We could all use a little advice from time to time, especially when it comes to running a business. As a business coach for women, but also as a business owner myself, the procrastination struggle is real, and it can seriously get in the way of your small business success if you let it. Here are five small business tips from fellow business owners on how to get out of your own way to achieve business success.
Five Small Business Tips
Do the job you’re dreading most first.
When you have a to-do list with one mammoth task staring you in the face, it can be difficult to motivate yourself to do anything. That one big job can make your whole day seem overwhelmingly daunting, which puts up a mental block for all other tasks on your list.
If you start with the most difficult job first, you will be lifting a massive weight off your shoulders to start the day. By going in fresh you will find that the task probably isn’t as much of a drag as you first thought, and by getting it out of the way the rest of your to-do list will look easy in comparison.
Just start.
So, how are you supposed to start that daunting task you’re overwhelmed by? The answer is simple, effective, and probably not what you want to hear. Just start. As soon as you begin, that feeling of overwhelm will begin to ease. All you have to do is write a title or even just open whatever it is you need to work on. As you gain momentum you will gain focus and energy to see you through the entire task.
Progress over perfection.
Procrastination isn’t just caused by laziness. In fact, usually, it’s caused by fear of failure. To overcome this you have to reevaluate what you see as failure. If you won’t sign off on anything until it’s completely perfect, you won’t sign off on anything. Manage your expectations and accept that perfect is nowhere near as good as done. Stop getting in your own way and aim for progress, not perfection.
Feel the fear and do it anyway.
But how do you get past that fear of failure? You don’t. Making moves in business will always be scary. Keep in mind that there’s nothing wrong with a little bit of fear. Instead of trying to squash it down or wait until you’re not scared anymore, feel the fear and do the thing anyway. Each time you do it will get that much easier.
Success is the sum of small steps repeated day in and day out.
The last small business tip is to just keep going. It may seem like you need to do a big launch or make a big move to achieve success, but that isn’t true. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and you business success won’t be either. Success is what happens when you chip away at something day in and day out. Just don’t forget to take a step back every now and again to see the big picture of how much progress you have made.
Looking for more useful small business tips from small business owners? Check out my Facebook group, the Australian Business Collaborative, where you can join a community of over 6000 business owners. If you would like to read more blogs about small business tips, click here.
Have an awesome day,
Ange
