Forget what you heard.
The concept of "eating the frog" (i.e., tackling the least enjoyable but most difficult task first) is not always the best approach. In fact, several people — myself included — perform at optimal levels (and with tons of adrenaline) when it's crunch time. A tight deadline, while HELLA stressful, often produces my best and most unique work.
I know I'm not alone.
Why, then, is procrastination viewed with such disdain?
The fact remains that most believe procrastination equates to laziness, and that's far from the truth.
That said, let's discuss three reasons pushing off tasks can be advantageous in your business and personal life.
#1 It proves that you can do a lot in a short window of time.
Give yourself some credit; you're more capable than you think you are. You're indeed waiting until the 12th hour, but when it's go time, you GO! What used to take you two weeks to complete can be done in half the time...and done well, might I add. Knowing that you can accomplish several small tasks or one huge task in record time is enough to empower the heck outta you!
#2 It provides an organic work experience.
Look, you'll never receive the "Best Planner" award doing it the way I suggest here, but that's OK. It's 100% possible to still be productive in the time you allot yourself. When you fall into a comfortable cadence that works for you and your lifestyle, the pressure to perform is often eliminated or, at minimum, greatly reduced. And let's keep it ALL the way real — doing things your way and on your time is why you became a boss, right? I thought so.
#3 It gives you the confidence to tackle larger, more difficult tasks.
Despite how it appears, I'm not condoning procrastination. However, I am encouraging you to work on the projects and tasks that bring you joy first. Just as the debt snowball provides small wins as you pay off balances from smallest to largest, the same goes for tasks. Completing those feel-good tasks you can do in your sleep will give you the motivation and momentum to tackle the larger, more difficult tasks more confidently.
A word of caution: Procrastination is not the answer for every situation. There are times when deep research, extensive preparation, and consistent studying are necessary.
If you, as a small biz owner or entrepreneur, find that procrastination has become a way of life as it pertains to your blog posts, social media captions, or website copy, and you're OVER IT, it's high time you work with me to take it off your plate. Start with a complimentary copy chat!
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