I do a lot. Well, people tell me that I do a lot – and it is usually followed up with a question like, “How do you do so much?”
You have no doubt heard the expression, “If you want something done, give it to a busy person.” When you have the ‘secrets’ it makes it easy to stay focused and check off many of the things on your To-Do list.
When you market online, time management is key. Whether you’re marketing a website, service or selling products for yourself or others your ability to work and manage your time is directly related to your income earnings. The more interest you generate, the more return on your investment (ROI) you’ll see.
Brainstorm
First, don’t make the mistake of jumping right into work. Instead, take the time to brainstorm and develop a list of internet marketing tasks that will help you reach your goals. Decide which tasks are most effective and make a quick list of them.
Ask yourself how do you want to market today?
- Do you want to update your website or blog?
- Do you want to submit to article directories?
- Do you want to buy advertisement on similar websites?
Prioritize
You might assume that you’re done after brainstorming your daily tasks, but you’re not. Next, you’ll want to create a to-do list or a detailed schedule. To get started, prioritize. If working for yourself, as opposed to a client, you have more freedom. It’s best to start with the tasks you know will work. For example, will submitting articles to article directories be more effective in your case than using Twitter to generate traffic to a website.
Set time limits
When creating your schedule, use blocks of time. For example, 9 am to 10 am can be used for writing and submitting articles. This gives you one hour to do the task. Yes, it does apply pressure, but a time limit can also serve as a source of motivation.
Do this with each of the tasks you need to accomplish. Be reasonable about your limits. The goal is to make them achievable, not to overwork yourself and create undue stress. That will only slow down your progress.
One of my favorite expressions that I learned from Camille Miller, the Executive Director of the Natural Life Business Partnership is this:
If you erase, you must replace.
This means that if you have an action like “marketing” on your calendar from 9 am – 10 am but you had an important client call you at 9:03, you need to reschedule the “Marketing” tasks you skipped over.
Stay organized
Fact, when you’re unorganized you get less done. To improve the use of your time, get organized. Make sure you’re working in a clean and professional environment, even if only working from a laptop at your kitchen table.
Know when to outsource
Outsourcing isn’t always an option when it comes to internet marketing, as it does cost money. With that said, if there comes a time where you fall behind or feel overwhelmed then you should consider outsourcing some of your tasks. Outsourced projects don’t have to be large or expensive. So, even if you only hire a writer to write one article or blog post, you’ll be leveraging your time so that you can get more done.
Don’t waste time
The biggest time waster when it comes to internet marketer is the internet. Yes, this seems ironic, but it’s true. There are millions of things to do on the computer and online. Therefore, it’s easy to get distracted and waste time. Set rules for yourself.
For example, no checking your personal email, no chatting with friends on Facebook, no playing games, and no surfing for funny videos on YouTube while you’re working. The internet is a great source of entertainment, but not when you should be working.
In tomorrow’s post, I will continue with this theme – until then, leave a comment below and let me know how you manage your time!
This is so true, especially the part about wasting time on social media. That takes a great deal of discipline. And P.S these tips also apply to those who are not self employed.
Yes – these tips can apply to life in general! Thanks, Alana!
Stray thought… I rarely think of myself as being busy, isn’t that funny? Yes, I’m actively engaged in business a lot – but there’s just something about saying ‘I’m busy’ that grates on me.
Outsourcing is my lifesaver, especially these days. I’m stretching into new comfort levels where that’s concerned.
And that is a good thing, Kelly! It goes along with the idea that doing what you love does not seem like work!
People say the same to me! I do most of what you wrote except I have to work on the getting organized. Good thing you can’t see my “couch office”. LOL
ANd I am glad you cannot see my desk 3 feet from my keyboard!
Paul, this came at the right time. Thank you so much. Timeboxing is the most important thing to go about blogging.
Timing is everything sometimes, isn’t it! Glad it helps!
Setting goals is my key to success. I take a half hour at the beginning of the work day to decide what I want to accomplish that day. At the end of the day, I make a list for what I what to remember to do tomorrow. Great post. Can’t wait to read more.
That is a great technique, Elisa! I do the same – I have a list of tasks that recur each week/month, so those get scheduled on my calendar!
It can be soo easy to lose track of time, especially when good articles are like eye candy! These are great tips to keep on point. Some of these key points are often overlooked and might serve as good reminders! Thanks for this post!
Elaine, sometimes setting a timer and allowing yourself a specific amount of time to read articles can help. Just remember that when the timer goes off, it is time to move on to the next task!