Global Master Business Coach and speaker at the upcoming SA Business Excellence Awards Bruce Wilson has some helpful pointers for business owners looking to overcome their tendency to procrastinate these tasks.
“It is a universal trait to avoid or delay taking actions that either must be done or would be to our benefit if done,” says Wilson.
He believes that procrastination happens when people believe the task at hand:
- Is forced upon them
- Could undermine their standing
- Could spread discord
- Plays on an insecurity
- Puts any core values in conflict
Wilson says that in his experience, the best way to overcome these challenges is through developing a clear vision, purpose and plan.
A vision gives a sense of the task’s purpose beyond that moment, a purpose fuels the emotion required to get the task done and a plan offers simple action steps.
In addition, accountability with someone who important to us can also stir us to action as we believe it will matter if we report to them that we have not taken action.
“A major subset of procrastination is the ‘Complexity Trap’, which makes the individual factors involved in taking action conditional on other actions that are not yet in place. When we reach the point where we have such a complicated series of inter-connected actions, we become unsure where to start and the sheer volume of activity is overwhelming,” he says.
The two ways to get best overcome the procrastination trap
- Identify the first step in the process and do it without second-guessing what the results might be. Then, in the same way, define the next step and do that until the task is complete.
- Create a flowchart for each step of the process and identify what needs to be done in that step. “Flowcharting reduces a large task down to manageable chunks and may even show that someone else can do some parts of the process, which takes the pressure off us,” he explains.
To learn more from Bruce Wilson and to hear other industry experts present on the various aspects of running a successful business, book your ticket to attend the Business Excellence Forum & Awards in November 2015.
Visit www.thebusinessexcellenceforums.com for more information or call 012 665 1015.