Do you procrastinate? I think every single one of us would be lying if we said we didn’t put off uninspiring tasks from time to time. If it’s occasional, it isn’t a problem. But what can you do if you’re consistently procrastinating, or if you can’t find the motivation to work on a task with an urgent deadline? In this blog post, I look at why you might be procrastinating in the first place, how to reduce the chances of it happening to you, and how you can deal with it in the moment.

Take a break

I’ve always believed that when you’re consistently procrastinating, your body is trying to tell you something. The most common thing is that you need to take a break and then come back to whatever it is you were procrastinating on.

One thing I like to do if I’m feeling really unproductive and unfocused is go for a walk. Usually while I’m walking - seeing things and getting fresh air - I get brainwaves or things occur to me about what I was working on that are really helpful and that I can go back and implement. If I have too many ideas, I like to use the Voice Typing feature in Google Docs on my phone to get them all down in the moment.

But you might need a longer break than that. If you can, give yourself permission to take the rest of the day off. Do something you really enjoy to take your mind off work - binge on a series you’ve been watching, video call a friend or family member, get the yarn out to crochet or knit, or whatever brings you joy that you don’t usually get time to do on a working day. You’ll probably find that the rest will do you a world of good, and the next day you’ll be much more motivated to get that task done.

Look at the bigger picture

You might be procrastinating because the work you’re trying to do isn’t something that lights you up. If that’s the case, you should find some way to change that. Take a step back and be really honest with yourself: is this something absolutely necessary that you and only you can do?

If it’s not client work, the answer to this is usually no. A solution could be to outsource the task to someone else, maybe to a virtual assistant. But if it is something only you can do, and it’s a key part of your business, ask yourself if that’s something you want to be doing long term. Is there some way you could pivot what you’re offering so that you do less of that kind of work?

Raise your rates

You might be procrastinating because you’re doing client work but you know that you aren’t going to be paid enough for the time you’re having to put into the job. In that case, you need to look at your rates. Are you charging enough for your time?

It’s so important to set minimum rates based on what you need to earn to cover your expenses (both business and personal). This is something I work through with participants on my Charge with Confidence programme, so they have the confidence to say no to clients who want to pay less than they need to earn for a project.

Plan tasks around your body’s natural cycles

Try to be aware of your body’s natural cycles and what times of day you’re usually best at doing different kinds of tasks. In my case, first thing in the morning (the earlier the better), I am very good at cracking on, getting my head down and working in a very focused way on a project. I get less and less productive as lunchtime rolls around, and I have a massive slump after I eat lunch. It doesn’t matter what time I eat, I can’t focus on anything for at least an hour afterwards. That time is therefore ideal for tasks that don’t require a lot of focus, like replying to non-urgent emails or engaging with my audience on social media. I’m often quite sociable around those times, I’m just not very good at doing focused work, so that can be a good time for calls too. Later in the afternoon, I start to get my focus back and I’m good at getting little tasks ticked off my to-do list.

That’s the case for me, but you might be completely different. Try to pay attention to when you feel best-suited to different kinds of tasks and use that information when you’re planning a project. When you receive a job, you might have to go through the materials to make sure you’re familiar with everything and do some research before you can get stuck in. For me, that kind of job is best suited to late in the day, and then first thing the next morning I would crack straight on with the bulk of the job when I know I’ve got a few hours of focus in me. Start paying attention to that type of thing in yourself.

Break tasks down into tiny chunks

If you’re not in a position where you can switch off from work and can’t give yourself a break, perhaps because you’ve got a deadline, something that really helps me is to break down whatever I’m working on into the smallest possible chunks. I make a list of absolutely everything I need to do for that particular task, and write down every little thing that will contribute to getting it finished. In my mind, it’s a lot easier to take one thing on that list and get it done quickly than tackle the task as a whole. I can tell myself that I only need to focus for five minutes to get one thing done. Then once I’m in the mindset of working on the project and I’ve got something ticked off, it’s much easier for me to move onto the next small thing on the list. Bit by bit, the job gets done.

More tips from my Instagram community

“I use the Pomodoro technique to split my work into chunks of time” - @nathaliereis1

“I write tasks down. My to-do list owns me!” - @write_between

“Just get started with something small, easy to tick-off. I quickly pick up momentum after that” - @diaryofabookishmumma

“Change your state, or in other words your body. I often do a 5-min at-your-desk yoga video” - @maddie.nellie

“I tell myself I’ll at least get a few minutes done… I always end up working much longer” - @elliemaemcbride

Another way of being kind to yourself is to ask for support. We can’t be everything to everyone, and we can’t (and shouldn’t!) do every little thing our business requires single-handedly. It’s important to outsource tasks where it makes sense for us to do so, allowing us to free up time for either rest or the work that only we can do.

If you’d like some support to become more efficient in your business, I’m currently offering 1:1 custom mentoring. Whether you need an external perspective to enable you to see the bigger picture or advice and encouragement to raise your rates, book in for a call and I’ll be happy to help!

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