by Alexandria K. Brown, "The E-zine Queen"
I'm guessing that right now there are several marketing tasks you've been
putting off. Perhaps it's revamping your website. Or sending out your
first e-zine. Or getting listed in the search engines. Or putting together
a media kit. So why haven't you done it?Believe me, this is a battle I
fight with myself too. But you know what I realized? Procrastination is
NOT evil!
Instead of seeing procrastination as a terrible thing, I now see it as a
tool that helps me learn how I work best. In fact, I've arrived at six
different reasons why we all seem to procrastinate.
Here they are, along with what you can learn from (and do for) each.
Reason 1: You are procrastinating because you don't enjoy the entire task
or job. Solution: One of my life coaches told me several years ago that if
I didn't like doing something, I should "delete it, delegate it, or
automate it." What a great way to look at things! I'm a big fan of ONLY
doing tasks I enjoy or am good at. The rest I outsource to people who are
good at it and/or enjoy it.
Reason 2: You are procrastinating because you don't enjoy a PART of the
entire task or job.Solution: If you're putting off a whole project just
because there's one part you don't want to do, figure out how you can get
away without doing that part. Again, delete it, delegate it, or automate
it.
Reason 3: You are procrastinating because you don't know how to handle the
task or job. Solution: The answer will not drop in your lap. Get help -- a
consultant to teach you how, a book or home study course to show you how,
or even better, outsource it to someone who can just do it for you.
Reason 4: You are procrastinating because you simply can't find the time.
Solution: Schedule future time to do it, or get rid of other tasks to
create the time you need. If you still can't do this, then you need to
find someone to do it for you.
Reason 5: You are procrastinating because you feel stuck. Solution: You
may just need to get momentum going. Give yourself permission to do just
one small part of the project only. Or do the easiest part first. (That's
how I started writing my entire home study course.) This usually creates
momentum, and you end up doing a lot more than you intended to!
Reason 6: You are procrastinating because you don't really want to do what
you thought you should do.Solution: This means you may have the wrong
objective or strategy in the first place! Is this something you really
want to do, or do you just think you SHOULD do it? Or is it an old goal
that doesn't fit you or your business anymore? Your answer may surprise
you. Let the goal go for awhile and see what happens.
Start Paying Attention! Once you start paying attention to which
activities you put off regularly, you'll know sooner when to be stricter
with yourself or find help to get those tasks accomplished in a more
timely manner.So take a minute and make your list right now of what
marketing tasks you've been putting off! Don't beat yourself up about it,
just make a note and figure out how to get them done. (Or delete them
entirely.)
© 2004-2006 Alexandria K. Brown
Online entrepreneur Alexandria K. Brown, "The E-zine Queen," publishes the
award-winning 'Straight Shooter Marketing' weekly ezine with 18,000+
subscribers. If you're ready to jump-start your marketing, make more
money, and have more fun in your small business, get your FREE tips now at
