It’s a tale as old as time. You have a task that needs to be completed that you’re dreading. You set off with good intentions to scratch it off your list that day.
But, first, you check your email one more time to make sure you didn’t overlook something this morning.
Oh, look, there’s an email about that news story you were following last night. You log onto Twitter to see if there are any updates.
OK, now time to get this task done. But, first, you stand up and stretch your legs for a couple minutes.
Wait a minute. You just notice a loose floorboard. It wasn't this loose before. Better go grab the toolbox.
Sound familiar?
We all know how the story ends. Thing after thing keeps taking precedent, and the task keeps getting put off and remains undone.
So why do we procrastinate, and what can we do to fix this problem?
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Well, many of us were raised with the old-school philosophy: "Suck it up, buttercup." Buckle down until it gets done, no matter how much you hate it.
Yes, there are times when you'll need to do that. But is that really a sustainable longterm solution? Do you really want to wake up every morning dreading the minutia that awaits you? When you dreamed of owning a business, is this what you dreamed about?
You can read article after article about overcoming procrastination, but the advice given only treats the symptom, not the problem.
The first question that needs to be asked is, “Why am I procrastinating?”
That’s not a rhetorical question. There’s a simple answer. Here it is:
You’re procrastinating because you’re forcing yourself to do things you don’t like, that you’re not good at, or both.
Stop doing that.
Do this instead: Sit down with a piece of paper and write down the things about your job that you enjoy and that you’re good at. Do those things only.
For everything else? Write a check. Let someone else to do it. For every task you’re bad at and that you dislike, there’s someone who is great at it and loves it. And, in today’s economy, you can contract out practically anything.
I know what you’re thinking: “Isn’t that a waste of money when I can just suck it up and do it myself for free?”
No, and here’s why.
You’re making an investment in yourself. By paying someone to handle the things you don’t like, you can devote every bit of your working hours to the areas where you excel and that you enjoy.
The minute you let go of the minutia, is the minute you begin to give your best self to your business. When you give your best self to your business, you maximize your business’s potential to flourish.
One area that many business owners don’t enjoy or understand is marketing. Lucky for you, you know a guy who does.
Contact me and I’ll be happy to give you my best advice, whether we end up working together or not.
Jacob Brower is the president of Archer’s Bow Media & Marketing. He has 21 years of experience in mass media, many of which he spent as the chief executive of a state and national award-winning media group in southwest Missouri. He was named one of the nation’s top 25 media professionals under age 35 by Editor & Publisher magazine in 2016. Text or call him at 417-592-3505, or email him at jacob@archersbowmedia.com.
