How I Overcome Procrastination...Mostly

Procrastination will hinder your progress. This is true in just about anything in life. And as a writer or blogger, it can easily set you back from the success you want to achieve. With everything I have on my plate, how do I avoid procrastination without stressing myself out?

Well, I can safely say that it's not a perfect method. I still have my days when I just can't seem to get the motor running. But when I pop the clutch, I tend to take off and accomplish far more in the day than I dreamt possible.

Keeping Track of Everything I Do

I talk about my spreadsheet an awful lot. That's because it has played a pivotal role in my success over the years. It's had a lot of adjustments since 2012, and it's still something I have running in the background of my computer every day.

I track every word I write and every minute I spend creating content. Whether it's for myself or clients, I monitor my daily activities extremely closely. This includes:

• Blog writing
• Making YouTube videos
• Writing on my next book
• Writing side projects I pick up
• Editing work for clients
• And anything else that helps me along in my career

I don't keep track of emails I send or social media engagements, though. Just the solid base of content or work that I perform.

How does this help with procrastination?

Because I keep track of everything I do, I also have datasets that show me how I've progressed throughout the year. I have goals and personal records set that keep me motivated to do better than the day before. And because I think this kind of stuff is fun, it keeps me engaged and reaching for greater aspirations.

For example, if I want to surpass writing a million words this year, my spreadsheet calculates what I need to write on any given day.

Social Interactions on YouTube and the Blog

The biggest part of being an expert in any given field is demonstrating that expertise to your audience. Because I have such a close-knit audience, I need to make sure that I am still providing the best information possible.

That's in my nature, actually...always wanting to help others learn how to do what I do. I've managed to work from home full-time since 2013 while making enough money to buy a house. I want to show others how they can do the same thing, if not better.

So, if I want to keep up that persona of being good at what I do, I need to keep myself moving forward. The last thing I want to do is lead someone astray who is trying to become a writer. This also means that I never talk out of my ass. I'm not one to jump on content trends without knowing something regarding the topic. In other words, I don't make content for the sake of making content.

My audience is perhaps the main driving factor of what I do on a daily basis. And my reputation means a lot to me, so I keep trying to create what's expected. Unfortunately, it doesn't always work out.

After all, life happens.

Pouring Over the Numbers

Something else that drives me forward to overcome procrastination is going over the data. And not just the data from my spreadsheet, although that does greatly help me stay focused.

If you're a blogger or an aspiring YouTuber, use the analytical tools Google and YouTube provide. Take a look at how your content is received by your audience and what they find to be the most engaging.

For me, these numbers fuel motivation, especially when viewers and visitors comment about how the content has helped them in some way. Nothing thrills me more than seeing something like, "Thank you for this, it's just what I've been looking for."

I know that if I want those numbers to improve, I need to put in the effort to create a quality piece someone wants to read or watch. Remember, I am very data-driven. I geek out when a re-write of an article results in boosting traffic by 1,000% or so. And yes, I've seen it happen a lot.

Understanding I Won't Go Anywhere Without Effort

I learned a long time ago that without effort, I won't get to where I want to be. Success just isn't going to fall in my lap, though, that would be convenient.

Instead, I know that if I don't maintain a good flow of blog posts, the site will decrease in visitors. This is because Google prioritizes blogs that are active. This is the kind of information you can get by keeping an eye on the data that I mentioned earlier.

The same goes for the YouTube channel. If I want all of my side projects and brands to bring in X amount of dollars, I need to keep producing Y amount of content.

Otherwise, the sites or channels will remain stagnant.

Of course, this is only part of the equation. The biggest contributor is creating content your audience wants to consume. But that's a story for another time.

The point is that effort is the key element for success of any kind. This means that you need to put in the work if you want to get where you want to go in life.

I'm Not Always Perfect

It's important to point out that I'm not perfect. There are days when it seems overwhelming to keep up the pace I try to maintain. However, those days are not as common as you'd think.

As I said, life happens. There are things that will come out of the blue that are beyond your control. It's how you persevere that will make a difference in your overall success.

And sometimes, those things will tap into your day, which sets things back a bit. The trick, though, is to not think of those moments as failures. They were simply situations that you had to deal with that set you back a bit.

Do you let those moments ruin your day or week? Or, do you take a breath and move on?

It's too easy to just give up, and a lot of people do surrender instead of looking for a way to keep on track. But when you do give up, the success you want to achieve will remain out of your reach.

Case in point, I would love to build myself up as an author. Yet, I haven't been able to work on my latest book since before my brother died last month. Do I just give up on the idea, or do I find a way to get myself back on track and get the next book published?

I won't be able to explore the possibility of being an author if I don't put in the effort to keep going forward.

How Do You Get Around Procrastination?

When you keep putting things off, the end result will keep getting pushed back further and further away. As a species, humans do not have an unlimited amount of time on this planet. Why not just "do it" and get yourself closer to where you want to be?

For instance, if I would have kept up the pace I had last October when planning out my next book, it would have been published right now. Instead, it'll take me another two months or so.

Procrastination is a difficult thing to control for a lot of people. But if you don't find a way to motivate yourself to get things done today, you're not doing yourself any favors.

Take a moment and come up with a strategy that'll keep you focused on your target. Do your best to prevent procrastination from managing your life. Otherwise, you won't get very far and you could prevent a lot of things from falling apart.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of the cure. This means preventing things from happening in the first place is much easier and often more efficient than trying to fix them later on.