7 Ways to Defeat Procrastination
Most people, at least at some point in their lives, practice procrastination. Putting things off sometimes just happens because your responsibilities change. Sometimes it happens just because you’re looking to avoid a certain task. Sometimes this happens out of fear, sometimes boredom. Procrastination isn't always bad. Sometimes it helps you work on other projects you need to complete. If procrastination is keeping you from working in your business, check out these tips below!
Change Your Mindset and Mood
Sometimes to break out of procrastination mode, you need to change your mindset. Your mindset is powerful. If you don't believe in yourself or fear a task or an outcome, it can make you procrastinate. Take a little time to empower yourself. Identify your fear. Learn to see yourself as a true business owner. You have no idea how successful you can become in your fight again procrastination by owning this step.
There are numerous podcasts devoted to mindset and business ownership. There are also YouTube videos that you can watch to keep yourself inspired and ready to take on the day.
Break It Down
Breaking down the task that you’re procrastinating on can alleviate your stress. Write down the task and break it down into smaller steps. Write these smaller steps down on a to-do list for clarity. A to-do list also helps remember which step comes first.
Start with Something Easy
Starting with an easy task will help you to keep going strong. To break your procrastination habit, look at your to-do list and start with the easiest task available. Not only will this help you stay productive, it will clear the way for the bigger tasks ahead.
Make a Bet with Yourself (Or your staff)
No one likes to lose money. That includes business owners. If you find yourself procrastinating, you should place a bet that you will get your task finished by a certain time. When you bet yourself, bet an amount of money ($20 or so) or an amount of time towards a reward. If you lose the bet to yourself, you must put the money or use the time as your normally would. If you have staff at your business, bet money or a reward to them. If you procrastinate, they all get the reward.
Set a Deadline
Yet another great way to beat procrastination is to make a self-imposed deadline. If you’ve broken down your task into easier to manage steps, you can set a deadline for each step. If you drag your feet when a decision must be made or something must be done, set a time you must make or do it by. This helps cut down on your procrastination.
Use Your Imagination
If you find yourself bored with a task in your business, find a way to make it fun. Perhaps accounts receivable management and sending out invoices bores you. Use your imagination! Make a game out of sending out your invoices. Find out how many can you get done in 15 minutes. Add a reward for yourself that you enjoy. This can be as simple as taking 30 minutes to enjoy your favorite coffee without beating yourself up over your to-do list.
Have Self-Compassion
Maybe you can't get your head around a task, so you procrastinate instead. You beat yourself up when you can't think of anything that will help you finish the task. Give yourself a little compassion. You aren't perfect. Everyone procrastinates because they can't form a thought process for certain tasks. It's important to give yourself the grace. Then to break the task down or even talk to someone else to see if that helps you spark any ideas.
Procrastination can attack the best of us. Sometimes we try our best to keep up with all the tasks associated with running our business but we run out of time. That's where Clients ARM can help. We have over 30 years of experience helping our clients wow their clients. We combine old-fashioned customer service values and innovative technology to bring you the best in services such as accounts receivable management, customer service, and billing. If you need help with your business, don't delay! Contact Clients ARM for a free consultation today!
