6 Simple Ideas to Overcome Procrastination and Get Quick Work Done
Every small business owner has been a victim of procrastination at some point in their life. You have a proposal to write, an invoice to send, a new project to work on; but instead you jump on to refreshing your email or checking what’s new on Facebook.
If this sounds like an everyday situation, chances are you are a chronic procrastinator and this habit is hurting your productivity. Tim Urban does a great job explaining procrastination in his TED Talk. Here are six simple and easy changes you can implement to your daily life to overcome procrastination and get some quick work done.
Break down your main task into several smaller tasks
Take a task that you want to do and break it down step by step into its most manageable pieces. Then put these smaller tasks into a checklist. Looking at a project that you have to do can be intimidating and because there's no step by step guide you tend to see the project as a whole. By breaking down the task you get specific with what you need to do and the checklist makes it easier.
Wake up, and immediately start to work
You are fresh and charged up when you start your day. If you take a few hours in the morning, just relaxing, fiddling around on the internet, you'll be much less likely to start working later on. Focusing isn't hard, but starting the work is -- so there's something about pushing it up the schedule, making it "the first thing" that helps getting work done. Create a to-do list for the next day before you go to sleep every night and start your day on the right note.
Change your environment
This applies especially to freelancers and small business owners working alone, out of your home or a home-office. You will find it so much easier to procrastinate when you are working alone. If you are feeling hard to concentrate, try moving to a different place. You’ll find when you’re in public - a coffee shop, a library, or a co-working space, you will feel actively guilty about wasting time and start focusing on the task at hand.
Temporarily eliminate the source of procrastination
Instead of battling it out, try eliminating the source of your procrastination. 36% of respondents lost an hour of productivity a day because they were checking social media and emails according to a survey done by Stop Procrastinating, If it's the internet, disconnect your router or use a program such as Anti Social that blocks off traffic to social media and specific websites.
Delegate work that eats up your time
Often times you are avoiding work because it is time-consuming or it is a task that you do not like. You can overcome this by hiring a virtual assistant and offload any work that eats up your time and drains out your energy. This will help you to stay on track and focus on work that you enjoy.
Reward yourself
After you complete a task, reward yourself. Do this in a way that recharges your body and brain. The dopamine rush released by the feeling of reward will motivate you and give you the drive to tackle your next task or project. It can be as simple as smiling and telling yourself good job. Or it can be treating yourself to an energy bar or sometimes to an activity you like.
