Solopreneurs and small business owners are unique in that they don’t have to answer to anyone for their time except the occasional hourly client.

This gives you plenty of freedom and allows you to live your life on your own schedule. If you want to take a day off in the middle of the week, you can. If you want to spend a few hours at Target, Home Depot, the gym or only work half a day so you can go to the dentist, you don’t have to ask anyone’s permission. You can simply go.

While this type of work freedom is exciting and enjoyable, it has a down side, too. It can be easier to procrastinate because no one’s looking over your shoulder, making sure you’re still on track with your projects.

If you’re prone to procrastination and you work as a solopreneur, you may need to make more of an effort to work on this challenge.

Remember, procrastination is a habit that kills your productivity and robs you of the success you were born to experience. 

When you put off until later what you can quickly handle now, you multiply your stress. The things you put off rarely take care of themselves by the time you get to them, and the molehills of your life become mountains as a result.

Instead, you can experience a life & business of awesome-ness and love waking up every day to work on your passions & dreams, simply by making the decision to take action on a consistent basis.

I promise, you’ll feel more decisive and confident, and you’ll more efficiently and effectively move through your schedule.

Try these tips to banish procrastination and take action in the direction of your dreams:

1. Employ the one-minute rule. Throughout your day, your mind will constantly bring to your attention things that you need to accomplish. As you think of these things, write them down. If the task would take less than a minute to complete, why not just do it now and get it over with? This step alone will help you feel more productive.

 2. Get rid of clutter. Clutter is a drain on your mental energy. I am CURRENTLY doing this myself in my own home office… I looked around a week ago and said, HOLY $#@%… I need to declutter!

A clutter free environment promotes action, while cluttered space fuels procrastination.

* Commit to spending 10-20 minutes per day straightening up your office. In those 10-20 minutes, throw away as many papers and things you don’t need as you possibly can. Remember that the things that clutter your space are robbing you of your “inner calm” and taking up time when you need to find things or get stuff done.  Reclaim that time (as Maxine Waters says) by reclaiming your space.

3. Seek the help of a professional organizer. If you find that your procrastination is due to your lack of organization, a professional can quickly help you regain control. An organization professional is the fastest way to turn a life of chaos into complete order.

4. Discover why you’re procrastinating. Ask yourself questions to determine the reason for your indecision. Every form of procrastination is simply a delayed decision. Do you need more information to make the right choice? Is there a fear that you’re avoiding? Is the task unpleasant? Once you find out what’s truly in the way, you can get past it and get to work.

I’ve had clients purposely drag on projects because they were afraid of success… it’s pretty common actually – fear of success.  A lot of entrepreneurs deal with this.  Are you procrastinating because you are afraid of success or something else?

5. Break it down. Most big jobs or projects can be broken down into smaller, bite-sized pieces.

Easy fix, is to list the steps for your project. Make each step something that can be accomplished in a single short session of work. Focus on one small task at a time to keep you from getting overwhelmed, and complete the tasks on your list one by one until the project is completed.

6. Reward yourself. Sometimes, tasks you have to do are boring and feel like they provide little immediate payoff. If the job still has to get done, but you’re having trouble getting yourself going, bribe yourself (LOL) with a small reward for completing the task. A dinner out at your favorite restaurant, crack open a great bottle of wine, give yourself permission to “Netflix & chill”, binge watching your favorite show, or indulging in your extra time on a hobby are all possible rewards.

TO WRAP UP…

By using these simple tools, you can banish procrastination from your life forever.

Learn from your feelings of hesitation, but don’t let those feelings stop you from experiencing the success you deserve in life.

Instead, put these tips into practice today to experience a greater sense of peace, self-confidence, and control over your busy schedule.

I hope you have enjoyed this mini blog series on procrastination and git something out of it to apply to your business & your life.

Do What You LOVE
& LOVE What You Do!