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How To Stop Procrastinatin
Author: Susan Squier
Procrastination is a mindset fueled by fear; fear that results from negatively over-thinking tasks and their end result. These thoughts paralyze your mind and body, leaving you with no energy to do what must be done and very few accomplishments.
There is no room in direct sales for procrastination.
Procrastination keeps you from reaching your full potential. It hurts you, your business, and those around you. If you procrastinate with your business, it will never have a chance to flourish and be what you dream it to be.
People who procrastinate generally make excuses for not following through with the tasks at hand. They are always rushing and stressed out. And they wait far too long to get things done. This behavior leads to poor relationships, failing businesses, bad credit, low self-esteem, and disappointment.
Procrastination prevents success.
Being a procrastinator allows you to make a million excuses as to why you didn’t do this or that. It allows you to make excuses as to why you did not coach your hostess or talk to the bank teller or make follow-up calls. And as your business fails to move forward, procrastionation will convince you that the direct sales business doesn’t work... so you’ll give up.
You'll be convinced that it wasn’t your fault when it actually was... all because you procrastinated.
The good news is that you can overcome procrastination!
Overcoming procrastination is not something that happens overnight... it's a long journey. And the first step starts with understanding the fear behind the procrastination.
Take your direct sales business, for instance. Is the fear based on...
Bothering people?
Bothering people is hounding them day after day. It’s not asking them a question once―or even twice. And it's not inviting them to a hostess party they can choose not to attend.Being judged?
No one, and I mean no one, will ever be able to please everyone all the time. It’s never been done.Being a failure?
Spinning “what if” around in your mind will only keep you procrastinating.Being successful?
If you grow your business slowly, reaching your dreams will feel right, not scary.Feeling rejected?
The answer is definitely "no" if you don’t ask. But if you ask, there is the possibility for a yes. You only increase your odds by asking.
Once you understand why you procrastinate, you can take baby steps towards ending that procrastination tendency once and for all.
Below are 9 tips to help you overcome procrastination:
Seek Help
In some cases professional help is needed, so if you feel depressed, or like your procrastination is out of your control, seek professional help―there's no shame in it.
If your procrastination is deeply rooted in an emotional trauma, professional guidance can help you move beyond the pain and trauma, to a freer, healthier, you.Read A Book
Get a book on overcoming procrastination and read one chapter a night. If one chapter is too much, read one page.Stay Tuned In
Always be aware of your porcrastination problem.
Ask yourself why you’re procrastinating, then ask if your decision is based on fact, trial and error, or fear.Get Organized
Get organized and get rid of any clutter that may contribute to your procrastination.
Use the one touch rule. When you get the mail, for example, read it, then throw it away, file it away, or respond. If you pile it up on your counter then you will waste time later, touching it twice, and having to read it again in order to clean up the pile.Time The Task
Set time limits by using a timer.
It doesn’t take as long as your mind thinks it does to do things. Time yourself the next time you load the dishwasher or make a professional phone call, knowing the amount of time it takes to complete a task will help you end the procrastination around that particular task.Don’t Over-Think
The more you think about a task, the longer you'll put it off. Look at your to do list, pick something, and just do it. Put your most feared tasks first and be done with it. Completely a task you were afraid of doing will build confidence and prevent you from procrastinating the next time.Delegate
Don’t do everything yourself when you can hire, barter, or delegate the task.
If you didn’t mess up the house yourself, then you shouldn’t clean it yourself. If you don't know how to do something, barter with another home business person who does.Set Obtainable Goals
Set goals you can reasonably achieve. Don’t put twenty things on your to do list, for instance, when you know that you don’t have time to do all twenty of those things in a single day!
Make a monthly weekend list for bigger projects like cleaning closets and carpets. And a weekly list for smaller projects, then break projects up so that you can tackle them throughout the week. Distributing your tasks throughout the week makes them more manageable―achievable.Utilize Down Time
Utilize your children's lunch and nap times for business tasks that require quiet time.
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