Overcoming procrastination in our personal lives can be incredibly difficult, let alone in our own businesses! It is far easier to put off completing a critical or complicated task in favour of doing something easier or more fun. We may feel uncomfortable about a task if we fear we will make a mistake, or if we see the task as time-consuming and having many steps. Procrastination can provide us with a temporary mood boost, but overall this behaviour hinders you from meeting deadlines, hitting your targets, and reaching your goals. We know you have big plans for your business and we want to help you get there. Follow these 5 tips to learn how to overcome procrastination today!
Be Kind to Yourself
Acknowledge any procrastination habits, but don’t let prior procrastination define who you are and how you behave in the future. Understand that this coping mechanism is no longer serving your goals, and use positive self-talk to encourage yourself to keep trying.
Establish a Routine and an Effective Environment
Be sure to block off a place in your calendar to accomplish your “uncomfortable tasks” when you have the best energy to tackle them. Keep your work environment free of distractions, so you are less tempted to delay those important jobs.
Prioritize Your Tasks
It’s so tempting to tackle an easier task on your list instead of the urgent one. When you make your to-do list, be sure to rank the importance of each task, and write down how much time you will need to complete each one. Then you can confidently allocate time in your calendar for each of these tasks. Be clear with your priorities, and complete the most important and urgent tasks first.
Start Small
If you are tempted to procrastinate, perhaps the task is too large or complicated. Break it up into smaller pieces and focus on the first step. Often the hardest part is just starting! Sometimes it helps to set a timer and commit to working on your task for just those 10 minutes. When the timer goes off, you will often be immersed and motivated to keep going.
Reward Yourself
After you complete a task, give yourself a reward; for example, a snack, or a walk, or 10 minutes of social media time. Providing your brain with this association will motivate you to complete more tasks, and receive more rewards.
As a business owner, we know there are many tasks competing for your attention, which makes it easy to “procrastinate productively”. Sometimes business owners avoid complicated tasks by outsourcing them to a qualified individual, like one of the members of our Simple Desk team! We’ve helped many small business owners put their best foot forward by streamlining their process, tackling their to-do lists, and completing those tasks that have always been pushed to the side. Check out our packages and see how we can help you beat procrastination!
In the meantime, following these steps to overcome procrastination is a free and easy way to take back control of your to-do list!