Most of us procrastinate in our business. We all have areas and tasks we prefer to work on, and those less-than-pleasant things are often relegated to the bottom of the pile. So how do you motivate yourself and become more productive?
- Do tiny things. First write a list of a few things you can do that will make you feel productive. Then look down the list and do something tiny that is related to each of those things. For example, draft some emails, file some documents, do some research for an article (I’m talking to myself here!). This way you will have made a start on each item and the big jobs don’t feel so daunting.
- Look after your physical needs. Sometimes procrastination stems from lack of energy. So make sure you are getting enough sleep and taking regular breaks. Many proponents of ‘enough sleep’ suggest going to bed between 9pm and 10pm and rising at 5am in order to be the most productive you can be.
- Focus on the task at hand. As business owners, we are often ‘big picture’ people. We have a vision for our company or a big goal for our project. But this can sometimes cause us to be overwhelmed when we try to get working on the process and tasks. Get in the habit of focusing on the smaller tasks in front of you – break down tasks into smaller chunks if you need to – and then outline the steps, set a deadline for finishing the steps, have a coffee and then do it!
- Give yourself a break. I’m not talking about having a break from working in this instance, but a break from doing the same tasks. It’s possible that your procrastination is because you are bored. So do something out-of-the-ordinary and have some fun.
- Get inspired. Sometimes you just need to stop what you’re doing and get some inspiration, whether that’s from a book, a song, an article, a mentor, a walk in nature or whatever recharges you.
