Why I Kept Procrastinating Starting My Email Newsletter and Why You Are, too.
Procrastination is a familiar foe to many of us. It's that persistent voice in our heads whispering, "I'll do it later." Despite our best intentions, we often find ourselves continuously putting off tasks, even those we know are important. We hear allllll over social media “start a newsletter”, or maybe you’re on the other side where you’re constantly being preached at to “prioritize and monetize your social media”. What’s truly worth investing in? It’s hard to decipher, and you may get what I like to call analysis paralysis, and you’re just left feeling… stuck.
I now understand the value of connecting with my audience through regular updates and insights. An email newsletter offers a direct line of communication, a way to nurture relationships, share valuable content, and promote your products or services. Yet, despite recognizing these benefits, I, too, found myself repeatedly delaying the launch of my newsletter. So, like me, why do you keep procrastinating?
Fear of Failure 😓
One of the primary reasons behind my procrastination was the fear of failure. What if nobody subscribes to my newsletter? What if my content isn't engaging enough? These doubts plagued my mind, holding me back from taking the first step. It's easy to get caught up in a cycle of perfectionism, wanting everything to be flawless from the beginning. However, I came to realize that waiting for perfection is a trap. It's better to start imperfectly and change some things up along the way than to never start at all. Here’s your reminder to do it afraid!
2. Overwhelm 🥱
The thought of adding another task to my already overflowing to-do list felt beyond overwhelming. Between creating regular content, managing client projects, and juggling other responsibilities of life, the idea of launching and maintaining an email newsletter seemed soooo daunting. Breaking the process down into smaller, more manageable steps honestly helped alleviate the sense of overwhelm. By setting realistic goals and establishing a consistent schedule, you can slowly chip away at the task bit by bit, making progress over time. I promise it’s not as hard as you think! Spend some time thinking about what’s realistic for YOU.
3. Lack of Clarity 🔮
Another factor contributing to my procrastination was my lack of clarity about what my newsletter should entail. Should it focus solely on my business content, or should I incorporate resources and personal stories? Ever heard the saying “There are more ways than one to skin a cat?” Is that just an Alabama saying…. Idk. Anyway, the point is that there are several correct ways to do a lot of things. There’s no wrong way to write your newsletter. However, there ARE some strategies you may want to think about so you show up consistently and provide value to your audience instead of just sending out random content. Simply start experimenting with different approaches and see what resonates most with your audience!
4. Time Investment ⌛️
Procrastination often stems from the belief that a task will require more time and effort than we're willing to commit to. In the case of my email newsletter, I had convinced myself that it would be a time-consuming endeavor, requiring hours of planning, writing, and design. By streamlining my process and focusing on the essentials, I was able to minimize the time investment while still delivering value to my subscribers and stay consistent. If I needed to switch something up, I did. The point is to Just. Start. Also, I sort of do this for a living so, it got better and easier with time. I know it will for you, too.
If you find yourself needing some help getting started with your newsletter, I have a premade template available so you can easily pop in your copy and hit send 📧 If you’re looking for more ways we can work together, click here!
