{Personal Image}
Have you ever noticed that it’s harder to get started on something than it is to actually do it?
I have a battle within my head every morning when I decide whether or not to exercise. I don’t want to get out of my warm, comfortable bed. I want to turn over and cuddle up to my husband {Or do something a little dirtier that I really shouldn’t be talking about. Hey, I’m married–it’s allowed!}. I want to hit snooze and catch another hour of sleep.
I’m always happier when I overcome the resistance and get my butt to the gym {Even the dirty things are better when those endorphins are buzzing and I’m feeling good about myself}. It’s not difficult for me to get going once I’m at the gym. I turn on my iPod and stretch before hopping on the treadmill or grabbing a set of weights. When I’m into the workout, I’m not thinking that I wish it was over. Okay, I think that every once in a while. But, usually I enjoy the music or book I’m listening to and feel good about moving my body. It’s not difficult to do the work once I’ve started—it’s the starting that’s tough.
You have to learn how to push past that resistance and get started.
Dipping your paintbrush into the paint and making your first swipe on a canvas can often be the hardest part of painting. It’s the same with any creative venture. Do you frequently think about making your own knitting patterns but never get around to it? Do you say to yourself, “It’s fine if I put off writing my first blog post until tomorrow. What’s another day?” I’m telling you: IT’S NOT FINE! You’ll just keep putting it off.
When I notice that I’m procrastinating, these are the 3 steps I implement to get started:
1. Set a timer for 20 minutes.
Instead of telling myself that I have to complete the task at hand, I decide to work on it for 20 minutes. That’s doable even if it’s something that I don’t really want to be doing. Often times, the timer will go off and I’ll keep working to finish the task, because I’ve already gotten past the difficult part of getting started.
2. Shut off all distractions.
If I want to get distracted, it’s easy to do. I know when I’m procrastinating that I need to get rid of any and all distractions. For instance, if I’m sitting down to write, I’ll close out all social media pages and my email and put my phone on silence. This way I don’t have any excuses but to work on what’s in front of me.
3. Allow myself to produce crap.
You might not have expected this one, but it’s true, especially if fear is holding me back. If I’m staring at a blank page, I’ll remind myself that I can edit things later. If I’m staring at a blank canvas, I’ll tell myself that I can paint over it if I don’t love it. I don’t let that inner critic win—the one that says, “You’re not good enough.” Instead, I say, “If it’s not good enough, that’s okay.” I take away the power of fear by allowing for imperfection.
Even if I produce crap, I usually learn something from it {like never do that again}. I can take some of the ideas and use them in a new piece of writing or a new painting.
Read below to find out what I’m up to and why you should stay tuned.
Last Wednesday, I provided free consulting sessions in order to get to know some of my readers even better, and I loved every minute of delving into some major frustrations. With the exception of two people that I talked to, everyone spoke about time management and getting things done.
After those sessions, I thought about how I can reorganize my plans over the next few months to focus on helping you with these issues. I talked to my husband while we cooked breakfast and he smiled at me and said, “That’s perfect. You have a background in psychology and helped lots of people change their habits. Replicate that by putting together some kind of program.”
Note to husband: Thanks for that–sounds like the easiest thing ever. NOT! But, it is something I’m going to work on over the next couple of months.
I don’t know what form it’s going to come in. I’m still in the beginning stages of planning, but I wanted you to know what’s coming up on the agenda. I’ll be writing articles and making videos for Blacksburg Belle on the topics of time management, resistance, getting stuff done, prioritization, change, and decision making.
I don’t like the phrase “time management.”
Ugh. It’s waaaaay too boring and makes me want to punch myself in the face. It conjures up a picture of a geek with glasses {no offense–I’m a geek with glasses} sitting with his planner, sipping a mocha latte, and scheduling every second of the day. I just can’t live that way. I’m also not a fan of the phrases “to-do lists” or “goal setting.” I’d rather say, “amazing stuff I’m gonna do today” and “dreams that are absolutely gonna come true.”
I want to have some fun when discussing these topics—and if you make it fun for yourself, you’ll be more likely to follow through.
First, I tell myself that time with the hubby is also exercise:)
Then, I love the idea of using a stopwatch, timer, or clock. I like to work with a song–I have to work on a task for the duration of a song and before I know it I have listened to an entire CD and accomplished more that I thought!
I have decided to use the terms productivity/being productive since I just do not like the term
‘time management’. I feel less like I am being controlled and is more positive sounding (in my tired mind).
True, true to the first point!
Great tip for using a song 🙂 Thanks for sharing that one! And, I also like productivity better than time management. Definitely sounds more positive.
I’m also liking this tip about playing a song. Come to think of it, that’s what almost all the Disney princesses with a hard life do, don’t they? Like Snow white and Cinderella 😀 I love the work song from Enchanted. What kind of music works good for you?
Hello, April!
Great blog post!
Usually I have so many things on my head that one of the ways I use for not feeling overwhelmed (more then I already do) is to make lists. Just to clean my head. Then I see what is really necessary to do that day and leave the rest for another time.
I really resonate with what you said about getting started. Procrastination is my middle name 🙂 and starting is always the problem. I try to remeber myself what doing that task means to myself, my business and my happines. That always puts me on the move!
Most of the times procrastination means fear of doing things wrong or not looking exactly the way I wanted them to be. Love your idea of letting ourselves go and just do crap!
I look forward to more amazing tips on this subject.
Hey Marta!
Writing stuff down to clear out your head is an amazing tip. When we store all of that stuff in our heads, it’s super stressful and can be disastrous.
And, remembering why you’re doing what you’re doing is a BIG one–it can definitely help to get over that hump. I do that for many things, including exercising.
You’re so right about procrastination coming from fear. We’ve got two options: let the fear keep us from our work or let go of perfectionism.
Thanks for adding to the conversation!
Great post, April! Always a pertinent topic with you!
I like to make lists too, Marta!
Usually the best time for me to make a list is right before I go to sleep. I tend to remember more that needs to be done, for household as well as for my creative business. And after my list is made, I can see if my day will be too busy, and pare down to just the most urgent.
When my list is done, my mind is clear and I can sleep without worrying about forgetting to do something. Very relaxing.
Thanks Jenn!
I sort out the next day’s tasks in the evening and make sure I know what I’m doing the next day. It’s really helpful to know that I don’t have to store that stuff in my head 🙂 and it definitely helps me to sleep better.
Hi April, I’ve been following for some time and actually started a newsletter (finally)! Your recent series on the subject was just the gentle nudge I needed to *just do it.* Anyway, I constantly have a million ideas that I’d like to pursue and seem to have a never ending list of goals/projects/to-do items that I’d like to implement, my problem (and blessing) is that I’m also a stay at home mom of three and struggle with the childcare issue – I feel like I’m constantly stuck between my goals and my desire to be an emotionally and physically present mom … I could do business at night but then I MUST sleep sometime! Times are hard and I can’t afford to hire someone on a regular basis (realistically, a great deal of time that a business requires is not income producing like marketing/newsletters/finances) but I feel like I can’t accomplish all that I would like to without some consistent dedicated uninterrupted time. I have yet to find the perfect balance … I know I need a couple of mornings a week of childcare but what’s a girl to do? Should I just bite the bullet fork out the cash for a sitter, and see if it makes a difference in my business for a certain period of time? Is there any other way that works for others?
Yay for starting your newsletter!!! So excited for you!
I feel for you Julie. I can’t say that I know what it’s like to raise children and have a business, because I don’t have kids {but I’d like to in the next few years}. From what I do know, parenting seems like the toughest job in the world, and you learn a lot of skills from being a parent which could definitely be seen as an asset in running a business.
I’ve talked to a lot of successful women who also have children, and this is what many of them have said: 1. Your children can become one of your biggest excuses, but there are lots of moms who make it work. 2. If you don’t have help with childcare, you can still reach success but it might take you longer than someone who works on her business full-time and doesn’t have children. 3. You have to learn how to use small pockets of time. I can’t remember who I was talking to, but she said that she has her to-do list written and ready to go along with an approximation of how long each task will take. When she gets 15 minutes, she doesn’t squander it–she picks something on her to-do list that she can either accomplish in 15 minutes or can put a big dent in within 15 minutes and makes it happen.
You should connect with Lisa Lehmann: http://studiojewel.blogspot.com/ She has four children and I think she homeschools 3 of them. She makes it work and she’s really successful. I think she’d be a great resource for you.
Thanks April!
The procrastinating piece is not something I struggle with, but I think your second point might be a bigger piece … it might just take longer than this type A would like … it’s a matter of priorities and living without regrets. I think that while I work towards my dreams now, 15 minutes at a time, I’ll have more time later. I think that’s the bottom line. I just have to do what I can with the time that I DO have, or hire a sitter. I was hoping there was some secret to doing it all well without burning out. I’d love to see more time management/balancing tips geared towards busy moms! 🙂
It’s so frustrating to not be able to get to your goal as fast as you would like due to whatever circumstances {children, lack of finances, taking care of a sick relative, being sick yourself}. I’ve been there and I’m the type of person who wants results immediately.
I’ll definitely think about ways that I can incorporate more tips for busy moms. I can’t give the advice myself because I only try to give advice that I know works from experience–but I might be able to get some of my friends and peers who are moms to help out.
Looking forward to what you come up with in this series! I shot Lisa an email – thanks for the lead!
Sooo good April! For me its usually figuring out what really needs to come first. I see everything I need to do in order for my dreams to come true and get overwhelmed.
Can’t wait to see what you conjure up!
That’s a big one for a lot of people.
For people who procrastinate, I tell them to pick the thing on your list that you’re least looking forward to and get it over with first. Then, you’ll feel like you’ve been productive and you’ll look forward to the rest of your day.
I have to say I had a real problem with my productivity unitl I had watch a video of you explaining the realistic to do list of 6 things. I have a master list and everyday pull 6 things off of it and get everything done and feel better at the end of my work day. Sometimes I have time to pull a few more items off the list and that just leads to a greater sense of accomplishment. That master list with 20 or 30 items on it was so intimidating i couldn’t seem to get started on it. I just sat there reading it over and over again.
It has ALMOST cured my procrastination, ok I still have days where working is the last thing I want to do and getting started is pushed off by a number of excuses, but i’m working on it. 🙂
Yay Chantel!!! That makes me soooo happy. Having a realistic daily list is super important for the reason you said: those huge to-do lists are way too intimidating and can cause major paralysis.
I love using a timer–I learned that from the Fly Lady!!
It’s a good one 🙂
I have issues with procrastination too. Lately I’ve been trying to get to the root of the cause to figure out why I procrastinate about certain things, because I always want to know why/how something works (or doesn’t work). So far, I’ve figured out that my problems seem to revolve around computer time. I want to make more designs for sketchbooks/greeting cards/etc on the computer so they look real nice and polished, but after spending all of my productive time in front of a computer at work, I really don’t want to sit down in front of it again at night.
So to fix this, I decided that I’m going to start hand drawing my designs. The more I take off the computer, the more I can get done at work (I do all my creative stuff at work – my job is sweet that way – I just can’t do computer stuff), thus making my frustrations about my art business go down a notch or two. I’m really excited for this (even though I can’t really draw, but maybe I’ll get better) because it gives me something more productive to do at my boring job that will benefit my business directly.
I still have issues with exercising (I usually just don’t, shh), but sitting down and figuring out WHY you’re procrastinating is one of the most important steps.
Hey Kim!
I agree that it can help to know why you’re procrastinating, but this can also be a way to keep procrastinating. Procrastinating to think about why you’re procrastinating–what a vicious cycle. For me, it’s more helpful to set a timer for 20 minutes and work. A lot of times I already know why I’m procrastinating–I’d rather stay in bed and sleep than get up and exercise. I’d rather keep reading than mop the kitchen floor, because mopping the kitchen floor isn’t enjoyable. But, I do get where you’re coming from. For instance, if fear of rejection or failure is holding you back, it’s helpful to know that so you can make room for failure.
I consider myself as the Queen of procrastination… I’m the best at wasting my time doing not much, waiting for I don’t know what instead of really doing something I need to do…
I make myself a to-do list everyday and I usually check the 3/4 of the list at the end of the day… Not because my list was too long… because I’m slow (meaning: wasting my time) doing all those tasks… It’s still a great improvement for me… I use to be worst than that so I guess I’m a work in progress on that topic!
Sounds like you need to come with a plan for work versus play time. Here’s how I do it: I give myself “breaks” in between my to-do list tasks. I’ll set a timer for 15 minutes and do whatever–dance around my studio, grab a snack, refill my water, check email and social media, etc. When the timer goes off, it’s back to work. It really helps me stay focused on one thing at a time.
OK imagine myself jumping up and down reading your post cause that’s what I’m doing. 🙂
My biggest problem is relaxing. I work full-time outside the home, have a wonderful family and a growing business. When I’m relaxing, I feel guilty that I’m not answering an email or processing an order for my business since I don’t have the luxury to dedicate all of my time to it yet. So how do I get over the hump?
Procrasinating and also fear paralyzes me. I literally stop in my tracks or make circles around the internet (insert image of a dog chasing his tail). I’ve recently started catching myself and realize I need a break or shut it down for the night. But how do I avoid even getting to that point of chasing my tail?
Cannot wait for this series/program/awesomeness!
Woohoo for jumping up and down!
Oh yes–I know all about the “I could be doing something” guilt. I get over this by keeping a reasonable to-do list and reminding myself that I’ve gotten everything done from it. That helps A LOT. Also, I start to shut down if I don’t take time to relax, watch movies, spend time with my husband, eat dinner with friends, take trips, read good books, etc. And, I get most of my ideas when I’m away from my work. Spending time doing other things keeps me motivated and refreshed.
I’m gonna have to think about the dog chasing his tail problem but I love that analogy. For fear, one of the best things that you can do is to make room for it. It might sound crazy–but when you don’t try to fight against it and you sit with it, it’s not so scary. Let yourself imagine the worst case scenario…is it really sooooo bad? Would you be able to recover? If yes, allow room for failure and know that you usually learn the most from those moments. It’s okay to fail and try again. Whenever I’m struggling with fear, I will literally say out loud, “It’s okay if I fail. I can always try again.”
Like the rest of the gang I am looking forward to this series.
I too found the keeping my to-do list to 6 items super helpful. It seems like that’s too few things to jot down, but in reality I would rather have a list of 6 completed tasks as opposed to 5 completed tasks on a list of 20 things.
I’m good about making lists and timelines. Where I struggle is executing those timelines and completing those lists. A friend of mine who is a realtor suggested making a list of what I call ‘barriers to success.’ Ideally, I would love to list 3-5 items a day in my Etsy store, write 3 blog posts a week, yadda yadda but the reality of it is things like school work and an outside job limit the amount of time I can focus on my business.
My friend suggested developing a simple, doable plan for overcoming those obstacles. So for example, this summer I am not taking classes so I am trying to get as much stock in my Etsy store as possible so that when the fall semester comes, I can focus more of my energy on renewing items and marketing items I have already made since creating products takes the most time.
I also found I waste a stupid amount of time because of a messy work space. Currently I am in the process of reorganizing my craft room/bedroom. I had to stop pinching pennies and buy the necessary storage supplies so that everything in my room has a place. I was losing way too much time (and money) looking for supplies. I found that if I am organized, tasks take less time and I get more done.
I also tend to dream big and be an over achiever, which can be a blessing and a curse. I set huge goals and try to accomplish them all of once in a short amount of time. I found that to be unrealistic and draining. Now, I write down all of my ideas and I slowly implement those ideas into my current work flow. I also don’t allow myself to jump from project to project.
I have also learned that I have to be honest with myself. I have to real about what I can do in a day. It may not be as much as the next person, but as long as I am doing my best and using my time wisely that’s what matters.
Thanks for sharing Chasity!
There is a fine line between setting realistic goals that push ourselves to achieve as much as we possibly can and setting unrealistic goals that will overwhelm and frustrate us. I’m with ya–I set big goals to try to push myself and I definitely get frustrated when I don’t reach them. I’ll try to tackle this in an upcoming post. 🙂
Hi there, and thanks for the post! I’m totally with everybody about list making. Do you guys have TeuxDeux? It’s a nice list app for your computer or your phone. I love to see those items with a strikethrough because they’re DONE!
I don’t think anybody’s mentioned this but I really have found that it makes a difference what time I sit down in my office. I’m definitely a morning person and have learned to never, ever try to start something late in the day. I don’t really know why, but it just doesn’t work for me. Same thing with early in the week vs. late in the week. It matters what DAY I schedule stuff for.
Onward!
That’s a good point Katy. Some people are morning people {like you and me} and some are night owls. I always try to do my “most important” work in the morning and leave really fun stuff for the afternoon/early evening, because it’ll motivate me to keep going.
My biggest problem is finishing what I start. I have a big list of projects, and I like to do bits of them and then I get tons of projects that need the little finishing touches, ie thumbs for mittens, yarn that needs to run through… some of them aren’t so great anymore, or my plan for them isn’t my focus anymore. Plus waking up in the morning!! I have trouble with just getting up, and it has to do with not wanting to see my workload.. I seem to have lost some of my motivation.
Oh…finishing projects is a big one! And, I know you’re not alone. I think the first 5-10 percent of the work and last 5-10 percent of the work is the hardest to complete.
If you’re losing motivation, it sounds like you need a break. It can best to take a few days away from your business and give yourself time to relax and rest. We push ourselves to do so much because there’s always something to do that we risk burnout. Not fun!
I really enjoyed this post, I think using a timer is a very practical thing to do. It makes what you want to do seem less intimidating before you start. I am the QUEEN of procrastination as well as the queen of coming up with ideas. I guess my biggest struggle along with procrastinating is seeing a project through, or being consistently dedicated to it. I’ll work something for a while and then get distracted and jump to something else. Also, lately, lack of organization as jumped on the list.
So, you’re with Lisa on having trouble finishing stuff. That’s a common issue. I’m going to do some more research with on this one and come up with a post about it.
My #1 solution is similar to many of the women who’ve already posted here. Lists.
I use Tsh Oxenreider’s Daily Docket sheet for planning my days.
http://simplemom.net/my-daily-docket-is-my-daily-lifesaver/
The Daily Docket helps me prioritize my to-do’s, keeping work/studio and homemaking schedules separate, and then merge the two into one schedule for the day.
They are a lifesaver!
As far as dealing with procrastination…I find that the biggest reason I procrastinate is due to mess. If my studio or house is a mess, I don’t get anything done. So if I find I’m being lazy, I get to cleaning. Once my space is clear, my head clears, and I feel motivated to work again.
I’ve heard this one from others. I don’t remember which writer said something similar, but I do remember that he said if he isn’t inspired to write, he’ll clean which clears space in his head and then he’ll sit back down to write. Usually, this helps him focus on his writing. Good tip!
I’m with Lisa and Charity in that one of my issues is getting around to finishing things. I always seem to be tweaking things (like a press kit I’m working on instead of mailing out!) and delay actually finishing them. What’s holding us back?
Here’s an anti-procrastination tip I learned somewhere: If you can get it done in a minute, just do it! You’d be surprised at how many little things that you might put off can actually be done in a minute, or at least less than 5 — sending one e-mail, filing some paperwork, emptying the dishwasher, putting something away. When I’m ready to put off one of those little things, I just think “Can I get this done in a minute (or so)?” If yes, just do it, and cross it off the list!
I’m a champion procrastinator, and have only recently learned that it’s a lot to do with my perfectionist nature. I don’t want to start something that I might not do perfectly, so it’s better not to start it at all. I never realised that was what was happening, but it’s definitely true.
I’m also a big list maker and sometimes the making of lists overtakes the actual doing. Still, it is nice crossing things off those lists!
Great post, I am definitely going to try the timer idea.
3. You have to learn how to use small pockets of time. I was losing way too much time (and money) looking for supplies. The more I take off the computer, the more I can get done at work (I do all my creative stuff at work – my job is sweet that way – I just can’t do computer stuff), thus making my frustrations about my art business go down a notch or two.