Tag Archive for: Inc. Magazine

I’ve procrastinated long enough. It’s about time I practice what I preach.

Those who visit our website fairly frequently know that we try to share at least one post a week. Our goal is two. We have a system to share the writing load, assigning every one a blog post every few weeks. More often than not, my blog post gets prioritized at the bottom of my to-do list.

I first planned to write a blog post about what a slacker I was. Then a sign came from the gods (or Inc. Magazine) to let me know I was only a procrastinator, and this was a good thing. I was even an artist of sorts!

My favorite quote from “Learn the Art of Procrastination” is:

“Are procrastinators truly unproductive? In most cases, the exact opposite is true. They are people who not only get a lot done but have a reputation for getting a lot done. They don’t have neat desks or even neat desktops on their laptops. They spend a lot of time playing catch-up. But they are likely to be creative and on the whole amiable.”

I felt so vindicated! Still, keeping our website updated with interesting posts was important and I needed to share the responsibility.

How should a professional procrastinator with a long to-do list keep up on blog posts? The number one question we get from clients when we recommend posting blogs is, “How will I fit it into my already packed schedule?” Whether you procrastinate like me or are just plain busy – here are some tips for getting your posts written and maybe even enjoying the process:

• Free yourself from distractions. Turn off Facebook and try to avoid getting into conversations with colleagues about the movie you are most excited about seeing next.

• Dedicate one hour to writing a short post. The most-read blogs are 150 words or less (Yes, I know this one is about 5 times that length). A blog post can even be a set of pictures with captions. In fact, picture blogs are often more interesting.

• Trust yourself. Whether you need to outline your post or can just sit down and bang it out, believe that you are capable of crafting interesting content. Use your instincts. What would you want to read about?

• Abide by John Perry’s advice: “Avoid perfectionism. I don’t mean avoid doing things perfectly. If you are at all like me, that’s not a problem. I mean avoid fantasizing about doing things perfectly. Often procrastination is just a way of giving ourselves permission to do a less-than-perfect job on something that doesn’t require a perfect job anyway.”

• Keep a running list of blog topics to choose from. If you’re like me, you think of ideas for blog posts at the most inopportune times. I recommend keeping a list on your phone so it’s always with you. Oh, I also recommend getting a smartphone.

• Make it a habit. Like working out, you need to make it a routine. Something you commit to NOT skipping. The more you put it off, the easier it will be to continue to do so. Before you know it, you’ve gained 10 pounds or are behind 5 blogs posts.

• Get a WriteBot and sit him next to your computer. He’ll fill your head with all kinds of brilliant ideas and make your fingers fly over the keyboard – or something like that.

The best thing about getting your blog post done is the relief you feel when you can check it off your to do list. The second best thing is learning that someone read it.