mornings, or fewer “why did I wait so long?” moments, this one’s for you.

Timestamped Highlights

1. 01:07 We report back: writing down the “Big Three” the night before is paying dividends
2. 02:13 “Less than five minutes” at night can save an hour of morning dithering
3. 03:10 The “accountabilibuddy” moment (and how it helps us remember)
4. 05:01 The “night before” effort: why setting up tomorrow-us matters
5. 08:03 Anchors and routines: coffee as a cue (and why not everyone has a morning beverage anchor)
6. 10:15 Bookkeeping as a discomfort dividend: weekly QuickBooks + daily YNAB makes tax time easier
7. 11:19 Doing it in the moment vs. figuring it out later (hello, mysterious Amazon purchases)
8. 13:02 Freezer meals as future-us support: batch cooking and portioning for easy, healthy dinners
9. 16:06 “Thank your past self”: noticing the payoff when the future arrives
10. 17:05 Putting things away: the ease of being able to find what we need, when we need it

Key Takeaways

1. Small effort now can create big ease later. The payoff is often time, energy, and reduced stress.
2. Doing things “as they happen” is usually easier than catching up. In the moment, we still have context—later we’re stuck reconstructing.
3. Cornerstone habits create momentum. Once one routine is solid (like the dishwasher), other habits become easier to build.
4. Make it automatic. Repetition turns “extra effort” into something we don’t even have to think about.
5. Design your environment for success. A place for everything (and putting it away) reduces daily friction.

Bottom Line

A little discomfort today can buy you a lot of ease tomorrow. The trick is spotting the small actions that feel mildly annoying now—but consistently make life smoother later.

Listener Action

Pick one small thing you can do today as a favor for future you—then try it for a week.

Some ideas from this episode:

1. Write down your “Big Three” the night before
2. Run the dishwasher at night and unload it in the morning
3. Enter bookkeeping transactions weekly (or daily if you can)
4. Put keys in the same spot every time
5. Freeze a couple portions the next time you cook

• YouTube - Watch the episode

Want More Like This?

If this episode hit home, you might also like:

1. Episode 153: Helping Your Future Self - Same core idea as the discomfort dividend: doing small, “good enough” things now so future-you has an easier time.
2. Episode 151: Task Management Revisited - A practical companion to the “write it down / decide in advance” vibe of Episode 275, with a focus on finding a task system that works for you (not chasing the perfect system).
3. Episode 150: Creating Helpful Work Boundaries - This connects to the “make life easier later” theme by creating clear start/stop rituals and boundaries that reduce daily friction and decision fatigue (and make tomorrow smoother).

Connect With Us

• Leave us a voicemail: 413-424-GTGE (4843)
• Comment on social media: @gettingtogoodenough on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube
• Email: [email protected]

Call to Action

If this episode made your life a little easier, we’d love it if you’d leave a review, share it with a friend, or send us a message with the small “discomfort dividend” you’re trying right now.