I split time. I have things I like to do and things I have to do. I often keep a couple projects going at a time. I make a reasonable milestone and do the drudg

I split time. I have things I like to do and things I have to do. I often keep a couple projects going at a time. I make a reasonable milestone and do the drudgery in the morning until I hit it (often midday, sometimes later, sometimes earlier), then I give myself the rest of the day for fun. This can be researching new tech, working on a project I actually enjoy, etc. I'm only worth a half-day of sucky work each day anyways, whether I self-motivate or languish, so might as well knock it out.