Procrastination is crippling for product-based entrepreneurs who are seeking business growth, especially if you are working hard on your business growth planning and have long term desires to scale up your business globally.

Sometimes we turn to procrastination to avoid tackling the jobs we hate, and other times we do it when we aren’t motivated enough. There are many reasons why we procrastinate, but it’s important to remember that everyone is guilty of it at sometime.

It could be as simple as ‘slipping away’ from the computer to grab a cup of tea, or spending too long answering emails when you have a big project to tackle.

It takes away our attention for too long, resulting in the workload getting heavier and tasks not being done efficiently or quickly enough. This is not beneficial for your pace of growth or your own success mindset.

We are all guilty of letting procrastination happen. So, how can you beat procrastination ...forever?

Why Procrastination Happens 

Procrastination occurs when we want to actively avoid certain tasks or projects. For product-based business owners, this is typically because our anxiety and fears are starting to surface about the task in hand.

To avoid these negative feelings, we procrastinate. We turn ourselves away from the pain, which is usually the dreaded task, and turn towards pleasure (ie not doing it!).

Surfing the internet or social media is a great way to procrastinate as it's so easy to access on all the devices we have at our fingertips as business owners. By browsing the internet or online stores, we are doing a pleasurable activity.  We could be playing a game on our phone, grabbing a snack or fiddling about with other unnecessary apps on our phones.

All of these are creating positive feelings, the distraction is creating contentment. Naturally, we turn to indulging in these activities more when we want to procrastinate and avoid the negative connotations that go with important and possibly stressful tasks. This is why procrastination happens.

Ready to beat procrastination?  Here's how...

Just Get Started 

The most helpful piece of advice I can offer is to just get started. Simple, but you have to be "in motion" to achieve goals and get the business success you dream about. 

When you take one step towards your goal, even if it's just a baby step, the next step after that will become a lot clearer.

The first step is always the hardest one, but it’s the most important one.

I see many product-based business owners who desperately dream of business growth but every single day they put off doing to "sales" work that will get them there.  No one likes cold calling, emailing buyers and trying to knock on a million doors in an effort to get your product noticed... so many product entrepreneurs procrastinate.  They simply put it off.

And their business growth suffers because of it.  Procrastination is a business growth killer, especially for product-based businesses! 

For the task you know you are procrastinating about start by breaking it down into smaller chunks that are more manageable. This helps the task appear less overwhelming and stressful, taking away some of those negative connotations.

Then you know where your starting point on the task will be. Instead of letting procrastination kick in next time, don't think, don't engage your brain in "what if" scenarios that allow fear or doubt creep in... just get started.

Do The Jobs You Hate First 

Otherwise known as "eating your frog" - a concept born from Brian Tracey's International Best Seller - "Eat That Frog! Get More Of The Important Things Done Today".

Successful people don't try to do everything. They learn to focus on the most important tasks and make sure they get it done.

Write out a list of the jobs you are dreading the most, or the jobs that you hate the most. Then let's start with those!

There is a reason you are holding back on these jobs - they are probably slightly scary, out of your comfort zone (but you know you need to do them), or just downright so audacious in size or scale that you couldn't possibly pluck up enough courage to actually begin working on them... 

Encourage yourself to just power through it.

If all you ever do is tackle the easier jobs, or the ones you enjoy - as Founder and CEO you will end up with lower impact on your business growth, you won't have moved the dial at all - and you'll then simply go back to procrastinating on the important stuff after all the easy jobs are done anyway. How will that move you forward? It won't. 

You will be putting off those dreaded tasks that you hate, instead of just dealing with them head on.

Can you imagine the euphoric relief when the jobs you hate or fear are already done and the easier ones are left. That is a feeling worth aiming for. Your business growth plan and investors will thank you for it too - So make sure that you do the jobs you hate first.

What Are Your Personal Signs Of Procrastination?

It is important to start recognising your own personal early warning signs of procrastination. Mine are tidying the kitchen and getting everything out of the cupboards to re-organise! ... 

Perhaps you start to feel overwhelmed, so you turn your attention to something you enjoy doing. Maybe you ‘snooze’ your alarm too many times in the morning, or you are daydreaming too much - living in the future (because its safer), rather than right now in the present moment, facing your fears. 

Your procrastination signs are unique to you. 

You could well be on social media too much. If you know what a celeb has been up to all day, it’s probably a sign that you’ve been watching too many Instagram stories!

Recognise these early signs and try your best to nip it in the bud when you can.

When you recognise your mind wandering after working for a decent amount of time, it is ok to take a break from work. That sign is simply about needing to freshen up and brighten up your energy... but procrastination is different - it always has an element underneath it that you are "avoiding" something.

Make It Happen In Your Business

If you are feeling overwhelmed, you want to beat procrastination and you’re not sure where to start, I recommend sitting down and coming up with a simple plan of how you are going to tackle the day, or tasks ahead.

• Set a timer on your phone for 15 mins and write everything you need to do down in that allotted time. Everything about that task, project or day ahead you can think of.  Just get it all out.  
• Once you have your loose plan, group it into themes if it's a big project or break it down into manageable chunks if its a smaller topic.
• Then pick 3 things you really want to get done as priority first steps.
• Take a deep breath, don't overthink it and go ahead and start working on one of these top 3.

- Remember, tackle the jobs you hate the most first -  just get started!

Next Steps:

• What are you procrastinating about in your business ?  What are the tasks or projects that you KNOW will move your business growth forward but you've been putting it off for ages?
• Create your simple plan for how and when you will take the first step towards that task.  What's a small, bite-sized mini step you could take today, perhaps a call you could make in the next hour, that'll move you forward towards your goal?
• If procrastination is an issue for you, and you want to get some momentum back into your business, then hiring a female business coach may well be beneficial for you. A great business coach will help you get back on track, focus on what's important and hold you to account, so you get that work done! 
• If you would like to find out more about how I can help you grow your business faster than you are today, schedule a call to talk about our business coaching programs available.