If procrastination is truly the "thief of time," then you need to secure your business to fend off and defeat this would-be assailant of your success. While the threat of procrastination can haunt every aspect of our lives, it's most effective at derailing entrepreneurs if left unchecked.
The good news is there are plenty of tools and techniques to help you overcome whatever overwhelms and causes you to put off for later what you should do now. And if you've been putting off reading this particular article, read it now then take command over the procrastination that prevents your business progress. Come on—what are you waiting for?
Yes, procrastinating harms your business
Sure, every business day is made up of prioritizing what needs to be done first, second and so on, down the line. Not everything on your to-do list can hold the No. 1 spot, yet what you choose not to do first can be a sign of procrastination.
If some of those items you're putting off never seem to get put onto your list, you might hurt your ability to attract and retain customers
If some of those items you're putting off never seem to get put onto your list, you might hurt your ability to attract and retain customers, to capitalize on today's opportunities, and to effectively grow and sustain your business. Often, items we put off can be those key stepping stones to the next level of success. By putting them off for later, you essentially block your own path to greater prosperity.
Look at what you might be avoiding and see if it might be the reason you're not able to take your business to the next level.
Understand what you're putting off
There's no question about it; running a business is not for the faint hearted. When starting up, the world is your oyster and motivation is running high. Over time, the challenges you encounter can begin to chip away at your resolve and even cause you to question your capabilities.
When this happens, procrastination can begin to creep in, convincing you it's better to avoid what concerns or confounds you. Don't listen!
You know what they say about "when the going gets tough."
It's solid advice today as it was when Coach Knute Rockne used it to charge up his football players. The important thing is to determine what situation or element of running your business has become tough to manage. It's easy to identify these. They're the things that put a furrow in your brow, a knot in your stomach and the near-uncontrollable urge to quickly find something else to do.
When you honestly identify these items, write them down on a list or on index cards, or anywhere you can look at them (as unpleasant as that might be). This is the next step in conquering your procrastination.
Why are you procrastinating?
'I don't know where to start' is a frequent cause of procrastination. If it seems too big to get your arms around, break it into smaller chunks
After you know what it is you're avoiding, it comes time to identify why you're constantly skirting away from these should-do/must-do tasks and, most important, what you can do about it now.
Luckily, whatever's troubling you is often ready to be resolved when you honestly confess (to yourself is good enough) your reason for avoidance. Here's what you might be lamenting to yourself and what you can do about it.
"I don't know where to start" is the most frequent cause of procrastination, becoming overwhelmed with the magnitude (real or perceived) of a task. If it seems too big to get your arms around, break it up into smaller chunks.
If, for example, you need to learn a new business application on your computer but are fearful of its scope, start with installing it. When that's done, spend time with the onboard help tutorials. Next, determine a contained task to learn and master. From there, you'll likely gain the confidence—and maybe even find enjoyment—that you're ready to learn more of the functionality.
"It will take so much time to complete" is usually the second reason for putting things off. Akin to breaking big tasks into smaller chunks, set specific periods of time to work on the big project. Schedule precise times of day to work on it and then work on it for only a fixed amount of time.
Thirty minutes or an hour is best for breaking through procrastination. Knowing you won't be sucked into a time vacuum on what overwhelms you is often enough to get started.
"I have no idea what I'm doing" is one of the most daunting reasons for putting off tasks. Don't spin your wheels and become mired in fret and self-loathing; get help. The smartest thing you can do is to reach out for assistance, and it's sometimes all you need to break through apprehensions over a project or task.
Long-term procrastination of those things you really need to do for your business can cause you to doubt yourself
"I just can't seem to focus" is a sign that you have too many distractions around you. Seal yourself off from noise, other people and other activity (such as surfing the Net or continually checking for new messages), and commit that you'll spend the next 30 or 60 minutes truly focused on your troubled task.
Granted, the foregoing techniques won't guarantee you'll reach that great breakthrough, but they will help you to get a better grip on what has you stuck in your forward progress. And, when it comes to procrastination, even a bit of progress today will help you do a bit more tomorrow and the next day, until you can wrestle your challenges into submission.
Make a change now
Everyone procrastinates about something in their work, so it's not as if you're deficient in your business ability. Long-term procrastination of those things you really need to do for your business, however, can cause you to doubt yourself and you certainly have no time for that. Therefore, commit to yourself-here and now-that you'll strive to identify those items you might put off and quickly form a plan of action to get them done.
When you make your daily to-do list, start it with those tough items and leave off the fun and easy things that will fill your day, but won't fulfill your true desire to tackle those things that slow down you and your business.
Make that commitment and then make that list of things you've been putting off. How about starting right now?