"Plan for what is difficult while it is easy, do what is great while it is small. The most difficult things in the world must be done while they are still easy, the greatest things in the world must be done while they are still small. For this reason, sages never do what is great, and this is why they can achieve that greatness." - Sun Tzu, The Art of War
Although this saying is more than two thousand years old, its practicality in the 21st century cannot be denied. Whether you are a CEO, an entrepreneur, a manager, a sales person, a construction worker or an office assistant, procrastination can have a damaging effect on your business and your personality. It is therefore important to look at these damages and see why you have to avoid saying 'later' when business tasks come your way. Don't procrastinate, continue reading.
Procrastination is expensive
The saying, 'a stitch in time saves nine' cannot be more applicable. When things are not done when they are supposed to be done, you are likely to spend more doing it later. When bills are not paid on time, you get to pay the bill and fines that such bills have attracted. When you car has developed a minor fault, fix it before minor turns major and attract serious expenses.
True, there are times when you have to wait for things to get cheaper before you buy them, this is not the same as procrastination. Informed business decisions should be made as soon as possible so as to avoid spending more. Inflation does not announce itself, it is better to buy the things that your office needs now than wait. Pay your association fee, your tax and other levies as soon as you can, you will only spend more when you delay.
Procrastination makes you have poor quality of service
Even if you procrastinate, there are some tasks that you must do eventually. Problem comes however when you carry out such tasks perfunctorily. You do not get to enjoy what you are doing, you are under duress and you do shoddy work. If you are an employee of an organisation, this may lead to loss of job, even if you are a first time offender. If you are an entrepreneur, you will not be giving your customers value for their money. Even if they don't get to know immediately, they will be aware later. This leads to the next point.
Lack of trust from customers
When you name has been associated with disappointment as a result of procrastination on your part, your customers, business partners and employers tend to lose the trust they have in you. This is especially so when you have consistently offer them product or service that is not commensurate with what they paid for because you worked it out in a rush. The implication is that you lose customers, you lose job, you lose money.
When such trust is lost, building it again with the same people becomes a near impossible task.
Loss of opportunity to be recommended for bigger project
When your customers have lost the trust they have in you, one of the result is that they fail to recommend you when better offer presents itself in the future. Even when it is obvious that you are versed in what you do, that you don't meet up with appointments will be a turn off. You are left to count your loss while your responsive competitors get the contracts.
Risk of totally going out of business
If an addicted procrastinator has experienced all the points that have been highlighted above, he does not need a soothsayer to tell him that he will go out of business eventually. When he spends too much paying fines because he did not offset bill when he was supposed to; when he is known for delivering goods of poor quality, when customers that used to stay loyal to him have lost their trust in him, and when he is no longer recommended by people, he will eventually go out of business.
Image is everything to the success or failure of a business, no one likes to do business with an individual who has projected the image of always disappointing his customers because he works at his own convenience.
One who has made a habit of procrastinating is not the only one experiencing the bitter consequences, he gets to punish others too. This happens when they shove some important activities aside with the aim of ensuring that they don't disappoint you, only for you to be the one disappointing them.
Granted, as noted earlier, there are times you need to take your time and ponder over some business proposals before acting on them, it is not the same as procrastination. If you need to carry out market analysis and survey, communicate to all the parties involved. By doing so, you will not raise hopes unnecessarily only for you to dash them.
If you want to be honest with yourself, you'll agree that, relaxation is more rewarding when the one relaxing has executed all his assigned roles. When you play while you are supposed to be working however, your mind will not be fully at rest, part of your subconsciousness will be dwelling on the task yet undone. So you are simply punishing yourself when you leave work undone and play. There is a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment that comes with achievements done at the right time.
Are there things that you have always wanted to do? Don't wait till you become frail in old age before embarking on it. Open that branch, get that MBA, write that article, write and present that proposal, start that business, the best time to get something done is now!
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