Podcast 3: How to Stop Procrastinating on Your Marketing
Mar 03, 2020
I can be a master procrastinator, especially when I’m doing something that scares me. Trying to get my head around new tech can easily be dropped in favour of walking the dogs or decluttering a kitchen cupboard.
For many of the clients I work with, they procrastinate around doing any marketing. It’s so easy to get overwhelmed with all the things you think you should be doing, and end up doing nothing.
Procrastination is stopping so many complementary practitioners from thriving and building the business they really want.
What is procrastination?
In a nutshell, procrastination is when you avoid acting on the most important thing(s). It often hides plain sight, disguising itself as something that’s valid but it’s a disguise.
There’s the version where you’re really busy being busy on things you absolutely have to’ do now! Or, you get side-tracked by social media, pretending you’re working, but you’re scrolling and watching random videos. How about your friend calls because their free that day and know you work for yourself? Isn’t being flexible and able to go for lunch at the drop of a hat one of the benefits?
Why do people procrastinate?
- Procrastination often comes when you step outside of your comfort zone. Fear walks hand in hand with procrastination and will stop you in your tracks. Whether it’s the fear of failure or the fear of being visible, it will stop you from finishing what you start. You may not even get started in the first place.
- This works with fear and is around being judged or criticized. It can cause you to procrastinate and avoid doing anything where you are putting yourself out there and feeling vulnerable. This has been a demon that’s stopped me from finishing many projects over the years and I’ve had to work hard on addressing it.
- It’s easy to procrastinate when you’re doing something you don’t enjoy when you could be having so much more fun somewhere else. Because you have to wear so many hats in your business, there will be certain tasks that are ‘necessary evils’ as I like to call them. These are the ones you ideally delegate when you are more established.
- This is where you think you have more time than you do so put off starting. This one caught me out with writing my book last year. Because I had a long deadline, I started too late and ended up having to put in some crazy long day to get it done.
What are your go-to procrastination habits?
We all have our favourite go-to habits when we are procrastinating. Think about what you do to avoid working on the important things in your business. This awareness will help you to recognise when you are procrastinating and help you to step in and do something more useful instead.
Listen in to what you are telling yourself about these habits. You may find your inner voice is trying to convince you what you’re doing has value.
What are you procrastinating about?
Do you have a big project you’re procrastinating on? What is the one thing you’d love to finish or launch which will help to move your business forward? Use the following tips to help you move forward.
6 ways to stop procrastination
1 Minimise any distractions so turn off your phone, shut down your emails and find a place to work where you won’t be interrupted to work.
2 Set yourself your most important tasks for the day and commit to doing them before you do anything else. If you pick your top two or three things to focus on first and it will free you up for the rest of the day.
3 Change the stories you’re telling yourself about the task at hand. Notice what you say to yourself and make sure you’re being positive and encouraging about completing it.
4 Create systems that you can follow step by step. This will stop you from having to think too much about what needs to be done, and instead flow through tasks.
5 Celebrate completing the most important tasks and recognise your achievements. You could treat yourself to a little reward such as a Skype coffee with a friend or having a long lunch.
6 Have someone to keep you accountable. This works wonders in focusing the mind and helping you to achieve more. It can be a business buddy, a coach or mentor, as part of a membership or mastermind group. Do whatever works best for you.
If you struggle with procrastination, book a discovery call and find out how I can help you.
Podcast 3 show notes:
- What is procrastination? (1:25)
- Why do people procrastinate? (2:10)
- What are your go-to procrastination habits? (5:11)
- What are you procrastinating about in your business? (6:19)
- 6 ways to stop procrastination (6:42)
- 1 – Minimise distractions (6:55)
- 2 – Do the important tasks first (7:18)
- 3 – Change the stories you’re telling yourself (7:47)
- 4 – Create systems (8:16)
- 5 – Celebrate your achievements (8:45)
- 6 – Be kept accountable (9:14)
- Procrastination will kill your business (10:04)
