You’re all set for the day. You woke up early, motivated to start your daily activities.
Then, you hear a sound “beep” on your phone, a message from your friend.
You poured a cup of coffee, sat down, and “Tada.”
You spent the next four hours chatting and replying to messages and comments.
So, you look at the tasks and say, “I can always get back to it.”
Don’t beat yourself! You’re not alone, and we have all been there.
You’ll face many obstacles as an entrepreneur. One of the biggest is procrastination; it hinders productivity, dampens your spirits, and keeps you from moving forward.
As a result, you may start a business, get frustrated, and feel it’s not worth the effort. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the many tasks and responsibilities.
But don’t give up so fast!
This article will discuss hacks and tricks to help you beat procrastination and achieve your entrepreneurial goals.
Say Goodbye to Procrastination: 11 Powerful Techniques to Stay Motivated and Make Progress
To take action that will help you overcome any delay is, of course, simpler said than done.
However, here are some steps to help you get off your buttocks, accomplish more, and stay more productive than you ever imagined possible.
Make a Goal and Get Started
Remember, everything begins with a purpose. Therefore, be clear about what you want to achieve when starting your business.
If you understand what you want, it’s easier to determine what to do first to move in the correct direction.
After you’ve written down your goal:
- Consider what you can do right now to move you in the correct direction.
- Go ahead and do it.
- Then, return and do something else.
- Start each morning by reviewing your objective and challenging yourself to take action.
You will have made significant headway before you know it. Remember, you’re making progress with each step you take every day.
Next, Make A Note Of Your Goal
It doesn’t matter if you use a scrap of paper, your favorite notebook, or your phone to write it.
The important thing is that you write down your objective. This will help you
- Define your purpose.
- Provide you with something to refer to later.
- Serve as a reminder and tool for when you want to procrastinate.
Start Small
One of the main reasons we delay is because something appears to be too difficult.
Getting started can be intimidating when you have an enormous task. There’s too much to do, so we ignore it for a while.
It’s a coping strategy, but it’s not very effective. So instead, choose one small action that you can do.
It helps to write down your goal, break it down into manageable pieces and tackle them one at a time.
Setting a timer is a great trick that works every time. Your phone, like most smartwatches, has one embedded in it.
You also can use a time management method like the Pomodoro Technique, breaking your task into short intervals of 25 minutes.
However, you can start with 15 or 20 minutes if that works better for you.
Remember, the objective is to begin, manage your time effectively, and work on the task you’ve been putting off.
Don’t Procrastinate; just Begin
Simply get started. Yes, sometimes all you need to do is get moving in the correct direction.
Take action. Do anything, even if it’s something super small. Then, you get over that initial hump and build momentum.
Monitor Your Progress
Procrastinating can be enticing because you don’t seem to be making much progress.
So, begin by keeping note of what you do. You can accomplish this with a basic habit tracker.
Start by tracking, monitoring, and measuring your progress to show yourself that you are growing closer and closer.
For example, you can create a graph, use a spreadsheet, and maintain a journal.
You can also use a box for each day of the week and mark it off or fill it in when you complete the promised task.
Discover a method that works best for you and use it to motivate yourself to keep going.
Always remember how near you are to reaching each of your objectives.
So, continue tracking until it becomes a habit or you complete the task.
Create a Daily To-do list
Make a summary of everything you want to accomplish for the day.
Experiment with the number of things on that list.
You don’t want it to become overwhelming, but you want to push yourself to get more done.
The list holds you responsible because you can see whether or not you procrastinated in black and white.
Eliminate Distractions
Identify and eliminate any distractions preventing you from getting work done.
This can include turning off your phone or social media notifications, finding a quiet workspace, or using productivity tools to help you stay focused.
Remind Yourself of Your Motivation
There’s a reason you’re doing that action you’ve been putting off. Consider why you want to complete the task.
- Is it to ensure that you receive your tax refund?
- So you can play with the kids?
- To buy the beautiful clothes you dream of wearing? Discover your why.
Remember to make a note of it and store it close at hand. Then, look at it every day before you leave for work.
Don’t Beat Yourself
Here’s the deal. You can’t do anything about the past except learn from it.
So, beating yourself up for not sticking to your goals and strategy is counterproductive.
Remember, you aggravate the situation by stressing out and indulging in negative self-talk.
Moreover, those anxious feelings will reinforce your practice of procrastinating the next time again.
Instead of blaming yourself, tell yourself it’s acceptable the next time you procrastinate.
It doesn’t mean the end of the universe. Say it aloud, and then promise yourself to strive harder.
The key is “trying.” You’re working on learning new abilities and breaking a bad habit.
You may skip a day and then another of your task; that’s fine.
It’s normal to feel frustrated with your lack of success at times. But remember, it requires time, practice, and repeated failure.
If you can, channel your anger into motivation. Make a promise to attempt again and do better.
Examine your flaws. What was the source of your procrastination while working? Learn from it, and you will begin to improve.
Reward Yourself
Celebrate your accomplishments and reward yourself for meeting your goals.
Bribing yourself is perfectly acceptable if that is what drives you. For example, spend an hour working on a home improvement job and then watching an episode of your favorite show.
Promise yourself a new gadget or pair of shoes when you accomplish a goal. Find something that inspires you, and go for it.
This will help you stay motivated and focus on your long-term success.
Then, when you feel like putting things off for another day, remind yourself of the prize after the project.
Find An Accountability Buddy
Start by setting deadlines for yourself and hold yourself accountable for meeting them.
Then find an accountability partner or join a mastermind group to help you stay on track. For example, call a friend, tell your spouse, or join a community of like mind.
Look for someone else struggling with procrastinating and hold each other accountable. Check in with each other regularly.
Then, encourage them to check on how you did. It may be the little extra push you need to stop procrastinating.
Share your goals for the day and what you plan to achieve. Knowing that you must submit to someone else motivates you to act.
It could be as simple as checking in once in the morning to declare what you each want to get done and then again at the end of the day to see what happened.
Knowing someone else is right there with you can be super motivating.
Procrastination, like anything else, is a habit you can break to become your desired motivated and effective version of yourself.
Final Thoughts
Are you ready to stop delaying and start making progress? To motivate yourself into action:
- Try out these procrastination-busting tactics.
- Then, give them all a shot over the next few days and weeks to see which ones impact you most.
- When you find yourself procrastinating, return to this list and try one or more of these techniques. Your output will skyrocket.
Remember, success takes time and effort, but with the right mindset and strategies, you can overcome procrastination and accomplish anything you want.
If you’re struggling to stay on track, don’t hesitate to ask for help.