XP TRACKERHow to gamify chores so they get done
Give each chore a point value, race a timer instead of waiting for motivation, and save the big clean for a weekly boss fight. Chores stay boring. The game around them makes starting easier.
Short answer: give each chore a point value (about one point per minute), do chores against a timer, and turn the biggest job of the week into a "boss" you beat on a set day. Swap points for small rewards you picked in advance. Start with one rule, not all four.
Chores are hard to start for a few plain reasons. They never end, nobody notices when you do them, and the reward (a clean kitchen) disappears by tomorrow evening. Games fix exactly those problems. They give you a clear finish line, visible progress and a small win every time you play.
Think about the games you already enjoy. If you like beating your own record, a timer will suit you. If you like collecting, points and a reward menu will. If you like a bit of chaos, let a die pick the chore. Matching the game to your taste matters more than using every mechanic at once.
You don't need an elaborate system. A sticky note with points, a kitchen timer and a list of rewards is enough to test whether a game helps you. If it does, you can add more pieces later.
Five ways to turn chores into a game
- Give every chore pointsWrite your regular chores on a list and give each a value. One point per minute is a good starting rule. Add 5 bonus points to the two chores you hate most, so the game pays you more for the hard ones.
- Race the timerSet a timer for 10 or 15 minutes and see how much you can clear before it rings. When it rings, you may stop. The fixed end makes starting much easier than "clean the flat".
- Roll for itNumber six small chores and roll a die, or write them on cards and draw one. Letting chance pick removes the five minutes you'd spend deciding, and the randomness adds a little fun.
- Make Saturday a boss fightPick the biggest weekly job, like the bathroom or the full kitchen, and call it the boss. Give it a lot of points and a bigger reward. Beat it on the same day each week. If you skip it, the boss stays for next week, and you start with it.
- Bundle it with something you likeSave a podcast, an audiobook or a playlist for chore time only. Katherine Milkman and colleagues (2014) tested this idea, called temptation bundling, with audiobooks people could only listen to at the gym, and gym visits went up during the study.
A sample points chart
Here's a realistic chart for one adult in a small flat. Change the chores and the numbers to fit your home.
| Chore | How often | Time | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dishes or load the dishwasher | Daily | 10 min | 10 |
| 10-minute reset (counters, floor, bins) | Daily | 10 min | 10 |
| Make the bed | Daily | 2 min | 2 |
| Laundry, wash to put away | Weekly | 30 min of effort | 30 + 5 bonus |
| Change the bed sheets | Weekly | 15 min | 15 |
| Boss: bathroom deep clean | Saturday | 40 min | 60 |
A week of the daily chores plus laundry, sheets and the boss comes to about 280 points. A simple reward menu could look like this: 100 points for a takeaway coffee, 250 for a film night, 1,000 for something you've wanted for a while. If you share a home, the chore chart generator builds a printable version with names.
Playing with other people
Chores get tense when two or more people share a home. A game can help, if everyone plays on the same side.
- Play against the house. Set one weekly target for everyone combined and a shared reward, like a pizza night at 400 points. Racing each other for the top score usually turns into arguments about whose chore was harder.
- Pick chores in a draft. Take turns choosing chores for the week, like picking teams. People complain less about a chore they chose.
- Make the board visible. A whiteboard or a printed chart on the fridge does more than an app nobody opens. Everyone sees the total grow.
- Count, don't judge. If a chore is done, it gets the points. Arguing over how well someone wiped the counter kills the game fast.
For more on sharing a home, see chores and habits with roommates.
Common mistakes
- Building the system for a weekend. Colour-coded spreadsheets feel productive and clean nothing. Run the game on paper for two weeks before you make it fancy.
- Rewards that undo the work. A takeaway that fills the sink again, or a shopping trip that fills the flat with more stuff, works against you. Choose rewards that leave the home as you left it.
- Too many chores on the daily list. Keep daily chores to two or three. Put the rest on a weekly or monthly list, so you can win most days.
- Making the timer optional. The timer is the most useful piece. "I'll just do a bit" turns into an hour or into nothing. Ten minutes with a clear end gets done.
- Never changing the game. The novelty of points fades after a few weeks. Change the rewards, add a new boss or swap the music every month or two.
What the research says
Juho Hamari, Jonna Koivisto and Harri Sarsa (2014) reviewed the empirical studies on gamification available at the time and found mostly positive effects, with the results depending on the context and on the people using it. In plain terms: points and badges help some people with some tasks, and the effect is strongest when the game fits the person. If points bore you, try the timer or the music instead. For a longer look at the evidence, read does gamification work.
Start today with one chore
- Today: one 10-minute timerPick the chore you've been avoiding and race the clock. Stop when it rings.
- This week: a points list on the fridgeFive chores, one point per minute, and one reward at 100 points.
- Saturday: your first bossChoose the biggest job, give it 60 points and beat it before lunch.
In XP Tracker, chores are add-on quests you pick from the library: Do the dishes as a daily quest, Laundry and Change the bed sheets as weekly ones. Each one earns XP and damages the boss you're fighting, so a clean sink counts toward something. Read the dishes and laundry habit guide.
Questions people ask
How do you make chores fun for adults?
Add one game element at a time: a timer to race, points you can spend on a reward, or a podcast you only play while cleaning. Chores don't need to be fun. They need to be easy to start and satisfying to finish.
How many points should a chore be worth?
Roughly one point per minute of effort works well. Dishes for 10 minutes is 10 points, a full bathroom clean is 30. Add a few bonus points for the chores you hate most so they don't get skipped.
How do you gamify chores with a partner or roommates?
Play against the house, not each other. Set a shared weekly target, say 300 points between you, and a shared reward when you hit it. Competing for the most points tends to cause arguments about who did what.
What's a good reward for doing chores?
Pick rewards that cost little and don't undo the work: an episode of a show, a coffee out, a new candle, an hour of gaming. Decide the rewards in advance and write them down next to the point totals.
Does gamifying chores work long term?
The novelty fades after a few weeks for many people. What lasts is the structure underneath: a fixed time, a timer and a short list. Refresh the game every month or two by changing the rewards or the boss.
Related pages
Start your journey
Pick a class, do the day's quests, and watch your hero level up with you.
Start free on iPhone and Android.
Scan to install Point your phone camera at the code. iPhone opens the App Store, Android opens Google Play.