My Top 5 Tips for Battling Procrastination
Someone asked me recently what my advice would be when setting up a business. The first thing that came into my head was ‘do not procrastinate.’ Now, I can see people rolling their eyes at this, of course procrastination isn’t good for your business. Following this conversation I started thinking about how much I have procrastinated in my business life.
Often we find other things to do instead, whether it be a less daunting work related task, housework (if you work from home), or worse of all – we do nothing. For example, I have been meaning to start writing a blog for ages, but as someone who does not find creative writing easy, I have put it off (until now).
Another thing that I have been guilty of is putting off a daunting task, but instead filling my day with other easier, but just as important, tasks. Yes, at the end of the day I can look back and say I’ve achieved this, this this and this. However, that daunting task is still there, waiting to be done, now looking even more daunting than before.
My top tips for battling your procrastination demons
1. Set deadlines
Schedule time during your week to get ‘stuff’ done. Whether it be blogging, SEO, social media, whatever the tasks you know you are likely to put off, make sure that you set aside time to tackle it. The only problem with setting your own deadlines is that it is all too easy to change them. Especially with online or electronic calendars, it’s very easy to move that time block to another day, week, month… when does it end? If you find yourself doing this I would suggest my next tip.
2. Get an accountability partner
If you know you are guilty of procrastination it can be extremely helpful to find someone to be your accountability partner. Now, this could be your partner, a friend, a colleague, but make sure that this person will stick to their side of it. Send them details of what you want to achieve and a deadline for it to be complete. Whilst you are completing the task for yourself, there is a part of us that doesn’t want to disappoint someone else by not fulfilling our end of the bargain.
3. Lists are your friend
Over the years I have listened to many different business people, coaches and mentors. A lot have recommended lists, but the length of these lists has varied, some have been weekly lists, some daily. My advice for a ‘to do’ list with a deadline would be to make it challenging but achievable. Each one of us works in a different way, we have different daily responsibilities and time constraints. Think about what needs to be done within your business, write each task down, rate its importance, schedule it in, get it done. There is a lot of satisfaction in seeing a great big tick next to something that you’ve completed.
4. Ask yourself why?
Why are you putting the task off? Is it because it’s difficult? Is it outside of our comfort zone? Is it fear stopping you? Or, is it because it’s mind-numbingly boring? We have different reasons for putting ‘stuff’ off. Once we know why we are, or aren’t, doing something we can work out what needs to change to make it happen. If you’re not sure how to do something, is there anyone or anywhere you could go for advice? If it’s a mundane task, do you even need to do it yourself – could you outsource it to someone who enjoys this sort of task? I asked myself why I had put off blogging and social media for so long. Honestly, it’s down to fear, so I spoke to experts I have met through networking. I’ve even outsourced some of it to give me a head start. Now, whilst I don’t feel entirely confident, I have a starting block to work with (massive thanks to Karen and Rachel – you know who you are).
5. Review, review, review
Schedule in some time once a month to review what you have achieved in your business. Look at what you have done, what you have found easy and what has challenged you. What has worked and what has not. What still hasn’t been completed, why hasn’t it been finished? By reviewing your progress, understanding the whys and making changes you should be able to tackle those daunting tasks more effectively in the future.
Has this post resonated with you? It would be great to hear about your procrastination problems. Maybe I could help?