This is a fitting post to return to this blog with: I haven’t written here since November (gosh, has it really been that long?). But with the holidays, business stress and the dark, short winter days upon us, sometimes I let circumstances get the best of me and fall into a rut.
You know the drill. You put off a task, then feel a little guilty about it. The guilt leads to more procrastination and, suddenly, you have a month-long pile of things to do that are more imposing than ever now that the pile has gotten so huge.
What’s a poor entrepreneur to do?
Get Introspective
My first course of action is always personal. I figure out whether I am letting fears or limiting beliefs get in my way. It does happen sometimes, and unless I work on the intellectual and emotional reasons for my rut, I won’t pull myself out of it. Sometimes it’s not an issue; it’s just life happening. But sometimes there is a bigger fear that needs to be addressed.
Look Out for Number One
My second course of action is to start taking care of myself better. Usually when I have gotten into procrastination mode, I’ve also slept less, exercised less and/or eaten unhealthy food. To put myself back on track, I’ll get back into meditation and start taking my vitamins. I’ll also force myself to eat more veggies and pamper myself a little. After carrying around all that guilt, I can beat myself up quite a bit. By refocusing on caring for myself, the guilt loses its power and I’m able to get my head clear.
Get it Down in Writing
When things to do are piling up, I start losing track of it all in my head. Then when I think about all the things I have to do, they become this nebulous behemoth of insurmountable proportions. Going through everything and making a grand list of “All Things Procrastinated” gets it out of your head and in plain view in front of your eyes. Ninety-nine percent of the time, I’m surprised to find that the list isn’t as big as I thought it was.
Chunk it Down
When there’s a lot to do, it feels like a huge weight on my shoulders. If you still feel overwhelmed after making a list, then put your tasks into categories. Make a category for “urgent” and then other categories that work for you (family, paperwork, errands, etc.). Remember that you’re just making a list; you don’t have to have it all done yesterday.
Prune It
I think many of us, especially women, have unrealistic expectations of what we should be able to accomplish on any given day. I’ll admit that I can be the queen of overcommitting. So whenever I make lists, I find that I need to cross some things off before I even get started. Not only does it make you feel like you are getting something done, it gives you practice at saying “no,” something I wholeheartedly admit I need to practice.
Build in Accountability and Take Action
I’m embarrassed to admit it, but sometimes I don’t get a thing done unless I know someone else is counting on me. This isn’t the greatest formula for success for a business owner, and it’s hurt me and my income on more than 20 occasions in the past. I know that in order to get myself moving, I have to build in accountability. Whether I grab a call with a coach, throw down some consequences with my blog readers or just tell a friend to hold me to a promise, I know I must do something like this to move from inaction to action.
In the end, it’s usually a slow-moving process getting from a big mound of procrastinated tasks to a clean desk and that light-hearted feeling of being on top of things. But by taking a balanced approach to the process, I can pull myself out of just about any rut that comes my way.
Oh, and by the way, it’s good to be back. Thanks for missing me. 
5 Responses to “Coming Out of a Rut: How to Get Yourself Back on Track and Productive Again”
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January 22nd, 2008 at 5:31 pm
Wendy -
THANK YOU for creating this post. I did miss you.
But more than that, it helps to know that I’m not the only one who gets off track and can’t seem to get back on. Thanks for the tips.
January 22nd, 2008 at 6:02 pm
Thank you for the information regarding getting yourself back on trace. It seems that I am not the only one that feels that pressure of taking care of yourself while taking care of business. When I did the list…I figured out why I feel the overwhelming stress. I took that list and delegated it to my staff. I now have weekly meetings to check to see what is done and helping them to complete the tasks that I was doing all by myself. This also gives me the opportunity to add additional tasks to their list of which helps me to sleep at night.
January 29th, 2008 at 12:33 pm
Thanks for your insight. We are infusing Entreprenuership into all of our high school courses next year. It is really what helps prepare students for 21st century employment.
http://www.catec.org/blog/index.cfm
February 5th, 2008 at 6:23 pm
Writing down plans on paper when it comes to your business is a deceivingly simple step that has big results long term. I agree – when you get into the habit of writing down every component of your plan, you are spurred to taking more action. Not only does it keep components of your strategy – business, marketing, etc. – organized, but it makes them “real.” When something feels real and tangible, you are more likely to follow through with it (and of course, remember it). Also, writing it down makes it easier for you to make calculated changes when you find out something is not working! Thanks for this helpful post.
February 19th, 2008 at 12:09 pm
Most people in a rut would benefit from working with a Coach. A great coach will be able to extract from you what your Goals and desires are and help you stay on track. One of the biggest obstacles with DotComPreneurs and home biz owners is accountability. Because you can sleep in doesn’t mean you should, and sooner or later it will cost you.
A great Coach will intervene before a negative habit pattern robs you of your dreams.
We run group Coaching programs for DotComPreneurs, which are quite affordable and help to combat the most common obstacles: isolation, lack of direction, planning and accountability.
Live Your Dreams,
Jill Koenig
Author, Coach and Motivational Speaker
http://www.GoalGuru.com