Time is the most precious commodity in the world. Everybody in the history of the universe has always wanted - and will always want - more of it.
This is especially true when it comes to solopreneurs and the self-employed; we want more hands to do the job and more time to do it in.
So wasting time is a big no-no. But we all do it, don’t worry. Good time management and learning how to catch yourself in the act of procrastination will help to get you back on track.
So if you want to learn how to stop procrastinating and be more productive with the time you have, keep reading...
The top 6 ways we procrastinate and waste time
Before we get started with the tips, take a look at these top 6 ways people waste time. Be honest with yourself - are you guilty of any of these?
2.34 hours checking email (Carleton University)
35 minutes deciding what to eat (New York Post)
37 minutes on Facebook (Verto Analytics)
27 minutes on other social media platforms (eMarketer)
96 minutes surfing non-work related websites (CNBC)
171 minutes checking your smartphone (comScore)
Ok, so now you probably feel horribly guilty about all that time you’ve been wasting. But don’t! Guilt is a pointless emotion and also a waste of your time.
4 tips on how to stop procrastinating and be more productive
Here are my top four tips on how to stop procrastinating and be more productive as a blogger and influencer. They work for me, so I hope they’ll work for you too.
1. Block chunks of time
I’ve talked about this before in my blog posts about How To Stay Organized [LINK] and How To Plan Content [LINK]. Blocking off chunks of time in your calendar is really important for sticking to task and not getting lost in unimportant tasks.
If you block off a chunk of time for creating content, either on a particular theme or for a certain channel:
It ensures it gets done
It means you can plan ahead for it
You know exactly how much time you dedicate to content creation.
All of these things are really critical if you want to be a more productive content creator.
2. "Done is better than perfect"
If you suffer from perfectionism, you need to remind yourself of this every day: “Done is better than perfect”.
I know you have high standards - I do too - but if you spend too much time dotting the i’s and perfecting the t’s, you’re massively damaging your productivity. The trick is to learn to recognize when taking pride in high quality work turns into over-meticulousness.
Perfectionism is one of the worst culprits when it comes to procrastination. And it really is a curse for content creators. Give yourself a time limit to work on a piece of content, or say to yourself, “I’m only allowed to make changes a maximum of three times and then it’s done.”
3. Make the most of your output
You’ve spent all that time creating awesome content. Now you need to squeeze every last drop of extra value out of it by repurposing it for different channels and uses - think IG Stories, YouTube, PDF eBook, webinars, etc.
Read my blog on How To Repurpose Content [LINK] and try to approach every bit of content creation you do with repurposing in mind. This will help you to be more productive.
4. Be decisive
This top tip is similar to tip number 2, but it’s less about perfectionism and more about anxiety over making the wrong decision.
If you’re the kind of person that worries you might order the wrong thing off the menu, this tip is for you! A friend of mine has this exact problem and it was starting to cause issues in all areas of her life.
Then one day, she decided that instead of always trying to make the right decision, she was just going to make a decision. And her strategy moving forward was to go with her first instinct.
Some people call this their gut instinct or gut feeling. But for those who aren’t sure what their gut is telling them, just go with the first option to jump out at you. Don’t go back for any further analysis as this will cause unnecessary anxiety and just waste time.
So, that’s how to stop procrastinating as a blogger, influencer, or online entrepreneur. If you have any other productivity strategies that work for you, share them with us in the comments! And check back soon for more posts designed to help you grow your online presence.
Get started with planning your content and ditch procrastination. Grow your online business, blog or social media following! Download my free printable content planner!
