If you're like me and tend to get easily distracted while tidying, this next trick will help. In Unf*ck Your Habitat: You're Better Than Your Mess, author Rachel Hoffman suggests setting a time limit for being productive and following it up with a period of rest. She suggests either a 20:10 or 45:15 ratio of work and relaxation, and I can't recommend it enough.
I've found that setting my oven or iPhone timer for as little as 15 minutes can even reap some huge benefits on the days I'm feeling especially drained. When every minute counts, you'd be surprised by how quickly you work, how well you focus, and how manageable keeping a tidy, clutter-free home can be if you exert a little energy on a consistent basis. This list of nine things people with clean homes do every day is a great one for getting started.