| Today, I want to address something many of us in entrepreneurship struggle with from time to time — procrastination. Often, clients and potential clients come to me with big ideas or projects — some are filled with excitement, others with concern. Either way, some jump right in; while others just seem to struggle to make that initial leap. Procrastination is something we’ve all been guilty of at times. I believe it stems from a perception that a project will be difficult, expensive, or confusing. However, the key word here is perception. Therefore, how can we get moving when stalled on a new project? Consider these strategies that have proven effective for me: Know What You Need to Know There are some projects where it is essential to understand exactly how something is set up. And sometimes there are others where you only need to know enough to keep things going. Take setting up an email newsletter, for example. If setting up Mailchimp or Constant Contact is not intuitive for you, and you’re wasting hours doing something you don’t enjoy, then have someone else do the initial setup. You can still handle it monthly from there, even if you were not the one to build it in the first place. Ask the Right Questions Sometimes we need to do some research to get started with a project; sometimes we already have all the information. If you need more information, decide specifically what that is and make a plan to get it. If you have everything, look at it all together so you can see the big picture of the project to feel more confident. Don’t Ask for Too Many Opinions While it’s nice to have the support of family and friends, ask yourself how much they really know about the decision you’re trying to make. For example, when it comes to choosing software to run my business, I listen to others who have made this decision before me. Asking for too much input is often just another way of procrastinating. Break Down the Project Into Specific Categories Something like creating your website can seem like a huge task. But if you break it down, you’ll see more manageable parts of the work. In this case, start with the homepage and make a list of what you want to include – things like highlighting your product/service, applicable social media icons, testimonials, a link to contact you, etc. The point is, be as specific as you can. Document Your Thoughts When I don’t have a written plan, I can spend hours spinning my wheels trying to remember what I’ve done and what to do next. Spend time upfront to write a detailed plan to see the entire project. It will save time and work. Embrace Progress Over Perfection It’s better to get started and improve the work rather than wait until you have every detail just right. Okay, I know you might be thinking, this one might be the hardest one to do. But if you abandon the idea of perfection you’ll learn as you go and make it better over time. Keep in mind that businesses evolve all the time – so if you embrace the journey of improvement, you’ll be able to stay current with what your business needs. Overall, the hardest part of any new project is getting started. Apply these six ideas and leave procrastination behind forever. Cheers to productivity and taking that first step! |
How to Overcome Procrastination
