Starting a company can seem like a mammoth and daunting task. You have to prepare a business plan, talk to manufacturers if you are making a product or try out the services you want to provide as a freelancer. You need to think of a name, logo and tag line. You need to open a bank account and you need to make sure all the legalities are in place. Listing it down makes it even more frightening and chances are, you suddenly think that you probably don’t have the skills for it yet or you have a lot of other work that needs to be wrapped up before you start out. You spend your time on relatively unimportant tasks.

You are procrastinating and you are not alone.

Here are a few tips you can use to reduce your procrastination level and take the first step towards your dream company:

1. Break it down to simpler tasks

A task like making a business plan is definitely a massive one. But rather than thinking that you need to make a business plan, think of how you can break it down. Having a complete business plan is your end goal. Your immediate goal could be talking to a fellow entrepreneur and see how they worked on their business plan. Plan it out into simple steps that don’t seem unattainable in the timeline you have set.

Action Point: Break down your to-do list into concrete, actionable steps that are easy to complete.

2. Take the first step

You think about finishing a task and focus on the results, it does not give you motivation to start. When you think about the obstacles you would need to pass in order to finish, you automatically try to avoid it. Your starting step could simply be starting up your computer and opening up Word. You might find yourself sitting down for hours together just writing down your ideas and forming your Business Plan.

Action Point: Just ask yourself, “Is there something I can do in the next two minutes to start my company?”

3. Set a deadline

Some like to procrastinate because there is a certain pleasure in finishing everything at the very last minute. Setting a deadline could be the answer to overcome this habit. Give yourself a tight deadline for every actionable on that to-do list and stay within it. Reward yourself in order to condition your brain into thinking that there is a treat at the end of that actionable. This will make you look forward to starting and finishing the work within the deadline.

Action Point: Reward yourself if you finish the task within the deadline.

4. Never think that you have to do something, think that you choose to

Sometimes you might push off tasks because you believe that you have to finish it off and it seems unpleasant when you frame it that way. It is your choice that you want to start a company. There is nothing that you have to do. You always choose. Therefore changing that thought process to, “I choose to chart out a business plan because it is going to be fun and a good learning experience,” could motivate you to accomplish your mission.

Action Point: Always choose to do something because you are passionate about it.

5. Tone Down perfectionism

When you are a perfectionist, you want everything done in a certain way. This makes the task look even more daunting because you are afraid that it is not going to be perfect or that you don’t have the skills to complete the task just yet. It makes you afraid to even take the first step. Allow yourself the liberty to make mistakes and take it as a learning curve.

Action point: Don’t focus on perfectionism, focus on learning from your mistakes.

There are a lot of theories as to why procrastination happens and how we can avoid it. But there is a huge gap between how much is known about the brain versus how much there is to know. Therefore procrastination can never be gotten rid of completely. However you can take the above steps and start to reduce your procrastination levels considerable and you can do it immediately! So stop reading this article and do what you can in the next two minutes to start your company!

It’s high time that you start thinking to do something for yourself. Look for business centre in Andheri East, Mumbai or co-working space in MG Road, Bengaluru. Find your inspiration here!

Whether or not you have read books like ‘How to read a person like a book’ or ‘Body Language for Dummies’, you know that your non-verbal cues have a lot to add to your physical speech. In a meeting, pitch presentation or even friendly debate, your body language determines how much impact you create and what people feel and think about you. But more importantly, it is about how you feel about yourself before you appear for any such stress situations.

Leading social psychologist and lecturer Amy Cuddy in a TED Talk said, “Fake it till you become it.”

What does that mean?

Our mind influences how our body behaves. But like a palindrome, it spells the exact same way even if you turn it around. When your body fakes confidence no matter how nervous and subordinate you are feeling, there is a strong chance that you internalize that confidence eventually. Fake it in all your stressful situations and you may be surprised to observe that you have stopped feeling subordinate or under-confident at all.

Here are few things you can do before and after any situation to create an impact through your body language:

Before the situation:

Usually before a meeting, presentation or interview, the waiting period is spent slouching and predicting the kind of questions you will be asked in your head. Instead, you can focus your energy on the following:

• An open posture:Leaders have an open posture whether they are sitting or standing. Don’t slouch or play with your phone, hands or papers. Slouching and restlessness are signs of subordination and nervousness. Take your space. Sit still with a straight neck and read a newspaper if the waiting period is long.
• Practise a power pose in the bathroom mirror:A power pose is one which all leaders use to appear powerful and impactful. The most famous one is what has been famously referred to as the ‘Wonder Woman Pose’ where you stand up tall, place both your hands on your waist and keep ample distance between your legs. This pose makes you feel strong and powerful and helps you be the best version of yourself during the presentation.

During the situation:

Your body language as you enter, talk or exit is extremely important. It needs to showcase your personality, strength, knowledge and determination perfectly. Do this to achieve the same:

• As opposed to common belief, smile less:It is definitely true that smiling more can gain you friends. But it is seen as a sign of submission. You are here to make a point and create an impact, not make friendly banter. Here is a practical tip you can use for any situation: while entering, enter with a small smile that becomes larger as you take centre stage.
• Give a firm handshake-If it is a meeting with a small group, shake everybody’s hands firmly before sitting down. Most politicians and leaders try to get their hand over the others’ to establish their dominance. If two equal partners are shaking hands, the hands are on par.
• After sitting down, steeple-Steepling can make you seem authoritative and intellectual. It is a very famous power pose that you can use in the meeting room, board room or during any presentation. To steeple, you bring your hands up to your chest and join the tips of your fingers together.
• Use your hands wisely-Hand gestures are a great way to be remembered. But the wrong use of hand gestures can make you seem clumsy and un-coordinated. Use them as an aid to explain your speech better. While giving out numbers, show them on your fingers. When talking about something important to you, press your hand against your heart or gesture towards your chest area. Match your actions to your words rather than doing an endless routine of confused hand gestures that do not hold meaning or contribute to your speech.
• Don’t point- Among rude and aggressive gestures, pointing ranks quite high. Point with open hands to appear polite and authoritative.
• Eye Contact- The amount of eye contact required is very important. Too much and you might appear strange, too little and you might appear suspicious. You should have eye contact for 60% of the conversation, especially while speaking.
• Tone- Lower tones are usually perceived as trustworthy and authoritative. Keep your pitch and tone low and take effective pauses in your speech to create an impact on your audience.

Learn to dodge your stress with these simple body language tricks. Find your inspiration by choosing shared office spaces in Qutab, New Delhi or co-working spaces in Andheri East, Mumbai.