People who give their hours to their 9 to 5 job think that entrepreneurs have an easy, simple life; that they get to wake up at noon, sip delicious beverages in their pools, while living a lifestyle of luxury, only working a couple hours per day.
While having the freedom to set your own hours and work from home or remotely is certainly a perk of being your own boss, many homemade entrepreneurs have fallen victim to taking this freedom for granted, becoming lazy in how they run their business.
It is crucial for entrepreneurs to understand that working for yourself means that no one else is holding you accountable - there is no boss looking over your shoulder or other coworkers present to ensure you are doing your job. You have to show up for yourself, otherwise, you will catch yourself lying around the house all day, becoming a business owner bum.
Does this sound like you?
- Do you keep convincing yourself that while couch surfing you are thinking up a master plan for your business?
- Do you stall over the same project for weeks at a time and suffer from analysis paralysis?
- Do you catch yourself trashing what you have accomplished and starting over due to the need to be perfect?
- Do you allow distractions to take away your attention each time you need to settle down and get to work?
All of the above are self-defeating habits that can create a stagnant business and hold back the opportunity to make a thriving brand that will stand the test of time. If you suffer from any or all of the above, in this article we will discuss ways to overcome laziness in business.
Steps to Overcome Laziness in Business
Believe it or not, the steps to conquering laziness in business are quite simple and involve the creation of habits used on a daily basis.
Plan out your week ahead of time
Set aside 15 to 30 minutes during your weekend free time to write down a list of to-do’s. This will help you to create actionable steps you can accomplish throughout the week. Sundays are a great day to build up your weekly master list and helps to ensure you don’t miss anything that needs to be done in order for your business to run smoothly.
Get yourself a notebook or planner dedicated to building out your weeks’ schedule. Jot down everything from what you need to write, who you need to get in touch with, tasks to delegate to a team (if you have one), etc. This helps you to look at what needs to be completed and prioritize them in order of importance, which keeps you from wasting valuable time on less crucial tasks.
Pro tip: To help yourself think about the bigger picture of your business, listen to music that inspires you while mapping out your week.
This masterful, weekly to-do list will not only keep you focused on what is most important, but when you are able to check off a task from the list, you know what direction you need to go to next. When you write it down, study it, and put the items in order, you know where you need to go, what needs to be done, and when to do it!
Plans are vital to every successful business. It not only helps to track your overall progress, but when you write things out physically, you are also able to see when you are being lazy and what needs to change to ensure longevity in your business. This will allow you to make changes, implement new habits, and master your daily routine so you can continuously be productive week after week.
Get dressed
We often underestimate the power of what we look like. When you look good, you feel good, which enables you to perform better. So, why not feel this way from the first moments after waking up? Instead of chilling in your pajamas all day while working from home, get motivated for your day by getting dressed. It helps to get into a working mindset and promotes motivation instead feeding the desire to lounge.
Any action is a good action
What are your goals? And what are the immediate actions you can take towards achieving that goal? No matter how small the task, when you begin to take action, it is easy to flow into other tasks.
Stop having the “all or nothing” state of mind; fruitful businesses are not created in 24 hours. In other words, do not attempt to do everything at once. Work your way down the list of to-do’s, starting with the lowest hanging fruit! This ensures that you will not become frustrated and unmotivated to continue working hard towards your goals.
Implement and adhere to a routine
Don’t let the day’s events dictate you; create a plan that allows you to take the reigns over your day, no matter what may occur. Here are a few ideas to help you create a realistic daily routine that will serve as a baseline that will help you to take the actions needed to keep your business on track:
- What time will you wake up?
- What time will you start your work day?
- What will you do during this timeframe?
- What time will you end your work day?
- Remember to schedule necessary breaks
Build a schedule that you know will work best for you and your lifestyle. Keep in mind that you will likely have to tweak it over time to find your rhythm. Take a look at that schedule every evening before going to bed. Make the conscious decision to get up on time and start the day as planned.
Modify your environment
Do you find yourself making excuses or getting distracted while trying to work from the comfort of your home? To be more productive, change the scenery in which you work in! Head to a local coffee shop, public library, or other locations where others are being productive, too. This will motivate you to get more done.
Set yourself up for success
Before you start your work day, get everything you need to set yourself up for success. You can easily overcome laziness in business by avoiding the need to get up multiple times. So get your snacks, your coffee, and all the tools you need to jump into a task without unnecessary breaks.
Get organized
You will find as your business expands that many of the obstacles you face can be totally avoided if you were more organized. Constantly being surrounded by a disorderly home or desk can make you feel easily overwhelmed and promote the desire to become sluggish. Before you sit down to work, clear and clean the space; it will make you feel much better about yourself, promoting motivation to be more productive.
Hire a coach
If you are struggling to overcome laziness in your business, perhaps it is time to consider getting yourself a business coach. Coaches help you to remain accountable for the progress you experience within your brand. Many entrepreneurs struggle simply because there is no one around to answer to.
Coaches are there to keep your business moving forward in your desired direction. Most of their clients have accountability forms to fill out monthly, so they can see their progress and set goals for the months ahead. When you review your daily actions regularly, it will allow you to see your productivity rate and inspire you to keep moving forward and do more to grow your business.
Do you have any methods that you use to overcome laziness in business? Did any of the tips above resound with you?
