Sometimes we get tired. You have a had a long day and you still haven’t crossed out everything on your list. You would rather be catching up on your favorite shows. You heard Greys Anatomy and The Real Housewives of New Jersey was so juicy, the things on your list will just have to wait. Before you know it, it has been three days and you haven’t done a thing on your list. Procrastination can get a hold of you and sometimes you can’t get it off.
A survey done by Salary.com stated 67 percent of survey respondents said they wasted time at work on a daily basis. Staying on task is so much harder these days with the distraction of social media. People spend so much time on Facebook and Instagram it’s like watching TV!
What we must do is figure out why we are procrastinating and what we can do to stop. It is okay to take a break, but you don’t want to get so off track that you are days behind schedule.
1. WHY ARE YOU PROCRASTINATING?
Very simple question. Why are you procrastinating? Once you know why you are procrastinating you can get to the root of the problem and solve it or form a strategy to get around it.
Are you bored? Stop for about thirty minutes, do something else, and then get back to work. Sometimes you need a distraction to get back refocused.
Lack of confidence in the project? Decide what peice of the project your not feeling up to the par and revamped.
Overwhelmed? It might be best to take some things off your plate. Figure out a different strategy.
Whatever the reason may be, solve the problem so you can finish your plans.
2. DO THE HEADACHE TASK FIRST
I don’t care what position you may have, manager, assistant, CEO, there are things we just don’t want to do. Presentations, answering emails, research properties, etc. Why not just do those tasks first? Go ahead and check that off the list at the start of the day. You can get it out the way early and get a quick confidence boost that the hardest part of your day is already over!
3. TURN OFF SOCIAL MEDIA
Sounds real easy until you try it right? Social media has us looking down at our phones ALL day. We are so absorbed in it. I know people who have walked in the middle of the street off the sidewalk in traffic distracted by dogs dancing! We can spend hours on Instagram and we look up and it’s 6pm and time to cook dinner.
It’s too easy to just pick up your phone, tap on the apps, and scroll for a few minutes, and then get back to work. Completely log out of your social media accounts for a few hours a day. If needed designate a time to shut it down so you can get your work done. This is your business and it deserves your undivided attention.
4. EFFECTIVE TIME MANAGEMENT
I talk a lot about time management throughout majority of my blogs. When you are running a business you have to dedicate a tremendous amount of time to be successful. If you can’t commit to time, your business will never see the light of day.
Plan out each task and set a time for it to be started and finished. That way you will be focused to reach your deadline. Reward yourself for completion of projects. If you meet your deadline, you can catch that movie you been wanting to see at the theater.
