Procrastination-How To Make A Bad Habit Work For You

Procrastinating? How to Make This Bad Habit Work for You!
By Sue Papadoulis


Most of us procrastinate at some time in our lives - for some it's a daily struggle. We haven't prepared that sales letter, or we haven't sent out our first e-newsletters, or we just can't bring ourselves to do our tax return (a favourite!).

I've come to realise you can use procrastination as a way forward. Take a closer look at the reasons why you put things off and use this information to grow your business! Use my top 5 procrastination nasties as a guide for yourself.

1. You procrastinate because you don't enjoy the task. This is one of the main reasons people put things off. The good news is you have choices. You can outsource it, automate it, or delete it altogether. When you get to the stage in business when you only do the things you enjoy, work is no longer work - it's great fun!

2. You procrastinate because there's one part element of the task you don't enjoy. What a shame to put off an entire project simply because of one small area. Is there a way you give that small part to someone else to do?

3. You procrastinate because you don't know how. The solution is not going to magically appear if you take no action. If you don't know how to do something, set aside 30 minutes a day to finding out - do some web research, ask someone else. You'll probably be surprised by how easy it was and you'll wonder why you put it off for so long!

4. You procrastinate because you're stuck in a rut. You just need to take one small step towards the goal. A colleague once told me her secret to getting fit. She promised herself that all she had to do was get up at 5.30am every morning and go to the toilet. Once she'd made it that far she gave herself the choice of whether or not to get dressed and go for a run. When the alarm went off each morning, she didn't think about the entire weight loss goal, just that she had to go to the toilet. But every single day, she took the next step which was getting dressed - and then once that part had been accomplished everything else was easy. And with the momentum she created she got over her weight loss rut! Give yourself permission to do the easiest step first and you'll be on your way before you know it.

5. You procrastinate because you don't have the time. This is the easiest issue to overcome. It's simply a case of scheduled 30 minutes every single day to achieve your goal, and then treating this time as you would a meeting with your best client. You can find the time if you really want to.

6. You procrastinate because you don't want to do what you think you ought to do. This means that you're not being true to yourself in the first place. If you truly can't bear the thought of undertaking the task and don't like the idea of where you will end up as a result then reconsider your goal. Is it an old goal, or something that doesn't fit with the business anymore? Are you doing it because someone (a colleague, partner or mother) said you should? Dig further into your resistance to find out what lies beneath. Consider how you'd feel if you let the goal go - relieved? Then set yourself a new goal!

Take note of the things you procrastinate over - make a list today and then work out how to get them done (or find an alternative).



© 2009 Home Biz Chicks

WANT TO USE THIS REPORT IN YOUR E-NEWSLETTER OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Online entrepreneur Sue Papadoulis publishes the popular e-newsletter Smart Biz Chicks. If you're ready to jump-start your home business to make more money and have more fun and free time, get your FREE tips and FREE report "How to Generate Free Publicity for Your Home-Based Business" now at www.HomeBizChicks.com