Procrastination - Internet Marketing

[Ric]

Howdy Warriors,

I wanted to start a discussion on how many of you have major problems taking action and deal with procrastination on a daily basis with your internet marketing efforts.

Even if you arent exactly an internet marketer but have some kind of online business or service, what kind of problems do you run into when it comes to taking action and productivity?

I've personally had to deal with a lot of issues around procrastination and they've resulted in me missing very good opportunities to make a lot of money online. Thankfully I've managed to overcome some of my procrastination issues, however I still do struggle, at times, to concentrate.

Go ahead and share your problems, and what your biggest frustrations are when it comes to productivity - procrastination and internet marketing. I'll try sharing some insights that have helped me.

EDIT: Great responses so far, if you could mention more about what frustrations and problems you face when you try to overcome procrastination that would be great! Also do you guys consciously seek out a solution for your procrastination?

[repstein]

The internet tends to ruin concentration, scattering brain power across dozens of mostly worthless tasks.

This effect is especially noticeable to me: I spend the first part of the day intensely concentrating on ancient legal texts, and the next part of the day working online. I feel the switch and it's real.

You might consider reading 'The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains." Except for a secular pop-vision of humanity and human history, he gets a lot right.

It might be helpful to write out your tasks ahead of time before going onto the computer. Write down your tasks, expected time for each one, and don't divert. Don't turn on chat. Don't check your email. Don't look at Facebook. Don't sms. (Unless any of these things is one of your tasks, of course)

Each of these kinds of seemingly innocent diversions cause people to lose focus and have to get back on track. The cost can be huge.

I don't know about you, but as soon as I am on the computer my emotional experience and my attention span are quickly altered. I am less able to focus and make competent decisions. But before going on the computer I have a better chance. Actually, I am glad I am writing this post- it renews my resolve to work on these issues.

[Horny Devil]

Originally Posted by Ric

Howdy Warriors,

I wanted to start a discussion on how many of you have major problems taking action and deal with procrastination on a daily basis . . . . . . .

I'll post an answer to this later

[johnben1444]

I bet you are not the only that suffers from procrastination, it just depend on how long this attitude last, proactive people are able to deal with it sooner. Procrastination is just like an offense that always has it's repercussion, in business it can be termed inefficiency.

Learn to tackle this issue today and am sure you will see a remarkable improvement in your business.

[Ray Wilson]

The single best tip when it comes to procrastination is simply to stop thinking.

Yeah, just stop it! It's the best thing you can do. Instead, let the subconscious do the work for you. It will lead you towards the goal itself.

Analyzing too much is really paralyzing.

Cheers,
Ray

[PayLaterPlace]

I've been meaning to write a few articles all weekend. I'm terrible at doing things until the last second. I also tend to get more focused at night than during the day.

[Ray Wilson]

Originally Posted by HeadToHeadFantasy

I've been meaning to write a few articles all weekend. I'm terrible at doing things until the last second. I also tend to get more focused at night than during the day.

Does this work for you - writing late in the evening?

Although it is doable, I usually feel very tired when I need to write something late at night. The efficiency is best in the morning 10:00-12:00 AM.

Cheers,
Ray

[MoneyMark]

Procrastination was a major problem for me when I first started with Internet Marketing. I would make a to do list and sit back and look at it all day long.

To solve my procrastination problem I got a day planner. I still make my to do list. Now I just spread my task over several hours throughout the day. This method works best for me.

[PayLaterPlace]

Originally Posted by Ray Wilson

Does this work for you - writing late in the evening?

Although it is doable, I usually feel very tired when I need to write something late at night. The efficiency is best in the morning 10:00-12:00 AM.

Cheers,
Ray

Nights seem to work best for me, especially during the week. If I can get cracking around 8-9 p.m. I can write til 12 or 1 without any problem. I don't have the attention span to focus on writing during the day.

[fedor50]

Originally Posted by Ric

Howdy Warriors,

I wanted to start a discussion on how many of you have major problems taking action and deal with procrastination on a daily basis with your internet marketing efforts.

Even if you arent exactly an internet marketer but have some kind of online business or service, what kind of problems do you run into when it comes to taking action and productivity?

I've personally had to deal with a lot of issues around procrastination and they've resulted in me missing very good opportunities to make a lot of money online. Thankfully I've managed to overcome some of my procrastination issues, however I still do struggle, at times, to concentrate.

Go ahead and share your problems, and what your biggest frustrations are when it comes to productivity - procrastination and internet marketing. I'll try sharing some insights that have helped me.

Procrastionation is something I used to struggle with a LOT when I was just starting out. I learned however that if you don't take action, you don't make any money

[obin94]

The thing I do which really helps battle procrastination is writing exactly what I need to get done each ad everyday and exactly when I'm going to do it in the day.

I just recently wrote down what I needed to do tomorrow. For example 11:00 - work out 12:00 work on new product... Etc.

Hope this helps
Robin Danielsen

[Randall Magwood]

To beat my procrastination, i listen to music all while doing my daily marketing chores. Doesn't bore me at all.

[plongmire]

The foundation to success is action--Pablo Picasso

I think this is the number one reason why people do not make money online. I went back to my JV Account to make sure I gave the right numbers. This weekend I added 14 new products to my PLR Store. Plus wrote five articles for warrior and two articles on my blog. Not to mention emails from people wanting to connect and those in my coaching program.

I learned this the hard way.

I use to spend enormous amount of time looking, reading, and not doing. This lead me to places of hoping and praying that my minimal efforts would produce results. I really did not understand the concept of speed in marketing.

Then one day I read, you dont get paid until you get it to press...in our world you dont get paid until you put a buy button on it. The more affiliate links you have or products out there, or affiliates promoting your stuff...the better chances you have...

Now I spend very little time doing anything but those things I know I can do for long periods of time. Writing and creating products.

I am not very organized in day planning, but I am committed enough to buckle down and just do...

Those are just a couple of things I have learned the hard way...

[ELVISTHEPELVIS]

Procrastination and Internet Marketing go hand in hand, that's why you hear more stories of failure than success.

You need to have some real discipline, and be able to motivate yourself, otherwise you may be better off working for someone else.

[sriram rajan]

Procastination is nothing but putting important things off to do minor things on your TO-DO list

If you get a chance to read Brina tracy's "GOALS" or "NO EXCUSES" you get the right formula to kill it , no matter I.M or any other field in life

in short gist focus on the tasks that will yield you the higest ROI and start from there and you should do good.

Also if you like books "7 habits of highly effective people" will help take things to the next level.

[travlinguy]

Try marketing stuff you know and love. When you do that it's not work and procrastination isn't a problem.

[WarGasm]

I'm going to stop procrastinating....................tomorrow!

[Emaloy97]

Procrastination for me is the #1 problem. IM isnt easy. Its like anything else. You have to take ACTION!

[scottj2]

Procrastination is the largest nation. You can't wait until all the stoplights are on green, but maybe just the first 3 or four.

[ParkerJ]

Just do, and you´ll learn how along the way

[marcuslim]

What someone else said - the best way to defeat this is to just do something. The trick is to get into the state where momentum starts to get going, and once it does, don't stop.

[Das Newb]

Originally Posted by marcuslim

What someone else said - the best way to defeat this is to just do something. The trick is to get into the state where momentum starts to get going, and once it does, don't stop.

This.

I've gotten SO much done in the past three days, more than I've done in the past six months in terms of IM stuff. The only trick to was just to do it. As the old saying goes:

"There's nothing to it but to do it." Its stupid and obvious, but damn if ain't true.

[KKM017]

To me, the best way to stop procrastination is by making a habit of taking action. After you do that, you'll naturally always be doing something. This has helped me in life, but especially in IM.

The only problem with doing that is that you'll find it hard to sit back and enjoy yourself once in a while

[jamesgan]

10 steps to say Goodbye to your Procrastinating 'Friend'
1. Examine the amount of time procrastinating.
You may be shocked by the time wasted in front of the television.
Why don't you find out by using a timer?
2. Examine the effect.
What lies ahead? Chances are, you will benefit from facing the task head on.
3. Set reasonable goals.
4. Have a To-Do list,
- Allow time to complete things.
- Set time aside for the unexpected.
5. Create a new habit.
You may not want to do your work right now, but you can still be thinking about how to do it
more quickly and efficiently.
- Scan through your work.
- Decide how you will proceed while watching television.
- Give yourself a time limit. Watch television for a half hour, then initiate the first few steps.
- It take 21 days consistent efforts to create your new habits.

6. Approach each task in small intervals.
This may seem less daunting.
- A half hour or one hour may be a reasonable amount of time to concentrate taking a break.
- Divide a task over a week, month or several hours.
7. Just get started.
Going from doing nothing to doing something is often the hardest part. Imagine how good you
will feel when everything is off your mind.
- It takes about 15 minutes after starting to become engaged.
Good news! .. Once you've reached this level of engagement, you will see
that it is hard to stop!
- Sit down, block out any distractions (all electronics!), and dive in!
8. Reward yourself along the way.
The reward that lies ahead may not be enough to motivate you now. Reward yourself with a
break, a movie or some kind of treat as you progress.
9. Stay focused.
Say "no" to picking up the guitar, playing a DVD or texting your friends. Build confidence in
your ability to make choices.
10. Don't expect perfection.
No one is perfect. Its better to try your best than do nothing at all.
- You may procrastinate in order to give yourself an excuse for a subpar performance.
This cycle is self-defeating.
- An imperfect job done today is always superior to the perfect job delayed indefinitely.

Last but not least...
Thinking of the faces of your love one, your family, your girlfriend, your wife, your children, you have only one life to do what you want to do and the time is ticking.....

[db731]

Yes procrastination can be something difficult to overcome. Just try to push yourself to do what your supposed to do and take a break every now and then.

[cyberdenizen]

I struggle with procrastination, too! (I'm a recovering perfectionist and perfectionists tend to procrastinate.) However, I remedy this by imposing tight deadlines on myself. I don't wait for the right time like I used to; I do whatever I can at any given moment. Working against a countdown timer helps me to stay focused.

There is a product that I find really helpful. It's called Brain Juicer and it was once offered in the War Room. (By the way, it's not my product.) It's a brainwave entrainment program, a collection of MP3s that can help you focus and overcome procrastination.

[JerrickYeoh]

Procrastination when i start lack of motive once fail or lack of result that i spend so much in effort and cause me procrastination to keep it up and try a new way .
This is serious a bad habit i face.

[Michael Ten]

I'm pretty good at not procrastinating and taking action.
I'm not as good at taking the right action and acting efficiently. I need to work on that.

[NezNezAt5]

hmm.. how i overcome is to think of my end result. For me, my end result is achieve certain goals like making $xxxxxx in days/months/year. That goal motivates me and it kills my procastination.

You have to ask yourself why you want to do this business. Is your goal very important to you that will keep you going? If it does, get started now.

Have a time table, to-do list. Hope it helps.

[Ric]

WOW, the forum wasnt functioning right and this thread wasnt going live. Impressive responses!

If you could mention more about what "problems" you currently face overcoming procrastination, that would be great

[Thomas W]

personally it has been information overload that has caused me to procrastinate. I had to train my brain to trust my instinct and allow times for work

[Ronnie44]

Nothing more motivating than seeing the Dollars rolling in.

[WebMoxie]

Right now, I don't want to make this post. What if there's a typo that makes me look like an idiot? What if no one likes what I have to say? The trick is BEFORE your mind gets on a roll and gives you a million excuses - CUT IT OFF! Start working on the task as fast as you can. Once you are in the process, your mind will calm down and stop fighting what has to be done. That's what works for me.

[cashtree]

I have this problem but looking at the sites people are making money with has inspired me, seeing as some of them are down right silly, using free wordpress templates with linkbacks to the creator and making hundreds to thousands on that a month.

[Birdi]

My experience of dealing with my procrastination that does kick in now and again ... is that i simply set my goals and set my deadlines... i make sure my calendar is in front of me and i know the deadlines...

I then place a to do list on my table each night, so during the next day i know exactly what i need to do and get it done.

thats my experience it works for me .... might work for some of you guys


Birdi

[inspectorkanee]

I have the same problem often... I think with me, sometimes I would rather cling to the hope and idea that something will work that I am doing, but would rather not face it right away. It kind of gives me more motivation... Also, I find that I spread myself too thin and have too many tasks in front of me, and instead of tackling them, I get overwhelmed, and do nothing.

Lack of motivation can also be a problem. If I am working on something but am seeing little results, I am more likely to put it off.

I think a lot of people procrastinate on their online ventures because they either don't believe in themselves or the venture, they are lazy, or just overwhelmed. Some people are afraid of success also.

You really just have to focus and push yourself, and your efforts will pay off.

[dndoseller]

No way, I am totally passionate about what I do in my own business so I can't wait to get to the computer.

I only procrastinate on client work because I'm just a rented mind for money - so I need much more than that to get inspiried.

So my main solution is to focus more on my own work, and less on client work.

But if I have to do client work then I make sure it is all logged and prioritized using the Getting Things Done system.

[sc00byd00]

I suffer from this sometimes, not as much as I used to though. I have a weekly schedule for recurring tasks and a daily "To Do" list of things that crop up and need my attention.

[Bill Hugall]

It was a huge problem for me as a newbie. I was the easiest sell on the block. If it was shinny and had a cool video I would buy it start it that night and then find the next cool one waiting in my inbox in the morning. That was a few years back and while I still get caught up checking my emails. It is for an entirely different reason. I actually have contacts that matter to my business now. I would say I only waste about 10% of my time now.
I have found that money is on the other side of work and action. So I work now. Funny... The minute I started working and accepting that I might or would fail is the minute I actually started making money.

[johnes4th]

I used be be a grade A procrastinator. Along with just telling myself to step it up, I found Focus Booster to be the perfect tool for me. It's a free little desktop app that simply runs a timer. Mine is set at 45 minutes of work, followed by a 10 minute break (for better or worse I need my cigarette break).

During that 10 minute break is when I check emails, facebook, and all the distracting stuff (I have include Warrior Forum in my break time because otherwise I would be here for hours and not get any work done) Not only does it make me work for the full 45 minutes, for some reason glancing at the timer as it counts down makes me work faster.

You can download it at focus booster - home; try the pomodoro technique (I am not associated with this in any way - I don't even think they have a premium version)

Even if you do still end up procrastinating on one or two things, it at least ensures that you are always working on something.

[cashp0wer]

This has been a huge problem for me and it was for the first year at least. After that I just sat myself down and gave myself a good talk - JUST DO IT!! So I did and I am glad I did or I wouldn't be where I am today. I put it off for so long that I still wonder where I would be today if I started the first year that I planned to.

[Ric]

Its great to see that so many of you have managed to overcome this, I strongly believe everyone can - but dont you think the problem is more than just "not taking action" had has some deeper roots in our way thinking.

[iconoclast]

I think a big part of procrastination is uncertainty. People are hesitant to work on something if they are uncertain that it will produce results. I think that's why people who are already making money are more motivated.

[johntan17]

You can set yourself a target and write down the things you need to do to achieve your target. Then plan your schedule carefully and make sure that you follow your schedule no matter what happens. You need to be able to motivate yourself to get things going in order to stop procrastinating. Don't think too much (when you start thinking the same thoughts over and over again without coming up with a concrete action to solve the problem) such that you fail to carry out your plans.

Remember Nike's Famous Ad Slogan- Just Do It!

[icoachu]

You need a SHORT to do list. Put only stuff on there that will move your business forward. Don't rest until you knock out the list.

[KickAss Marketing]

Procrastination i think it's inevitable. It happens once in a while sometimes all you need is to delay things a little to help you keep going the time you want to continue with what you are doing.. Few minutes of procrastination is good but not too much...

[Dan C. Rinnert]

There's no single solution since there's no single cause for procrastination, so what may work for one person may not work for another, because their reasons for procrastinating may be entirely different.

Once you've figured out what causes YOU to procrastinate, then you can work on ways to overcome it.

Until then, just trying to implement strategies others have used may not work for you. In fact, they could make your procrastination worse, because they may serve to convince you that there's nothing you can do about your procrastination. Thus, you stop looking for solutions, which would be counterproductive.

[michaelcorvin]

I was going to reply to this post on procrastination...

...but I think I will do it tomorrow :-) haha

Michael Corvin

[IMAdam]

I think we are all faced with some level of procrastination at some point in time.

The best ways I've been able to overcome it is by:

1) Set Goals.

2) A white board and setting it up close to my work space, so I can view what projects/tasks I need to work on and cross off the items I've completed.

3) Started using the pomodoro technique (it's free, all you need is a timer) The Pomodoro Technique®

[abugah]

The brain tends to gravitate towards the easy and pleasurable things. In other words most decisions are based on the pain/pleasure principle. Most of us want to avoid pain; we want more pleasure; we want to remain in the comfort zone; maintain the status quo. What is pain and pleasure will vary from individual to individual. In most cases the things that will take you forward are painful.

The key to successful living, banishing procrastination, is doing the hard things first. Whatever you find yourself procrastinating should be the first thing you do in the morning-for me that's how I managed to kill it. By the way, you just need to do it consistently for a few days and it becomes a habit.

Perhaps these quotes will be worthwhile to remember...
‘‘Disciplining yourself to do what you know is right and important, although difficult, is the highroad to pride, self-esteem, and personal satisfaction.’’ --Margaret Thatcher, former Prime Minister of UK

“Never put off until tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow.” --Mark Twain

“Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone” --Pablo Picasso

“You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.” --Abraham Lincoln

"Putting off an easy thing makes it hard. Putting off a hard thing makes it impossible." -- George Claude Lorimer