One interesting challenge I see a lot of entrepreneurs struggle with is the pendulum that swings between working too much… and procrastination. Even I tend to do too much some days and not enough other days and, frankly, I wish I could find the perfect spot between and hold that level each day of the week.
When it comes to procrastination, how do you get your work done? What can you do to push through that internal resistance and do the work you need to do? Here are some ideas:
If the task you're avoiding is unpleasant:
- When prioritizing your work, schedule one unpleasant task first and get it out of the way.
- Consider rewarding yourself with appropriate rewards to motivate you.
If the task you're avoiding is too big:
- Break difficult tasks that you tend to resist and leave until the last minute down into smaller tasks that can be scheduled over a period of time.
- Consider outsourcing it to someone who could use the work or the money. If it's an easy task, hire a high school student. If it requires some technical expertise, go online and hire a freelancer to do it.
If there's some other reason you're not sure of:
- Don't be afraid to embrace who you are. Sometimes we need that extra pressure from a deadline to help us do the job. Although I wouldn't recommend this as a “best practice” to do every time, leaving something until the last minute — as long as it's not a vital business task that could make or break your business — isn't the end of the world.
