1. avoid it. Suddenly your filing system
needs purging, your furniture needs
dusting, and a friend calls about that
sale you were discussing. At the end
of the day, you happily cross off your
to-do list. But it's a false sense of
accomplishment, for you are no closer
to your goal of making your business
more successful.
Many of us fear failure, which is linked
to perfectionism. It is hard to motivate
yourself if you are not able to
do something well. It is difficult to
approach a potential client if you don’t
have confidence, or you feel over-
whelmed, tired, and defeated before
you even start.
Sometimes, though, we procrastinate
because we are afraid of success. It
goes something like this: “If I succeed
in my business, I’ll have to travel and
leave my kids. I’ll have to work 24
hours a day to keep up. I might as well
stay small so I don’t have to think about
the many steps required if I grow.” This
is also the fear of the unknown.
There are many reasons that we pro-
crastinate, but to succeed we need to
move into action. My favourite quote
from Og Mandino is “Action will destroy
your procrastination.” What do you
need to do to move into action?
There are steps to follow that will
move you closer to active participation.
The first step is identifying what you
REALLY want. Learn everything you
can, then line up what you need to do
a good job: your resources, your time
frame, and reward system.
Ask yourself this question: “Do I
really want to do this project, or am I
feeling pressured by something or
someone?” When we are pressured
to do a project that we find hard or
boring, we resist until it becomes
unbearable. Eventually we quit, leaving
ourselves disappointed.
I’d like to suggest taking time to create
a simple plan of action. Whatever project
you decide to do, big or small, break it
down into manageable, small steps and
work at it every day for at least 30
minutes. Remember also, put a dead-
line on your project, so procrastination
doesn’t get a chance to take hold.
Take time to create a beautiful and
functional environment in your home
or office, a place you love and one
that is welcoming to your family,
friends, and clients. If your office
looks like a public storage space, you
will avoid working there. Making our
space more attractive and functional
will put us on the road to being more
motivated
and pro-
ductive.
Ranka Burzan is the owner of Solutions Organizing Simple, a professional organizing company and
the author of Helpful Hints to Organize and Clean your Home, Your Junk or Your Life, 10 Tips to
Organize your Child, Praise Helps to Get Children Organized, Replace Nagging with Guidance to
Cut Clutter, Liberate Your Garage, Clear Your Home, Clear Your Mind, Practical Tips to Downsize &
Simplify Your Life, and a recently published book, Don’t Agonize, Organize.
Ranka can provide you with a fun and informative interview to help you kick the clutter and
get organized. For more information regarding Solutions Organizing Simple's services, articles,
newsletters and cleaning products, visit her website http://www.SolutionsOrganizing.com
Business Success
Today’s Businesswoman Summer 2013 47
Procrastination vs.
Productivity
by Ranka Burzan
NOW
LATER
Procrastination is the grave in
which opportunity is buried.
Unknown
The costs of procrastinating can be
higher than we may think. According to
Pies Steel, a human resources professor
at the University of Calgary Haskayne
School of Business, 95 percent of us
procrastinate at times, while 25
percent of us are chronic offenders,
who procrastinate in every area of life.
Each year, thousands of businesses fail,
adversely affecting people's financial
situations and forcing them to settle for
less than they deserve. In many cases,
this could be avoided if business owners
became more proactive participants in
their businesses, and here procrastina-
tion may play a part.
There are two types of procrastination.
The first type is deliberate procrastination:
“I’m going to wait until tomorrow;
I don’t need it until Wednesday.” This
I-work-better-under-pressure attitude
backfires and seldom works. By
postponing decisions, we eliminate
our choices and set ourselves up for
failure.
The second type of procrastination is
productive procrastination. This kind
is more deceptive. We are busy doing
mundane chores, instead of doing
what will bring us more clients and
revenue. You have to make a few
calls, but do everything possible to
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