We entrepreneurs typically wear a lot of hats. Along with spending time doing work we love comes the things we must do, but would prefer not to … a recipe for procrastination. When I find myself procrastinating on an important project, one of three things tends to get me moving:
1. Visualize the Outcome. I acknowledge how much energy it takes having whatever dreaded task hanging over my head, and visualize how much better I’ll feel to have it off my plate. When I know exactly what needs to be done, and am simply avoiding doing it, that usually gets me moving.
2. Ground Yourself. That’s not grounding in the meditation sense, but in the “misbehaving teenager” sense. I tell myself that I don’t have to do the job at hand, but I can’t do anything else until the whatever I’m neglecting is completed. This works best when I’m postponing some project that I’m not quite sure how to tackle. By not frittering away time on other things, I’m forced into forward motion, even if I’m not quite sure where I’m going. In the course of focusing on the project, the answer usually comes to me.
3. Ask For Help. Sometimes being stuck is a sign that I don’t have all the information I need. If that’s the case, I figure out what additional input would help, and where or from whom I can get it.
What helps you get moving when you find yourself procrastinating?
