Breaking Free from Procrastination: A Bookkeeper's Honest Take

You know that feeling when you're staring at your to-do list, and somehow answering emails feels way more appealing than tackling that big project you've been putting off? Trust me, I've been there – probably more times than I'd like to admit!

Here's the thing: as a bookkeeper and business owner, I've learned that procrastination isn't just about poor time management. It's often about how we handle challenging tasks and our emotional relationship with work. Let me share some game-changing strategies that have helped both me and my clients break free from the procrastination cycle.

1. Schedule Your Deep Work (Yes, Actually Schedule It!) Remember when I first started implementing "Deep Work Wednesdays" at Cloud Business Services? It felt almost impossible at first. But now? It's as natural as my morning coffee. The secret isn't willpower – it's creating a consistent pattern. Block out specific times in your calendar for those brain-intensive tasks. For me, it's 9-11 AM, when my mind is freshest.

   
   

2. Embrace the Challenge Let's be honest – we often confuse being busy with being productive. Answering emails might make us feel accomplished, but is it moving our business forward? I learned this lesson the hard way when I kept postponing our firm's transition to new software. The more I avoided it, the bigger the monster grew in my mind. Now, I commit to at least 90 minutes of challenging work daily. It's like building a muscle – the more you do it, the stronger you get.

   
   

3. Create Your "Starting Ritual" You know what's funny? I noticed that my team and I procrastinated most on new, unfamiliar tasks. So we developed what we call our "CBS Starting Protocol" – a simple checklist we use whenever we face something new. It might sound basic, but having these consistent first steps eliminates that deer-in-headlights moment we all know too well.

   
   

4. Be Kind to Yourself (Seriously!) This one hits close to home. Last year, I kept putting off launching our Virtual CFO services because of a previous unsuccessful program launch. The fear of failure was real. But instead of beating myself up, I started practicing self-compassion. "It's okay that the first attempt didn't work out. Each try teaches me something new." This shift in self-talk was transformative.

   
   

Remember, procrastination isn't a character flaw – it's a habit we can change. Start small, be consistent, and most importantly, be kind to yourself along the way.

Until Next Time,