Hey, we’ve all been there. Procrastination has plagued us all at one point or another, and the truth is, it’s fear in disguise. That’s why it feels so impossible to kick sometimes. But, not to worry, today I’m sharing both external and internal practices to get out of the rut of procrastination and create new habits so that your business excels and so that you have more time for your horse!
As a business coach, I spend many hours a week talking to clients about their businesses. It’s really easy for me to ‘take it all on’ and lay awake at night thinking about my clients when I should really be sleeping. No fun for anyone…trust me.
One way I stay focused on my calls is to light a beautiful smelling candle at the start, then blow it out at the finish. Not only is it symbolic, but it helps me sleep better!
Do you have any rituals you use to help you wind down and separate your work time and your chill time? Some of these little routines will help reduce the “I just can’t take anymore” moments.
Are you feeling burnt-out? Feel like you have a s*#&load to do, but then magically find yourself scrolling through social media? Do random tasks pop into your mind? If this is you, my guess is you don’t have a list (or your list is outrageous and unattainable).
For those of you with the Grand MotherShip of all lists, take 3-5 of the most important things from your list and put it into a “Today” list. Once you have finished those tasks, if you have extra time, go back to your big list and add 3 more things to do. Lists are super helpful to keep you organized and focused, but a monster list is often overwhelming and you don’t end up doing anything.
Your new list strategy will also help those of us that suffer from ‘shiny-thing-itis’ or as I sometimes call it ‘oops-iboughtanothersaddlepad-itis’. The rest of the world calls this easily distracted.
Quick tip – use a timer.
Not all timers are the same though. If you are like me, a phone timer will make you pick up your phone, check notifications, or ‘just a quick check’. Seriously, not going to help!
So, if you don’t have iron-strong willpower, use a sand timer. I know, I know….so old school! Hear me out. Some of the new designs are super cute and there is no way to get distracted by any extras. It is AMAZING what you can get done in 20 minutes if you really stick to one task, not doing anything else at all, including shopping for new saddle pads!
You’ve got your list organized, your sand timer ready to go, but still having trouble getting motivated? Making excuses as to why things are too hard and too scary.
Your fear is holding you back.
That mean bitch inside us that tells us we can’t do it or might upset someone. Tell her to back off and take a stand!
I see it all the time – people know what they need to do, but fear stops them in their tracks.
Take the first step and work on what you are afraid of. Then do the next thing, then the next. Before you know it, you will have completed the task that scared you so much.