We’ve all been there—you sit down at your computer with every intention to crush your next task… and then you think, “But first, coffee,” or “Let me just have a quick look at my social feed.” An hour later you’re still scrolling, or you’ve fallen into a really interesting conversation with someone in the kitchen and are feeling a little jittery because you’re on your third cup of coffee.
Why, oh why, do we consciously or unconsciously avoid doing the thing we know we should be doing for the thing we know we shouldn’t? In short, why do we procrastinate?
Well, it turns out it’s your brain’s fault (does that still mean it’s your fault?) One research paper shows that we’re programmed to have two types of motivation: intrinsic or extrinsic.
Intrinsic and extrinsic are really just fancy words for internal and external, and the basic idea is that when we do something because it’s personally rewarding, that’s our intrinsic motivation at play; when we do something to earn a reward or avoid punishment, that’s extrinsic.
So what does this mean for you and your old nemesis Mr. Procrastination? The good news is that both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation can be beneficial in achieving a goal—internal motivation is considered to work best for long-term goals, while external motivation urges you to complete something that you don’t really want to do, even though you have to.
The key to overcoming procrastination is understanding what type of motivation you’re feeling, and how to effectively tap into both so that you remain productive even when you’re being tugged in another direction.
Here are five ways you can do this:
1. Keep your bigger purpose in mind
It’s easy to get so swept up in the day-to-day running of your business that you forget the deep reasons why you started it in the first place. Next time you have to complete something necessary that you have barely any interest in, remember that—for better or worse—it forms part of that original founding passion, and is just another rung on the ladder you’re climbing.
If you’re struggling to care about a particular task, remind yourself that it’s still directly or indirectly adding value to both your business and your customers. When you look at the bigger picture and consider the positive influence you and your team is having because of your business, you’ll be more motivated to get on with doing what you don’t really want to do.
2. Keep things simple
Entrepreneurs might be risk-takers, but they can also be overthinkers. Overthinking can be beneficial when it’s a matter of considering all possible outcomes of an important decision, but a lot of the time it’s a stumbling block.
More often than not, overthinking evokes unnecessary stress and pressure and hinders your ability to get things done. A calm, settled mind is far better at solving problems because it’s more able to prioritise and delegate.
Beating overthinking is simple—keep it simple! Break those daunting tasks down into more manageable bites, and focus on each of those bites one at a time. Before you know it, you’ll have completed the task and can move onto the next thing.
3. Unblock your brain
Ever been caught up in a loop of negative thinking? Or felt like trying to come up with a creative solution is like wading through hot toffee? Mental blocks like this are terrible for your motivation.
To unblock yourself, you’ve got to reframe the thoughts you’re having about a particular task. Instead of tearing yourself up about it and pondering it day and night, RELAX. Adjust your inner-voice and, as difficult as it can be, relent to your subconscious—you’ll be amazed at how a solution will appear ‘out of nowhere’ when you stop thinking about the problem so much.
Meditation is particularly great for this.
4. Get rid of the neg
Before you begin a particular task, assess how you’re feeling about it. If you’re already hating it or feeling overwhelmed by how much you need to get done, you’ve been defeated by it before you’ve even started.
Check your negative thoughts and turn that pessimism into positivity by thinking about how you’re going to ENJOY this task, that you WANT to do it. Picture yourself completing the task and imagine the sense of satisfaction you’ll feel. Repeat this visualisation until the unpleasantness of the task starts to fade and, with it, your procrastination.
5. Remember when…
Starting your own business is a HUGE challenge. It requires serious determination and resilience. Being of a certain mindset, it’s also not likely to be the first great challenge you’ve overcome.
To thrash procrastination, remind yourself of times when you’ve overcome some great obstacle or challenge. Did you run a marathon? Cycle up the Alps? Whatever it was, recall the memory of it in as greater detail as possible—what emotions were you feeling before, during and after?
Tap into these memories to remind yourself of what you’re capable of, and to also demonstrate that whatever task you’re trying to get done now is nothing compared to some of the things you’ve accomplished before.