From One Procrastinator To Another…9 Best Ways To Start Now!
Ask anyone and they’ll tell you I’m an organized person, deadlines are written in stone for me, and I’m very productive. What they don’t know (unless they’re related to me), is that I’m also a chronic procrastinator.
Hmmmm….being a procrastinator can be the death of your personal concierge business. Things HAVE to get done, when your clients want them done. Fail at that and your business fails.
Commit right now to stop the endless procrastination cycle—you know, that predictable turn of events that always ends with you going into panic mode to get something accomplished on time, in the manner you promised.
Trust me. Rushing around with your hair on fire is neither efficient nor effective. It also does nothing to instill confidence in your clients that you’re just the personal concierge they need to help them get things done.
Where to start? Here are 9 steps to put you on the path to productivity:
1) Prioritize. Write all your tasks down, then take a look at them and choose three that you absolutely, positively, WILL get done today. Ask yourself: What’s urgent? What’s important? This step is actually best done the night before, but for sure don’t put it off (see, I know you!) past first thing in the morning.
2) Don’t stuff the whole cookie in your mouth at once. Enjoy it bite by bite. Take every project on your to-do list and break it down into small, manageable, and actionable steps. The tinier the better.
3) Do the thing you dread the most first. This is when your energy is highest. Putting it off only saps your strength and has a domino effect on the rest of your day.
4) Forget about multi-tasking. Concentrate on the number one priority on your list and work on it until you can’t take it any further. Only then should you move to number two and eventually number three.
Most of the time, multi-tasking is really dealing with distractions while you’re working on a specific project. Studies show you can lose as much as two hours a day to distractions. What’s a distraction? Emails, instant messaging, checking Facebook, putting in a load of laundry, long phone calls, managing mini family crises.
Start by forcing yourself to focus 100% on the task-at-hand for short periods of time, then gradually lengthen your focus time. You’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish in ten minutes.
5) Admit you’re not perfect. First get it done. If there’s time, polish it up.
6) Enlist an accountability partner. Believe me, you’re not the only procrastinator out there. As you network you’ll meet other business owners with the same challenge. Partner and check in with each other at a set time each day to see if you’re on track. Whatever you do, don’t use this as a time to set a project aside. Ahem. I’m talking to you.
7) Build time into your schedule to take a break and goof off. Everyone needs a little recess.
8) Start your day over. Make a commitment to check in with yourself once a day (2:00pm for me) and reboot if necessary. You’ll still have time to get ‘er done and your day won’t be a complete disaster.
9) If things really start piling up, it’s time for some tough love. Take yourself to a new location, put your head down, and plow through as many things that have been lurking on your to-do list as possible. Think you’re too tired and need to take a little coffee break? Forget about it. You got yourself into this mess, this is the session you’re going to dig yourself out. Vow you’re not going to quit until you’ve made a significant dent in your project list.
To your success!
Kathryn