I found that planning to do an annoying chore after an activity I expected to do that day was a really powerful technique to help me get things done, until I found that it could backfire horribly.
Linking/chaining tasks is great for: Poor executive function (deliberate control of one's own actions); autistic inertia (difficulty starting, stopping, or changing tasks); difficulty forming new habits (common with ADHD); and poor prospective memory (remembering to do something later). "Tasks" presupposes activities under one's own control, which I hope obviates the trap! I have a different but related trap, and two ways to deal with it. "I'll get up and start my chore after I finish this puzzle" often fails: I finish the puzzle, start another one because I'd rather do that, and tell myself, "Just one more." (Chaining "tasks" isn't susceptible to this, unless I really want to keep cleaning or weeding. But I'm not going to brush my teeth twice in a row.) One solution is to set a timer, for about how long I think the puzzle will take. The timer means, "Okay, you got to enjoy that; now do the task." Even if I take a minute more or less to finish the puzzle, the presence of the timer lets me know that I have finished my goal of doing puzzles, so I can move on. Another solution is to note, right after I start the second puzzle, "I just automatically clicked for another puzzle. That's not what I had wanted to do. Close it." Somehow, it is easier to close the puzzle (before becoming invested in it) than to keep myself from opening it. Someone with CBT training once advised me of a third solution, which was to consciously note the cost of not doing the task. This is very similar to my cousin's advice, which was to make sure that all such choices were conscious choices. Actually think about it and make a decision! I do this sometimes.
I also use timers. Both timers of, this much time to relax, and timers of, how much can I get done during this 10 minute timer. I'll either do a few small tasks or 10 minutes of a lengthy task that can be stopped partway through, which is usually putting away laundry. Only have to work for 10 minutes is a good option for me especially with the fatigue, but obviously some tasks just don't work that way. If I start cooking and then stop at whatever point I'm at, it's not helpful. But it's good to have multiple tools to apply when they are helpful. I currently use a self-care / chore app that has a built in timer, so I also get in-game rewards for using the timer, and so I feel rewarded for making myself do stuff. I don't think motivation is really my problem, and it was less of an issue when I was healthy. I know why I want to do stuff. But just pushing this body and brain to actually do tiring stuff is my primary challenge. I think I'd be a lot more productive if I weren't tired basically all of the time, but since I don't have an easy way to fix that, I still need to find ways to live my best life.
