Procrastinate Your Way Out of Business
Procrastination can be the death knell of any business and that is doubly
true for your online business. Working for your self requires a form of self
discipline to get the work done as well as strong time management skills. If
your previous work history has involved working for someone else then you
may not totally grasp this concept as yet, but read on as we learn about the
perils of procrastination.
What is Procrastination?
Procrastination is where you put things off or find excuses for not doing a
task that needs doing. Some of the common procrastination techniques
employed by online business owners can include spending huge amounts
of time on social network sites like Facebook or twitter; taking phone calls
when you are supposed to be working on a project for a client; taking too
many long lunches or simply not bothering to get out of bed before
lunchtime. All of these examples are timewasters. If you are wondering if
something you are doing is a procrastination technique ask yourself "does
this (whatever you are doing) contribute towards my business?" If the
answer is "no" then you are procrastinating.
The Danger of Shiny Objects
The internet is full of lots of shiny objects - temptations and distractions that
steer you off course when you are supposed to be focusing on your online
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business. Both Internet Marketers and Service Providers are prone to
chasing shiny things when they are supposed to be working for their
clients. But the shiny object syndrome has an added dimension that stems
far beyond procrastination - shiny object syndrome can undermine the very
fabric of your business model.
For example let's assume you decide to be an Internet Marketer and you
decide to create and offer products to potential clients - they could be
ebooks, courses or even physical products such as DVDs or CDs. But
then you are doing a spot of research online and you come across a flashy
banner claiming you can make $300 in the next 15 minutes. You can't
resist clicking on the banner and you are taken to a sales page that tells
you that for just $97 you can get this wonderful secret to untold wealth. Of
course the sales page does not tell you that you can also lose $500 in the
same length of time and the course you have just out laid money on
doesn't tell you that either.
BUT that is not the worst part of that little example - the worst part is that
you have just stolen time and money from your business! You allowed
yourself to be distracted when you were supposed to be working on your
own business model. You have spent almost $100 that could have gone
into your business and you are spending time looking at a course that you
might read once and never implement the ideas.
Online businesses are a little different to traditional bricks and mortar
businesses - they don't have nearly as many overheads and the entry costs
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are usually pretty small. But all Internet Marketers will tell you that you need
either time or money to grow your business, while Service Providers will tell
you that time is the most important commodity. So if you want your online
business to succeed then you can't afford to waste either time or money -
don't let yourself be distracted by shiny objects.
Wool Gathering is Great for Sheep
You are building a website for a client - it is due in two days. You are
sitting at your computer, which is a good thing, but the screensaver is on.
So what are you doing when you are supposed to be working for your
client? You are wool gathering. Wool gathering is the term used for people
who seem to sit down and start their work, but who then seem to drift off
into space. Writers call it writer's block; artist's call it creative dreaming;
most of us call it day dreaming, but the bottom line is that if your brain is not
focused on the task at hand, then you are wool gathering and that is
another huge time waster.
As humans we are not machines. It can be difficult to stay focused on the
task at hand especially if the work is boring, or repetitive. If you find
yourself wool gathering, get up and take a short walk around the room.
Have a snack or get some fresh air for five minutes. You will come back to
your desk a lot more energized and this should make it easier to stay
focused on your work.
Why Staying on Top of Your Business is so Important
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Having a boss is usually pretty conducive to getting your work done -