It’s nearing the end of another deadline. And, you’re too far behind to finish comfortably. The rush is on and time isn’t on your side. If only you’d started earlier. You can’t afford to spend time reflecting. But, you can’t help but feel a strong sense of regret. How did this happen again? You’ve fallen victim to your own procrastination and you vow not to put yourself in this position ever again. Top Reasons We Procrastinate Everyone knows procrastination leads to trouble. So, why do we do it in the first place? What causes people, even the best of us, to procrastinate? Sometimes, it’s because we feel events are out of control and it leads to paralysis. Or, it could be due to a lack of energy. On a neurological level, procrastination is not the slightest bit logical — it’s the result of the emotional part of your brain, your limbic system, strong-arming the reasonable, rational part of your brain, your prefrontal cortex. The logical part of your brain surrenders the moment you choose Facebook over work, or decide to binge another episode of House of Cards when you get home. But there’s a way you can give the logical side of your brain the upper hand. —Harvard Business Review Of course, perhaps the single biggest cause of procrastination are distractions. Having attention taken away from the task at-hand can really undermine productivity. Other times, it’s just feelings of sadness or depression. Most Effective Ways to Deal with Procrastination If it’s so common, just how does one beat procrastination? Fortunately, there are a few ways to deal with procrastination. First, recognize when you’re procrastinating to start. Then, do the following: Commit to just one task. If you feel the urge to procrastinate, instead of doing nothing, do something, but something meaningful. Commit to just one task, even a small one that will give you a real sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. Give yourself a reward. Another way to overcome procrastination is to promise yourself a reward. If you tackle the task you’re tempted to put off, you’ll give yourself an enjoyable reward. You’ll be amazed at how you’re able to buckle down and focus. Act on things as they happen. Okay, so you might feel a bit intimidated by a particular type of task. That’s okay, deal with it by taking things in order, as they come. This way, you’ll build momentum. And, if it’s the first item on your plate, take comfort in the fact once it’s done, it’s out-of-the-way (at least, for the day). Minimize distractions around you. Alright, this is obvious advice. But, it definitely warrants inclusion. Get rid of any (or as many) distractions as possible to help beat procrastination. What other suggestions do you have to deal with procrastination? Please share your thoughts and experiences by commenting! Interested in learning more about business? Then just visit Waters Business Consulting Group.

Even though we’re becoming more digitally connected through social media and other technology, personal interaction cannot be replaced. Whether you want to open a retail shop or start another type of business, you’ll have to network. While reaching out on social media is a must, there’s just no substitution for face-to-face conversation. We’re innately social creatures and you can definitely use this trait to your business’ advantage. But, don’t put unnecessary obstacles in your way. Instead, understand which networking mistakes most entrepreneurs make. Top Networking Mistakes too Many Entrepreneurs Make There’s no question opportunity awaits for you to start a business. And, there are also a number of financing options available. However, there’s another component to starting a company and making it successful. Of course, this requires customers patronizing your business. The question is, just how do you find customers or clients? The age-old answer is simple: networking. This practice provides a wonderful opportunity but it’s vital to do it right. There is a right way and a wrong way to network. If you are one of those people who hate to network and view it as phony or pretentious, then you are doing it all wrong. Networking is not about building a mammoth list of contacts or passing out business cards like you’re dealing poker. Networking means building mutually beneficial relationships. —U.S. News and World Report Networking allows you to become a known quantity. It also serves to sharpen your people and communication skills. But, it can also be frustrating, tiring, inconvenient, as well as near disastrous. What’s worse, is networking can also be counterproductive. If you want to get the most out of networking, you’ve got to know what does and doesn’t work. Here are some of the worst networking mistakes too many entrepreneurs make: Selling, not networking. Alright, this makes the “all-too-obvious” list. But, it definitely bears inclusion here because it cannot be left out. Think about what’s most annoying about those loud, hard-selling commercials you hear and see. Now, imagine you are the embodiment of those — selling, selling, selling to each individual you meet. That’s certainly not productive. Keep the sales talk to yourself and meet people, have pleasant conversations, instead. Failure to make and follow a plan. Entrepreneurs are notorious for making plans and following them step-by-step. Planning and executing provide awesome results because you set goals and then achieve them, one-by-one. That gives you a sense of accomplishment and increases your level of motivation. So, do the same when you go to a networking event. Make a plan and follow it. Not networking with regular consistency. If you network, you’ve got to do so consistently. Without consistency, you send a modest signal you’re not really interested in others. Also, without consistency, you run the real risk of always being relatively unknown and that’s not a good thing. Talking too much, as well as listening too little. Even if you’re not engaged in selling this or that product and/or service, talking too much is a big no-no. Everyone knows talking too much is downright impolite. Moreover, if you manage to hold back, be sure to actually listen. There’s a difference between being politely silent and being an active listener. Making pre-conceived assumptions about people. “Never judge a book by its cover.” So the old adage goes and it’s proven true, time and time again. Since this is the case, make a sincere effort to not form assumptions about others. If you do, it will have an impact on how you come across. What networking mistakes do you think should be included? How do you approach networking at-large? Please, share your thoughts and experiences by leaving a comment! Interested in learning more about business? Then just visit Waters Business Consulting Group. [shareaholic app=”follow_buttons” id=”26833294″]