5 Creative Solutions to Entrepreneurial Procrastination
Kevin Shirley, Associate Broker (DC), GRI, ASP, e-PRO
Chances are that you have some possible business leads, but you keep hesitating to reach out to them. Maybe your business needs a Twitter account, but you never get around to setting it up. It is not just about such business-related tasks; the average human being is procrastinating almost constantly.
Scientists and psychologists have been trying to understand what causes human beings to procrastinate. Why do people make their life routines more complicated by putting important tasks on hold for so long? Many business owners fail to contact their suppliers on time, and they miss the essential inventory to run the product manufacturing chain. Others fail to call their potential clients and ultimately lose important deals. This may sound strange, but procrastination has become an integral part of human life, and entrepreneurs are not exempt.
Finding creative ways to deal with entrepreneurial procrastination
There are so many reasons why business owners do not get things done on time. In some cases, the delays may happen due to lack of capital or mismanaged time; other times, it may be due to limited resources. Sometimes, entrepreneurs may not be able to secure an important deal due to uncontrollable circumstances. Unfortunately, many tasks stay pending just because they keep on procrastinating for no apparent reason.
If you are an entrepreneur trying to initiate a fight against the beast of procrastination, you’re not alone. Some entrepreneurs are looking for expert tips, guidelines, and even professional training to fight procrastination. Here are a few creative solutions to entrepreneurial procrastination to assist you in getting things done on time. Spare a few minutes to go through the article below, and soon you will be able to get rid of this bad habit.
Prepare a to-do list
There is a very fine line between taking a break and procrastinating. Many people allow procrastination to steal their focus from some concrete plan and then develop secondary anxiety about it. Therefore, experts advise developing a detailed to-do list regarding all the pending and necessary tasks. You need to create a “SMART” model with goals that are “time-bound, realistic, achievable, measurable, and specific.”
When you have planned your tasks well, you will feel relaxed while getting avoiding procrastination. Additionally, to-do lists also make us feel confident as we stay up to date about all tasks in sequence and manage our time well to complete them on time. When one task is over, you immediately have the other one on the list to execute.
Find ways to feel refreshed
Many people fail to get things done on time because their willpower gets quickly depleted. When you are bombarded with tasks, the effort to handle them can cause mental exertion and further reduce your productivity levels. Therefore, experts advise taking time to pursue your hobbies or side hustles to get back your positive energy. You may love writing poems or stories, or you may relax by playing guitar. Or, simply taking a walk in the fresh air can restore your focus.
The main idea is to get rid of stress and prepare yourself to solve problems more innovatively. When you involve yourself in other things that bring pleasure to your mind, releasing stress and worries becomes easier. Do things that you love to do, and soon you will feel fresh to handle pending tasks. This is the most trusted way to boost your productivity levels while combatting procrastination.
Consider deadlines and accountability
Entrepreneurs who lack external accountability are likely to fall into the trap of procrastination. Many entrepreneurs also try to execute projects within self-imposed deadlines, and they are negatively affected by the fear of failure. To deal with insecurity-driven procrastination, set deadlines for work and make yourself accountable to achieve them.
Even if you don’t have a specific guideline for the ongoing project, create few self-imposed, arbitrary ones for yourself. They may help you stay motivated and encouraged to complete tasks on time. Moreover, deadlines create a checkpoint for you while helping you stay tuned to the process and task in-flow. Once you learn to accept your fears and get creative with the task execution, it will be easier to succeed with your targets.
Step out of comfort zone
Procrastination often comes with the tendency to avoid things that pose some physical or psychological discomfort. But leaving things pending doesn’t relieve your discomfort permanently; instead, it just adds delays to your work. Many people try to get involved in other pleasurable activities to cope with discomfort, but it can often impede your performance.
Those who shut down awkward situations at work or feel stressed about every plan will never execute things on time. Experts advise stepping out of your comfort zone so that you can find some new opportunities and strategies. When you keep your eyes and mind open, you can succeed with your goals and cultivate adaptability to your work routines.
Don’t run focus on perfection
Many entrepreneurs fail to achieve targets in a quest for perfection. But if you do so, you will always miss something while thinking that it could be improved. It is important to understand that one cannot achieve perfection in every task. Even if you try to do so, you may not be able to finish work on time.
Experts advise following a strategic plan to deal with tasks at your business platform. It is not necessary to aim for 100% every time; you can limit your perfection level up to 80 or 90% (or less!) as well. The main goal is to break tasks into smaller pieces and then execute them one by one to complete the project.
These simple tips and tricks may help you avoid procrastination and complete your tasks on time.
