Well, do something! Top tips towards ending procrastination
1. Take control of your emails
Amanda Bennetts, chief executive of Bennetts Wide Calf Boots, says she's most likely to procrastinate when she opens her email account. "I normally have more than 50 emails I need to attend to when I open my mail and at times I feel overwhelmed," she says. "My tip for this situation is to go through and delete anything that's not important - for instance ads and newsletters - and green flag anything I have to get back to."
2. Become a list maker
Business consultant Amanda Rose's top tip is to make a to-do list on a weekly and nightly basis. "This will give you a sense of direction and also help prioritise what you need to do," she says.
3. Break up your work
Anthea Cahill, founder of online tea business RealChai, suggests breaking up your work day into small parts. "You don't have to have all the pieces of the puzzle figured out; you just need to take small steps. It's the first step that has the biggest impact."
4. Face your fears
Business coach Narelle Lee says asking yourself why you're afraid of acting is an important step to overcoming procrastination. "Sometimes by articulating the fear, and looking at just how unfounded it is, is enough to move forward."
5. Get help
Pilates coach Kim Paxton says if procrastination is affecting your life consider getting professional help. And: "Delegate, delegate, delegate."
6. Set up systems
Joshua Uebergang, marketing manager of e-commerce business Online Visions, advises: "Set up systems that prevent you from procrastinating. A system can be any external control to hold you to your important tasks, such as a deadline."
7. Plan procrastination time
Everyone needs some down time, so schedule time when you're not expected to be on fire.
Frequently Asked Questions about this Article…
Use the seven practical tips from the article: take control of your emails, make weekly and nightly to-do lists, break work into small steps, face the fears that hold you back, get help or delegate when needed, set up systems (like deadlines) to keep you accountable, and schedule downtime so you don't burn out.
Tackle email by deleting non-essentials (ads and newsletters) and flagging messages you must reply to later — a technique recommended by Amanda Bennetts to reduce overwhelm and stop email-triggered procrastination.
Making a weekly and nightly to-do list gives everyday investors clear direction and helps prioritise trading decisions, research or admin tasks — a tip recommended by business consultant Amanda Rose to reduce procrastination.
Break your work into small, manageable parts so you can make steady progress without needing the whole plan figured out. Anthea Cahill advises focusing on small steps because starting is often the hardest but most impactful move.
Ask yourself why you're afraid to act; sometimes simply articulating a fear shows how unfounded it is and makes it easier to move forward — a strategy recommended by business coach Narelle Lee to overcome procrastination.
If procrastination is affecting your life or decision-making, consider professional help and delegate routine tasks where possible. Pilates coach Kim Paxton emphasizes 'delegate, delegate, delegate' to reduce overload and free up time for high-value investing.
Create external controls like deadlines, checklists or scheduled workflows to hold you to important tasks. Joshua Uebergang recommends systems that enforce accountability so procrastination can't easily take over.
Yes — scheduling downtime is important. The article suggests planning periods when you're not expected to be 'on fire,' which helps maintain focus and prevents burnout over the long term.
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