All of us have things we can do that require little or no effort.

For me, it’s cooking. I could almost do it with my eyes closed. I love it and enjoy making my family their favourite dishes. Fussy eaters don’t phase me either: I can cook several menu choices at the same time, and largely rely on my senses as opposed to referring to a cookery book.

I’ve cooked for many years, so the process requires less of my effort than it might for someone else. I actually find it relaxing, even though my kitchen might be full of people, laughter, and music, for me it’s second nature, and effortless enjoyment.

I’m not a chef, it’s simply a positive side of a harrowing childhood. I had to take care of my younger siblings when I was still a child, and oddly there are lasting helpful aspects of my past, which have grown my competence span in adulthood. Cooking skills are probably one of the most useful, and over time, I’ve learned to transfer my relaxed feelings of joy from the kitchen, and apply them to other areas of my life.

So, when I’m faced with something that feels like a chore, for example, my book-keeping, I pretend that I’m in the kitchen baking. When I need the carefree enjoyment vibe, I’m able to recall my cooking contentment: siphon it off, and recycle it for use on tasks that I find challenging.

While you’re reading this, I’m sure that it’ll make you think about pursuits that you can do without much effort. They don’t have to be highly skilled hobbies, such as bare-foot water skiing, just things that spring to mind in ordinary, everyday life.

Perhaps you too feel like cooking is a breeze, maybe you’re good at bookkeeping. Or you could simply be extremely efficient at cleaning your home. This in itself is a great pursuit because it’s a free constructive way to exercise.

It doesn’t matter what your effortless tasks are because anything that you find calming contains helpful energy. You too can transfer it to other tasks that you find laborious. It’s an energy transplant, which only requires a little imagination, and is an extremely useful mind tool…

By the time, I was seven I could cook a roast dinner. Aged eleven I was cajoled into cooking a three-course dinner for eight people.

Although I didn’t like it at the time, and had to pretend that I was playing, when I look back, I was subconsciously already transferring my energy source.