The ugly P word for entrepreneurs; procrastination, yields limited results. How often do you find yourself waiting for the ‘perfect’ time to start a task, saying you work better under pressure, second-guessing everything you do, or completing other tasks you have put off instead of completing tasks you NEED to complete? I’m sorry to inform you that you are an AVOIDER; you avoid the necessary tasks until you can no longer do so. This, my friend, suggests you are a PROCRASTINATOR!!!
Aren’t you glad that I have a few ways you can stop procrastinating!
10 TIPS TO STOP PROCRASTINATING
- MAKE A SMART TO-DO LIST
- A SMART to do list only includes tasks that you have been avoiding instead of tasks that you know you will complete. The second part of a SMART to do list is to set deadlines for the tasks you have listed.
- LET’S MAKE A DEAL
- Make a personal deal with yourself that when you complete the tasks on the list you will reward yourself (go to the movies, have ice cream, or whatever feels rewarding to you).
- RESIST TEMPTATION
- Eliminate anything that will distract and tempt you to do anything and everything except what is on your SMART TO-DO LIST.
- I’VE GOT A FEELING
- Focus on the joy and accomplishment you will feel once the task is complete. Think about how it moves you closer to your goal.
- BREAK IT ON DOWN
- Break the tasks down into smaller segments to alleviate the feeling of being overwhelmed. Once you complete a couple smaller tasks you create a sense of accomplishment and are more likely to complete more.
- WOOSA!!!
- Keep calm and keep in mind that there will always be more to be done than there is that can be done; but, make sure you are getting the SMART things done!
- GO TO THE CORNER
- When children do not make good decisions, and get out of line, they must suffer the consequence of having to sit in timeout. As adults, timeout does not work the same; however, we do understand the consequences of making bad decisions. Send yourself to timeout by creating a consequence for the instances when you make the bad decision of getting off task.
- SAY IT OUT LOUD
- Tell somebody, but not just anybody! Let your trusted circle know what you have going on and what you are trying to accomplish. This gives you a sense of accountability because you know someone will eventually ask about your progress and most of us do not want the embarrassment of having to say there is none.
- 2 MINUTES IS ALL YOU NEED
- Implement the 2-minute rule. The 2-minute rule encourages you to inventory your tasks and determine how long it will take to complete. It says if it will take less than 2 minutes to complete then it should be done Right Now; however, if it will take more than 2 minutes to complete then start with completing 2 minutes of the task. The idea behind the 2-minute rule is JUST START because objects at rest tend to stay at rest and objects in motion tend to stay in motion. It’s easier to continue to do something if you are already doing it!
- HELP ME PLEASE
- Those three words can make a world of difference in your business. Getting help relieves you of tasks that will take you longer to accomplish and allow you to focus on the more important parts of your business. Sometimes, we forget that although asking for help may be one of the hardest things to do; it is one of the easiest things to get: In doing this, we must remember to ask the right people for the help we need. We can’t ask our 3-year-old to create a PowerPoint, but we can ask an administrative professional to complete that task. GET THE HELP YOU NEED!
STOP PROCRASTINATING!!!
The Hinton Agency is here to support you in the process! Schedule a consultation TODAY.