5 ways to combat the entrepreneur’s worst enemy

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5 ways to combat the entrepreneur’s worst enemy

Procrastination is a common issue for many entrepreneurs.

Yup, the P word.

Especially when faced with daunting tasks, it can be tempting to put them off and fall into a YouTube rabbit hole or doomscroll for hours.

It can prevent you from ever starting a business or growing.

To help you overcome it, Here are five strategies for overcoming procrastination as an entrepreneur:

#1. Set clear goals and deadlines.

By setting specific, achievable goals and attaching deadlines to them, you can better focus your efforts and stay motivated to complete tasks on time.

👉 This founder used this strategy and grew his business to $1M annually.

#2. Break tasks down into smaller steps.

Large, overwhelming tasks can be intimidating, leading us to avoid them altogether.

“Create a marketing plan for 2023.” – Nobody wants to do that. It sounds like way too much work and something tough to complete.

Instead, break it down into smaller, more manageable steps. Completing tasks will give you a feeling of satisfaction and will motivate you to keep going.

👉 This agency could scale to $480K/year thanks to this strategy.

#3. Eliminate distractions.

I recently started a #DeepWork challenge on Twitter. 2 hours per day of undistracted, deep work for the next 100 days.

It’s helping me to get a lot done.

Distractions are one of the biggest enemies of productivity. Setting your phone to “flight mode,” using a simple blocker to prevent you from checking Twitter for a couple of hours, and noise-canceling headphones are all you need to get a lot of work done.

👉 By removing distractions, this company doubled its revenue and reached $416K/year.

#4. Use accountability to your advantage.

Having someone hold you accountable for your actions can be a powerful motivator. If I miss a #DeepWork session, I donate $100 to a charity.

You can also find an accountability partner to share your goals and progress.

Having to tell someone what you’ve accomplished will give you a slight push to avoid showing up with nothing.

👉 Finding an accountability buddy was a game changer for this $10K/month solo founder.

#5 Reward yourself for completing tasks.

This is extremely important.

It can be as simple as allowing yourself to take a break or having a cookie. Whatever works for you.

This can help reinforce positive behavior and make it more likely that you’ll continue to progress toward your goals.

👉 This business owner, who brings in $600K annually, rewards himself for even the smallest victories.

Implementing (at least some of) these strategies can help you stay focused, motivated, and on track to achieve your goals.

What about you? How do you stay focused? I’d love to hear how you do it!

Together with Hired

Less Competition, More Talent: Here's How to Recruit in an Economic Downturn

If you’re in the recruitment space, you’re probably no stranger to hiring during an economic downturn.

No matter the economic climate, it’s your job to find and retain top tech talent to keep your company thriving.

Discover how you can adapt your hiring strategy to successfully recruit (and strengthen your own career) during an economic downturn.

Want to know more?

Download Hired’s ebook and learn how a ‘down’ economy affects hiring strategies, what companies should avoid in rough economies, the advantages of recruiting in an economic downturn (yes, there are some), and 12 best practices to help gain a competitive advantage when the economy slows.

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Quick hitters

📱 This e-commerce brand hit $50K/month after going viral on TikTok. They have stacked millions of views since they started posting short videos. If you’re trying to step up your TikTok game, check their case study and learn from their strategy.

📈 How to grow a boring business to $20K/month. This starter found success on (1) Facebook ads (still work for some!), and (2) starting a podcast, which is becoming a huge marketing tool.

🎯 This founder bootstrapped a tool to $182K/year … and now he only works 1 hour per day on it. That’s the beauty of software businesses. Yes, it can be hard to grow them; but once you reach a certain level, it can almost go on autopilot. (Btw, check this story to find out how a small product hack is responsible for most of the growth).

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