Y Kathy

Kathy Paauw ~ www.OrgCoach.net

What’s Your Procrastination Telling You?

You intended to be writing your next Kindle book or editing your sales copy. You hoped

to have your website relaunch completed by now. But you’re doing not these tasks.

In fact, you find a million reasons not to do them. You tell yourself you’ll come back to it

later. You decide that now’s the perfect time to update all your social media profiles with

a fresh avatar. While you’re at it, you pause to clean out your inbox because it’s

overflowing with messages.

Next thing you know, the day has

ended. As your head hits the

pillow, you remember you still

haven’t conquered the task that’s

nagging at you. You’ll get it

tomorrow you tell yourself but the

next day, you’re doing the exact

same thing.

Avoiding important tasks is

known as procrastination. Most

solopreneurs and small business

owners think that procrastination

is a bad thing. You might believe

that, too. But procrastination is

actually a valuable warning

signal.

You take your car to a mechanic

for evaluation when you see the “check engine” light and you should do the same thing

with procrastination. When you first feel it, you need to slow down and evaluate what’s

really holding you back.

Procrastination is inner resistance. It’s a sign that your subconscious is speaking and

you need to listen. Often, procrastination is telling you one of these things:

You’re ready to change direction.

Maybe you originally started your business so you could help solopreneurs create a

compelling website. But you’ve come to realize that your true gift is coaching

solopreneurs and showing them how to find their true passion in business.

Your project or client isn’t a good fit.

Maybe you wanted to work with this client because they’re an industry name. Maybe

you took on their project because you needed the cash. Now you find yourself

procrastinating and wondering why you can’t “just do it.”

Your work no longer challenges you.

You use to feel energized by your work. It was a challenge and you loved it. But now,

that’s changed. You’ve been doing one thing for so long that it no longer excites you

and this makes you realize you’re bored with your current projects.

You’re afraid of success or failure.

At the root of procrastination, some solopreneurs and small business owners find

they’re afraid of success or failure. That’s because success and failure represent

change and change feels scary. You worry that if you succeed, you won’t be able to

duplicate your success. You fret that if you fail, you’ll be embarrassed and disappointed.

When you’re tempted to procrastinate on a project, don’t give into the urge and fill the

rest of your time with distracting activities. Instead, try to find a quiet place where you

can journal or color. Give yourself permission to listen to your subconscious mind as

your hand moves across the page. You’ll be surprised at how clearly you can hear your

subconscious when you pause to listen.

Journal Your Thoughts

1. What activities do you do when you want to procrastinate?

2. What are some projects or clients you took on that weren't a good fit for your

business? Looking back, did you spend a lot of time looking for ways to avoid these

projects?

3. Does the thought of success or failure frighten you more? Why?

Understanding Your Procrastination

Style

There are many reasons solopreneurs and business owners procrastinate. It could be

due to perfectionism, overwhelm, or problems prioritizing. The key to overcoming

procrastination is learning what your procrastination style is and how to deal with it.

Once you’re armed with this information, you’ll find it easier to defeat procrastination

and get back on track.

It’s Time to Put Down the Cape, Superman (or Superwoman)

It would be an understatement to say you have a lot on your plate. You have so much to

do that your plate is overflowing with tasks. Your to-do lists are usually a mile long.

You’re always in motion, bouncing between projects and deadlines. You take on too

much and usually, you don’t realize that until you’re way overcommitted. You may

procrastinate by avoiding your to-do list or working on tasks that are necessary but in

the long run, won’t improve your bottom line or make you happy.

Your Struggle is: Refusing to Delegate.

Take a deep breath and take a critical look at your to-do list right now. Ask yourself what

tasks are ones that only you can do, like coaching your clients or creating your new

service package. But if a task doesn’t require your attention, consider delegating it. You

can delegate by hiring a virtual assistant or taking on an intern that’s interested in your

niche.

Stop Being a Perfectionist with Your Projects

Not only do you feel the pressure to get everything done on your to-do list, you also feel

pressure to have it done perfectly. You hate rolling out anything that does not represent

your best work and you’re continually finding flaws in the finished project. You may

procrastinate by telling yourself you’ll release your coaching program after you’ve

polished your copy one last time or gotten two more testimonials.

Your Struggle is: Failing to Launch.

Launching a new product or service is scary. You may find it helps to hire a coach that

will encourage you to launch version 1.0 and upgrade your offering later on. You could

also try setting a public deadline. Let the world know when they can expect your product

and stick to that date, no matter what.

Being A People Pleaser Means Your Needs Are Ignored

Whenever someone

presents you with a

new idea or project,

you jump on it. You’re

enthusiastic and you

love getting to say,

“Yes”. The problem is

if you say, “Yes” to

everything, you end

up saying, “No” to

important things. You

may procrastinate by

taking on someone

else’s workload

instead of tackling

your own. You tell

yourself you’ll work on

growing your

business as soon as

you finish this

marketing task for a

client.

Your Struggle is: Failing to Prioritize.

You put others’ needs and wants before your own. In some cases, this is admirable and

it comes from a good place. But if you want to succeed with your business, you have to

become ruthless and willing to cut projects and clients that aren’t right for you. Stop

trying to fit your work around everyone else’s needs. Instead, do your work first and if

you have extra time and energy, you can invest in helping someone else.

Procrastination is not a diagnosis. Rather, it’s a symptom of something else that you

need to address. Once you understand the root cause of your procrastination, you can

begin to beat it and get back to being productive.

If you struggle with procrastination, it may be helpful for you to dig deeper to understand the underlying cause for putting things off. Dr. Linda Sapadin has written a wonderful book, called It’s About Time: The 6 Styles of Procrastination and How to Overcome Them.

Chronic procrastinators are not lazy; they simply need to cultivate a more natural and fluid transition from mental activity to physical activity, while allowing an appropriate amount of time and energy to complete the task. To do this, the procrastinator first needs to understand the inner conflicts that produced the procrastination pattern. Dr. Sapadin’s book provides a quiz to help the reader understand which procrastination style or combination of styles best fists them, and it offers suggestions for changing how you think, speak and act, based on your procrastination style. Here is a review of the six styles.

Style #1: Perfectionist. Reluctant to start or finish a task because they don't want anything less than perfect.

Thinking Style: All or nothing Speaking Style: I should... I have to... Acting Style: Flawless Psychological Need For: Control

Style #2: Dreamer. They don't like details. This makes ideas difficult to implement.

Thinking Style: Vague Speaking Style: I wish... Acting Style: Passive Psychological need for: Being special

Style #3: Worrier. They have an excessive need for security, causing them to fear risk. They fear change, causing them to avoid finishing projects so they don't have to leave the comfort of the "known."

Personality Type: Fearful Thinking Style: Indecisive Speaking Style: What if...? Acting Style: Cautious Psychological Need For: Security

Style #4: Defier. A rebel seeking to buck the rules. By procrastinating, they are setting their own schedule -- one that nobody else can predict or control. More subtle forms are called passive-aggressive.

Personality Type: Resistant Thinking Style: Oppositional Speaking Style: Why should I...? Acting Style: Rebellious Psychological Need For: Non-conformity

Style #5: Crisis-Maker. Addicted to the adrenaline rush of living on the edge.

Personality Type: Over-emotional Thinking Style: Agitated Speaking Style: Extremes - "Unbelievable" Acting Style: Dramatic Psychological Need For: Attention

Style #6: Over-Doer. Says yes to too much because they are unable or unwilling to make choices and establish priorities. They have difficulty making decisions. Prime candidate for burnout.

Personality Type: Busy Thinking Style: Compelled Speaking Style: Can't say "no" Acting Style: Do-it-all Psychological Need For: Self-reliance

The last chapter of Dr. Sapadin’s book deals with the process of change, and she provides comprehensive insight and solutions for those paralyzed by procrastination. For additional help, read her book, It’s About Time: The 6 Styles of Procrastination and How to Overcome Them

Journal Your Thoughts

1. What's your procrastination style? Are you a mix of two styles?

2. Saying "yes" to everything means saying "no" to important things. What are some

tasks that you wish you'd said "no" to?

3. What tasks are on your to do list that you could delegate to a virtual assistant or an

intern?

How to Stop Procrastinating and Tackle

Difficult Projects

Getting started on a new project can be hard. It’s even harder when that project involves

tasks that you find dull or difficult. To avoid the unpleasant parts of the project, you may

end up avoiding it by doing things like checking your email, networking on Facebook, or

playing a computer game. But the problem with procrastination is that no matter how

long you avoid the task, it’s still going to be there at the end of the day.

Like ripping off a bandage, it’s better to get unpleasant tasks done as soon as possible.

Not only will you get rid

of the dread you feel,

you’ll also experience a

productivity boost. If

you’re procrastinating,

here’s how to start

getting stuff done right

now:

Create an outline.

Outlines save you time.

They keep you from

having to do extra work

and they make it easy

to see holes in your

projects. It’s also easier

to move around parts of

your project if you have

an outline.

Try dumping all of your

ideas about this project

onto 3 x 5 cards (easy to sort and order) or into Evernote. From there, you can

brainstorm more ideas and organize your thoughts into an outline.

Depending on your project, you may need a really detailed or really short outline. Do

what works for you but keep in mind your outline isn’t carved in stone. It’s fine to move

parts of your project around until you find the best fit.

Break It Down

Big projects can be intimidating so break them down into smaller chunks. For example,

you’re writing a 30-page e-book. You can break that down into 6 chapters of 5 pages

each. Now, just focus on writing one chapter at a time.

How you break it down depends on what your schedule looks like and how you prioritize

your time. You may be able to write several pages a day so you can finish your e-book

in a week or you may write slowly and find you can only create one page of content a

day. That’s fine, too. The important thing is to keep moving forward with your project.

Have Fun

When you can’t seem to get your head in the game, go to YouTube and put on some

music. You can find videos with soothing instrumental music that will help you quiet your

mind and help you focus. If you prefer a bit more noise and don’t feel lyrics distract you,

then look for the soundtrack to one of your favorite movies.

Set a Deadline

When you think you have all day to tackle a project,

you’re probably going to procrastinate a bit. But if you

have a firm deadline, you’re less likely to do this, so

set another commitment in place.

Then say to yourself, “I’m going to the dentist at 4 this

afternoon and I will schedule this blog post before I

go.” This type of firm deadline from an outside

appointment can be just the push you need to get

started.

Tackling big projects can feel intimidating but they don’t have to be. Remind yourself

how good you’ll feel when your project is successfully completed and focus on that as

you work.

Journal Your Thoughts

1. Have you used websites or apps that help you stop procrastinating? What were your

results?

2. What projects are you procrastinating on right now? Why do you think you’re

procrastinating?

3. List 3-5 things that help you stop procrastinating and get you focused on work.

Developing Systems to Help You Manage

Procrastination

Sometimes, procrastination is caused because your business isn’t organized. You put

off starting a task because you can’t find the materials you need or you aren’t sure when

that appointment was scheduled or when your next invoice is due to be sent.

As a solopreneur and small business owner, you may struggle to be organized. You

spend the day spent bouncing from task to task with no billable hours completed. But it

doesn’t have to be that way. You can get organized with your projects so you spend

more time growing your business and serving your community. Here are four quick tips

to help cull the chaos and create

systems that help you manage

procrastination:

Store Your Ideas

You had an idea for your next Kindle

book or discovered a topic you were

fired up to share with your community.

The only problem is you lost your notes

because you couldn’t remember what

you called the file or where you put it.

I have been using a wonderful “finding”

system since 1996, which enables me

to find anything I file or store in 5

seconds or less. Click here to learn

more. Check out my free webinar, Find

Anything in 5 Seconds or Less, to see how it works.

Make It Easy to Book Appointments

If you offer services for clients, then you need a simple way to book appointments.

Otherwise, you’ll spend a lot of time going back and forth over email or chat, trying to

find a time that works for both your client and you.

Instead, create a calendar with free time periods on it through a service like TimeTrade.

Clients can look at your schedule and see what appointment times that they’d like to

book. You’ll get an email sent to you when anyone books time with you, so you don’t

have to worry about missing important client meetings.

Don’t Miss Follow Up Opportunities

Not following up with a client or prospect can cause you to lose out on valuable

opportunities. Don’t leave this to chance by hoping you’ll remember. Instead, simply put

their name on your calendar so you remember to reach out to them again. If possible,

have a digital reminder sent to your email so you know when it’s time to follow up.

I love FollowUpThen, which enables me to forward an email to myself and tell the

system when I next want to see it, or to email myself with reminders that arrive exactly

when I want them to. I can even set up daily or weekly reminders that will never end,

until I instruct the system to stop sending them.

Pay attention to the tasks that you tend to procrastinate on. Then look for apps and

websites that can complete the task for you quickly and easily.

Journal Your Thoughts

1. What systems do you already have in place to keep your business running smoothly?

2. What are some areas where you could use more automation (like appointment

schedulers, time trackers, invoice software, etc.)?

3. Think of your best clients. Are there one or two of them you’d like to follow up with

today?

10 Tips to Help You Overcome

Procrastination

1. How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time! Break larger projects into

manageable “bites” and create a timeline for yourself to accomplish these smaller tasks.

2. Remember that each project expands to the time allotted to it, so set a limit for yourself: I am going to return all my phone calls in an hour. I will file papers for 30 minutes. I will spend 15 minutes picking up around the house. Set a timer. You will be amazed how much you can get done when you focus your time.

3. Check your self-talk. Do you frequently say, “I gotta…,” “I should…,” or “I have

to…”? Replace this self-talk with “I choose to…” and recognize that you are at choice about what you do. If you don’t choose to do it, don’t do it!

4. Eat a live toad first thing in the morning, and nothing worse will happen to you the

rest of the day. Tackle that “toad” first--the task you have been putting off, the one that is hanging over your head--because it will lift an immense load off your shoulders and you will feel much more productive.

5. Train yourself to trim the F.A.T. When papers come into your office or home, give

yourself these three choices: File, Act, Toss. (Note that “I’ll just set it here for now!” is not one of the choices.) If it requires action, but not right now, place it in a tickler file for when you want to see it next. Toss means either throw it away or toss (delegate) it to someone else.

6. Relieve yourself of the stress caused by all the clutter in your home and office by

setting up some systems to manage the paper in your life. A good filing system and a tickler file system are essential elements. To learn about how to set up an effective system, check out my free webinar here.

7. Make a weekly appointment with yourself to plan your coming week. During your

planning session, schedule important activities and tasks so you have a concrete plan for following through with your intentions. To learn an effective process for this, check out my free webinar, Managing Priorities.

8. When planning your time, include both urgent (time-sensitive) and non-urgent but

important activities in your plan. An example of an urgent activity might be a meeting or a project with an upcoming deadline. A non-urgent activity might be exercise or relationship-building – something important but not time-sensitive or deadline-driven.

9. Make appointments with yourself to get administrative work done, such as paying

bills or catching up with your reading. Treat this time as you would an appointment with someone else.

10. Take 15 minutes at the end of each day to put things away and look at the calendar

for the next day. Gather what you need ahead of time so you will be prepared for tomorrow.

Journal Your Thoughts

1. What self-talk do you use that may cause you to feel like a victim rather than

someone who is at choice about how you spend your time?

2. What are some important tasks that you regularly put off, that you could schedule to

do first thing in the morning? How will it make you feel to cross that off your list early

in the day?

3. What systems do you need in place to support you in putting these tips into

practice?

Beat Procrastination by Finding an

Accountability Partner

Solopreneurs and small business owners are unique in that they don't have to answer to

anyone for their time. 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 shopping or take a half a day so you can take your

child 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 an

accountability partner. By working together, you can keep each other focused and

productive. Plus, an accountability partner will understand what it’s like to run a

business so you also have a business advisor you can turn to. But you shouldn’t just

pick just anyone to be your accountability partner. There are certain things you want in a

partner that you should keep in mind.

Work with someone you like.

If you don’t like the other person,

you’re not likely to make your

partnership last very long. You need

someone that you could be friends

with. Maybe you’re both work-at-home

mothers. Maybe you’re both

committed to leveling up your

businesses in the next year. Maybe

you both have the same wacky sense

of humor or the same taste in

fabulous shoes. It doesn’t matter what

bonds you. It just matters that you

enjoy hanging out with your

accountability partner.

If you don’t like the other person, you’re not likely to make your partnership last very

long. You need someone that you could be friends with. Maybe you’re both work-at-

home mothers. Maybe you’re both committed to leveling up your businesses in the next

year. Maybe you both have the same wacky sense of humor or the same taste in

fabulous shoes. It doesn’t matter what bonds you. It just matters that you enjoy hanging

out with your accountability partner.

Pick someone positive.

Your attitude affects every area of your life, including your business. If you choose

accountability partner that always focuses on the negative, your own attitude will

become negative, too. As a result, you’ll embrace a mindset that will prevent you from

reaching the success you want.

When you’ve finished a

conversation with one of

your accountability

partners, you should feel

uplifted and encouraged.

Obviously, not everyone

can be positive all the time.

But if you notice that more

than 20% of your

conversations are negative,

then it’s time to look for a

new partner.

Choose someone you

trust.

A big part of being

accountability partners is

sharing your hopes and

dreams. That’s why you

want to find someone that you trust and that believes in you. You don’t want to discover

that your accountability partner has been talking about your business behind your back.

That being said, your accountability partner should not be someone you are intimately close to, like a spouse. Your partner needs to be someone who will call you on things (hold you accountable) if you are not keeping your commitments to yourself, without being judgmental or punitive in their approach. If your partner cannot suspend judgment, get a different partner. When someone is judging you, your focus will be on getting angry with them for judging you, rather than on looking inward and deepening the learning about what’s stopping you from keeping your commitments to yourself.

Keep in mind that a partnership goes both ways. While you want to find someone that will support you, you also need to choose a partner that you believe in and are willing to support, even in the tough stuff.

Structure the Process. I propose four components to your support structure: 1. A daily check-in via e-mail with your accountability partner Monday-Friday, as well

as at least one phone conversation weekly.

2. Share your intentions and SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, time-bound) goals for the next 90 days in the areas of happiness, health and wealth with your accountability partner so he/she can better support you.

3. Share with your partner at least one thing you are grateful for every day. Even if you had a bad day, you can always find something to be grateful for. Keeping your focus on gratitude is very powerful!

An accountability process is simply sharing with your accountability partner your intentions or goals and then regularly reporting your results, regardless of whether you’ve been successful at achieving them. Builds some balance into your life by sharing intentions for three areas of your life, in the areas of happiness, health, and wealth. The reason for this? Why strive for creating wealth if you forfeit happiness and health in the process? You determine what defines these three areas for yourself.

Happy goals: These goals are related to relationships, hobbies, family and free time, personal growth, or areas of life that bring greater happiness and fulfillment. Focus is both on what you are doing and on who you are being in the process.

Healthy goals: These goals are related to diet, exercise, hydration, rest and rejuvenation, stress reduction, appearance, and physical, mental, and spiritual health.

Wealthy goals: These goals are related to income generation, investments/ leveraging your money, savings (college education, retirement, etc.), leaving a legacy through charitable giving or volunteer work, and creating an ideal lifestyle for yourself.

Here’s how it works. Create happy, healthy, and wealthy goals or intentions for the next workday. You e-mail this to your partner at the end of your day, and your partner does the same with you. In this e-mail you also report your results from today, with either DONE or NOT DONE next to each item you listed.

This is what it looks like in an email:

SUBJECT: Accountability Report for KP REPORT FOR (today’s date) Happy:

Take Dad out to dinner - DONE Healthy:

Treadmill for 30 minutes - DONE Drink 64 oz. water - DONE Follow my low carb diet - NOT DONE

Wealthy: Initial coaching intake session with PD - DONE Send re-engagement email to my email list - DONE

Grateful for the wonderful family vacation we just had in Mexico.

INTENTION FOR (tomorrow’s date) Happy:

Get a massage

Healthy: Personal training session Drink 64 oz. water

Wealthy: Interview ML for virtual assistant work Record webinar

Notice that this email report is simple and short. You do not need to write down everything you will do tomorrow…just your intention for a few key things. In the reporting phase, this is not a place to list reasons or excuses to shame, blame, or justify. If you do not follow through, simply write NOT DONE.

Getting Started I suggest that you have an initial conversation to discuss how you want to structure your relationship and to provide whatever personal and professional information you choose to share with each other. You may consider scheduling a call once a week or once a month to talk about what is working, what is not, and how you can support each other. Decide what will best support your partnership. If one of you does not receive an e-mail, be sure that you check in and let your partner know that you missed receiving it. This process will only work if you are consistent and if you keep it short and simple so it does not take over your life. If your partner is not consistently participating in this accountability process, get a new partner. Even if your accountability partner is away on vacation or unable to read what you sent, the power is in writing down and sending your intentions. This is true for a couple reasons: (1) Doing this facilitates you declaring your goals before the start of the day so you are clear about what to do. (2) By telling someone else your intentions and then reporting whether or not you did what you said you’d do, you are much more likely to follow through. This process only works if you are 100% honest with yourself and you don’t weasel out on your commitments by making excuses about why you did not do something. It’s also important that you send accurate reports to your accountability partner. You only cheat yourself when you are not 100% honest in your reporting. Once a week, schedule a phone conversation to check in with each other and share observations, celebrate wins, and fine-tune the process.

Journal Your Thoughts

1. Have you had an accountability partnership with the goal of boosting your productivity

in the past? How did that work out?

2. Who would you like to partner with as an accountability partner?

3. What are some of your hopes and dreams for your business that you'd like to share

with your new accountability partner?

Additional Support to Help You Beat Procrastination

My no-cost Managing Priorities webinar offers tools and tips to help you overcome

overwhelm, beat procrastination, and keep first things first! Sign up here to participate.

No matter what you'd like to change or achieve, the secrets to success are the same...

…Get clear. As specifically as possible,

decide what you want. The clearer you are

about what you want to do, be and have in

your life, the more likely you are to achieve it.

…Get perspective. Most people don't tell

anyone what they want or what they are

struggling with, and because of that they don't

reap the benefit of receiving valuable outside

perspective.

…Get support. Very few people (if any) achieve anything great alone. Sports stars and

Olympic athletes have performance coaches. Famous singers and actors have voice

and acting coaches. Corporate executives have business coaches.

If you want to speed up your success rate, I'd like to help you do that with a special one-

on-one NO-COST Strategy Session during which we'll work together to...

Create a crystal-clear vision for your ultimate success and the perfect lifestyle

you’d like to have.

Uncover hidden challenges that may sabotage your success.

Identify action steps that will move you forward to achieve the goals you are

committed to.

Simply reserve a time that works for you, and I will call you at that time.

About the Author

Kathy Paauw has been at the helm of Paauwerfully Organized

since 1995.

As a Productivity Consultant and Trainer, Kathy helps her clients to

effectively manage paper, information and priorities. She has

received training from the Covey Leadership Center and teaches a

weekly planning process that helps her clients gain greater control

of their time and their life. Kathy also teaches several popular

webinars.

As a Certified Professional Coach, Kathy helps people clarify priorities, set goals, create action

steps, build in weekly accountability check-ins in a non-judgmental way, evaluate what’s

working and what’s not, make necessary adjustments along the way, and celebrate successes.

Kathy’s greatest joy is to empower and equip others to live the life of freedom and fulfillment

they desire--to give them the internal and external tools and processes to organize their entire

life--so their environment and lifestyle reflect their values and passions.