Procrastination

One of the most crucial roles you as an entrepreneur play is that of decision-maker; as the founder and leader of an organization, you have the power to make final decisions at all levels, whether you’re hiring that new intern or changing your business’ strategic course.

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Importantly, there’s an art to making decisions, and though you’ll rarely see an objectively “right” or “wrong” decision before you, how you approach this task can have a massive impact on your end results.

The crucial factor here is pressure. If you’re a new entrepreneur, once you begin making important decisions, you may fall victim to that pressure, procrastinating rather than finalizing any one course of action. This path can be self-destructive, so it’s important to proactively recognize it, and correct it so you can become a better decision-maker.

Diagnosing the problem

The first step is recognizing if you’re a “decision procrastinator” in the first place. All of us are procrastinators in some capacity; you’ve likely delayed the completion of various assignments in your education or work history, or put off making a difficult phone call until the last minute. And a , such as the desire to opt for immediate gratification or you waiting to see if “something changes.” And, in some cases, procrastination can actually be a good thing (more on that later).

However, you know you have a problem if you find yourself delaying decisions regularly because:

• You’re anxious about the outcome.
• You don’t want to be held accountable.
• You simply don’t know what to do.

The operative phrase here is “regularly.” You’ll likely encounter these scenarios intermittently even if you’re a solid decision-maker, but it’s only a problem if it’s recurring or severe.

When procrastination is useful

Sometimes, procrastination . For example, you may want to delay your decision until you’ve gathered more data about the issue. If the decision is a particularly significant one and doesn’t demand an answer right away, you may ruminate in order to produce a better conclusion.

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If multiple variables might influence your target outcome, you may wait to see if those variables emerge or change. These are examples where procrastination acts as an assisting force, rather than a means of avoidance; this is the critical distinction that separates beneficial procrastination strategies from harmful ones.

Overcoming procrastination

If you find that you’re consistently relying on harmful or destructive procrastination strategies in your decision-making, there are some strategies that can help you overcome that tendency:

• Imagine the worst-case scenario. Many times, we procrastinate on a final decision because of the unknown variables involved; , and if we aren’t sure how our options could play out, we may be tempted to avoid choosing any options at all. This strategy forces you to imagine the worst-case scenario, on each side of the decision tree. What’s the worst that could possibly happen? This thought experiment should make you more comfortable with the potential outcomes at all sides, easing your anxiety about the uncertainty.
• Give advice to a friend. It’s hard to make a decision if you don’t know what you really want, but making decisions in business isn’t about picking what you want as much as it is picking what’s best for the business. If your of your logic, frame the decision as if it’s a friend making it, and give advice to that friend; this will help you separate yourself from the problem and give (to yourself).
• Break the decision down. If the decision is too monumental or you’re worried about how it might affect different areas of your business, try to break the decision down into smaller components. For example, if you can’t decide which vendor to go with for one of your most important supplies, first decide on what your most important supply priorities are; is it more important to have consistent quality or a consistent shipping schedule? These micro-decisions can help you finalize a broader decision that encompasses them.
• Do what you can, then go with your gut. If all else fails, finish up your research; gather as much information as you can on the decision, talk to the people around you, then commit to finalizing a decision. If, with all the information in front of you, you still feel torn, close your eyes and go with your gut. Your instincts may lead you in the right direction; even if they don’t, if the decision was this close, you can’t mess up too badly.

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Many of your decisions as an entrepreneur will likely be complicated and difficult to make. However, you need to be willing to work through your decisions directly and resolutely if you want to be successful. These strategies can help you overcome your tendencies to procrastinate making a final decision, leading you to better, faster and firmer decision-making strategies.

Many people find it odd that I’m a productivity expert, as well as a huge procrastinator. Personally, I think the two go hand in hand. I have to be more organized to stop my procrastinator side from taking over. But procrastination isn’t always bad. There are times when it can be beneficial to leave something until the last minute.

Here are some tasks you can push to the bottom of your to do list:

1. Creative writing.

I find when it comes to writing an article or a post for my blog at — the more time I have the longer it will take. Writing is one of those tasks that expands to fill any time you set aside for it. When I have an entire day to write a post, I always struggle to come up with the perfect first line. But if I wait until later in the day, it forces me to just write and that usually gets the creative juices flowing. Just make sure to leave enough time for an edit.

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2. Making tough, personal choices.

I’ve heard that when you can’t decide on something you should toss a coin in the air.  It’s not to decide for you, but because the second the coin takes flight you’ll realize what you really wanted. When we have the time to sit with a difficult decision, we can second guess our gut. While you can still take time early on to think things through, waiting until the last minute to actually decide will allow you to be more instinctive.

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3. When working with others.

Don’t you hate it when you’ve just finished making changes to a project and then a client suddenly turns around and decides they want something completely different? In any business process you can expect to go through a couple of changes. But if the client keeps hopping back and forth it might be a good idea to wait for them to figure out when they really want.

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4. Saying sorry.

Some mistakes require immediate reconciliation, but in a situation where you may have made the wrong move with a client, hurt a friend’s feelings or got into an argument with a loved one, take a day before you apologize. Even if you realize you messed up right away, waiting will take the emotion out of the situation and allow you to reflect in an unbiased way. The more able you are to see from the other person’s perspective, the more genuine your apology is likely to be.

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