One of the potential pitfalls of any business is mismanagement of your time. It can come in many different forms, but two of the most common are on opposite ends of the spectrum: Procrastination and being overwhelmed. Neither one is good for your business or your health!

Procrastination usually results from needing to do tasks that, for whatever reason, are not enjoyable. In order to combat something like this, schedule yourself a couple of 10 minute blocks within the day to focus on doing those tasks. By doing so, you may find that accomplish enough to push yourself a little further, and knock even more chips out of that tiresome chore. An alternative is to attempt to find a way to make the tedious into something fun. While this is a good idea as a long term solution, take care not to turn the activity into even further procrastination, or you will end up just digging a deeper hole for yourself!

Remember to also try and limit your distractions, especially when doing an activity that you are prone to putting off. It’s easy to lose focus and convince yourself that you need a break, and it is certainly a good idea to take a break – when you need one! When you need one, it will help revitalize and center you. When it is simply an excuse not to do work, it will negatively reinforce the procrastination habit, and be a detriment to your overall goals. If a dull task is also a time consuming one, break it up into smaller pieces and reward yourself for completing each objective.

Overwhelming tasks require some of the same approaches. Certainly consider breaking them up into smaller, manageable pieces that will not be so daunting. Limit your distractions so that you can focus and not need to repeat portions as that will only extend what is already something that is complicated to handle.

Be sure to consider the state of your body. This is easy to forget, but when faced with what seems an overpowering obstacle, it is very easy to overextend and get worn down. Remember to set aside time to properly rest and refuel your body. These are essential components to your concentration and focus, not to mention overall well-being! Don’t neglect these important factors. A degradation of body and mind will be counterproductive to nearly all you are striving to achieve, so be sure to take care of both.

Should you find yourself unsure of exactly what it is that is absorbing your time, think about keeping a journal of your activities for a few days. Review it and make note of areas where your time could be better spent, or areas that need focusing and utilize the resources National Agents Alliance provides to your advantage.