Are You A Now Or Later When It Comes To Getting Stuff Done?

So be honest, when you read the question above, did you say in your head, "Can we just talk about that later?" It's OK if you did. That's pretty much what I said as I was writing it. Not like it's a hard question. I'm basically asking if you're a procrastinator or not. And most people already know the answer to that, right? You could ask most middle schoolers and even they'd know. If they're the kid waiting till Sunday night to crack the book on the weekend's homework (I hear that's a thing, not that I ever...), or if they announce at 9 p.m. that they need brownies for tomorrow's bake sale (OMG ever heard that one?!!), well... the answer's kinda obvious. (It's YES!) So, how good are you at overcoming procrastination?

For me, it depends on the day. You know, Mondays good, Wednesdays meh. Some days I feel like tackling it all. Others, I want to play hooky or just not deal. I was sort of kidding with that Monday vs. Wednesday comment. But now that I think about it, that's how it works a lot of the time. On Mondays, I usually have an up and at 'em attitude (I'm weird that way, see the reference to my dating/entrepreneur profile), so I start the week with a bang. Bring it on and let's get some sh*t done people! But then, as the week goes on — and with Friday happy hour days away! — I start lagging. So sometimes it really does depend on the actual day. And then there's my mood.

But I Don't Feel Like Doing It!

What's mood got to do with it? A LOT! I've noticed there's a ratio of how energetic I'm feeling compared to the "ugh" factor of my to-do list that determines how much of a procrastinator I'm going to be on any given day. Huh? Let me explain. If I feel rested, I'm ready for anything. (Even inventory!) But if I'm tired and totally dreading something on my to-do list, then I'll find all kinds of dumb stuff to do first. I'm doing warehouse inventory today, but I better reorganize my junk drawer first. And clean the coffee maker. Sound familiar? Putting stuff off is not hard. But that doesn't mean it's good.

That could be why you didn't want to answer my 'now or later' question. We all know that being a procrastinator isn't something to brag about. It prevents us from being efficient and keeps us from accomplishing things. Most importantly, it takes up precious mental energy that could be spent on positive endeavors instead of pointless distractions and worry. So overcoming procrastination — even if that's your default mode — is a good thing to work on.

Overcoming Procrastination: Tips To Get Started Now, Not Later!

As you may have noticed, I'm a big fan of lists! Love them, in fact! Making a list for the week, month, or for long-term goals is really helpful. Just putting something on paper makes it real. And having it stare you in the face (don't hide your to-do lists, my friends!) makes it harder to ignore. Lists also get my thoughts organized into a logical order when they tend to be all over the place. Bonus: Once you accomplish something, you get to cross it off, which is super satisfying! (Especially if you do it with a big red pen.) Being rested — not always easy for us small biz owners — is a huge factor for me. When I'm tired, everything feels like a huge pain. When I'm not, everything seems possible.

Here are a few other tricks that can help you in overcoming procrastination:

• Set a timer. When you're racing against the clock, you usually work faster.
• Reward yourself when you complete a task. Donut anyone?
• Don't be afraid to end conversations and phone calls that run longer than necessary. Pretend you have another meeting if you need an easy escape. Oh wow, it's 2:00. I gotta go!
• When you make those lists I mentioned above, put deadlines on each task.
• Track how you spend your time and hold yourself accountable. Hopefully you're already doing some version of this. If not, it's time to start! Keeping close track of your time and spending is an essential part of being profitable!

Speaking of profits, if you're looking for something to help with pricing, keep more money in your pocket and take your business to the next level, we've got our Nail Your Pricing guide right here! And it's FREE!

Be Oh So Quotable This Week!

I always say running a business means the work never ends! Ain't that the truth? I bet your to-do list is a mile long! Make sure that the items at the top of your list are the things that relate to being more profitable. Everyone is so proud of being so "busy"...But Are You Making Any Money? Don't be too busy to focus!

Check out the summary of last week's business tips and motivational quotes from my Instagram page which you hopefully got to see in real time! If not, let's make sure we're following each other on Instagram!! So...here is this week's roundup of Instagram images of My Top Business Tips and Motivational Quotes.

Overcoming Procrastination – Tip #1:

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"Continuous improvement is better than delayed perfection." – Mark Twain

Overcoming Procrastination – Tip #2:

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"There are risks and costs to action. But they are far less than the long range risks of comfortable inaction." – John F. Kennedy

Overcoming Procrastination – Tip #3:

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"You miss 100 percent of the shots you don't take." – Wayne Gretzky

Overcoming Procrastination – Tip #4:

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"Even if you’re on the right track – you’ll get run over if you just sit there." – Arthur Godfrey

Overcoming Procrastination – Tip #5:

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"You can’t get much done in life if you only work on the days when you feel good." – Jerry West

Let's talk! I'd love to hear your tips for overcoming procrastination!

Are you a "now" or "later" person? Do you have any suggestions for the "laters" among us for overcoming procrastination? I would LOVE to hear from you! Anyhoo...I publish these business tips and motivational quotes to get you fired up for your work week!

Oh by the way, are you searching for easy steps to charge more without losing clients? Learn where you're leaving money on the table and discover simple costs to cut PLUS get productivity tips! And the best part is it's all FREE!

And, if you want more business tips, get my book, But Are You Making Any Money? or contact me to really take your business to the next level!

xoxo M

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