A recurring theme that I often encounter with individuals is a big idea or project they want to tackle. Some are brimming with excitement, others with concern. Regardless of their initial stance, some dive headfirst into the venture, while others appear to hesitate or stall.
Procrastination is something we’ve all been guilty of now and then. (My particular form of procrastination includes baking, cleaning, and some form of social media.)
Whatever the specifics, I think it stems from a perception that their project will be difficult, expensive, or confusing.The key word is perception.
How then, can we get moving when stalled on a new project? Here are some tactics that have worked for me.
Know what you need to know and what you don’t. There are some projects where it is essential to understand exactly how something is set up. There are others where you only need to know enough to keep things going. Take setting up an email newsletter, for example. If setting up Mailchimp is not intuitive for you, and you’re wasting hours doing something you don’t love, let someone else do the initial setup. You can still handle it monthly from there if you decide, even if you were not the one to build it in the first place.
Ask the question: What other information do I need? Sometimes we need to do research to get started with a project; sometimes we already have all the information. If you need more information, decide specifically what that is and make a plan to get it. If you have everything, look at it all together so you can see the big picture of the project to feel more confident.
Don’t ask for too many opinions. While it’s nice to have the support of family and friends, ask yourself if their input will add value in the end. When it comes to logo design, for example, I trust my designer, and perhaps not my spouse who might agree just to push me along. When it comes to choosing software to run my business, I listen to others who have made this decision before me and work in a similar space. Asking for too much input is often just another way of procrastinating and can cause confusion and leave you questioning even your own ideas.
Break the project down into individual tasks. Something like redesigning your website can seem like a huge task. But if you break it down, you’ll see more manageable chunks of work. In this case, start with the homepage and make a list of what you want to include – things like Facebook and LinkedIn social media icons, a headshot of yourself, a testimonial from a client, a link to your calendar. The point is, be as specific as you can.
Don’t keep the details in your head – write them down or add them to a tasks tool. When I don’t have a documented plan, I can spend hours spinning my wheels trying to remember what I’ve done and what to do next. Spend time up front to write a detailed plan in order to see the entire project. It will save time and work.
Leave perfectionism behind. It’s better to get started and improve the work rather than wait until you have every detail just right. You’ll learn as you go and build and improve on your project through time. Businesses evolve all the time – so develop the improvement muscle and you’ll be able to stay current with what your business needs.
In general, initiating any new project proves to be the most challenging aspect. Once you begin checking off your tasks, a sense of relief and accomplishment will gradually set in. Embrace these six ideas to bid farewell to procrastination for good.