I’m always trying to find ways to get more done. I’m currently working on 7 projects and have 5 blogs of my own needing content published, a solid SEO campaign, and organization. If I don’t continually work on these projects, I’ll lose my clients, and my businesses won’t grow. I’m depending on each of them to convert into serious profits going forward so I can start to cut down on the amount of work I do and enjoy life more. I have plans to travel very soon, but with my current work load, I’ll be working on vacation and that’s a complete waste of money. I don’t want to be on vacation and have to worry about having projects completed or publishing fresh content on my blog. Right now, the position I’m in requires I’m productive and I don’t have time to waste in between. I’m always looking for ways to improve my output testing and tweaking my current work habits. Over the last 3 weeks, I’ve made some adjustments and would like to share how I run 6 businesses and get everything done within 8 hours.
These ideas are NOT rocket science and can be applied by everyone, however, much of it has to do with organization.
Wake Up Early
I was watching a video John Chow published and he mentioned how his day starts at 7 AM. In my eyes, John Chow, with his success, doesn’t have to be up at 7AM because he’s already making money, sustaining his lifestyle, however, he continues to get up early, getting to work. This characteristic is NOT only seen in John Chow, but a majority of successful people are also early risers. Neil Patel from QuickSprout.com mentioned he’s up at 7:30AM in the morning and he’s another successful online entrepreneur. The question is why do they choose to get up so early after enormous success? Simple…
Waking up early gives you time to plan and be more productive. It also gives you time to deal with problems that arise along the way. For a long period of time, I used to get up at 11AM and would work till late, but when I started waking up at 7AM, I was able to output more work and get things done more efficiently. You’re fresh and in work mode when everyone else is so it’s a great feeling. I’m able to get a quick exercise in the morning, making me feel fresh and alert.
Schedule Your Breaks
I’ve started to schedule my breaks and until my break alarm goes off, I’m in work mode. This has a great psychological effect because setting a time for work and breaks will keep things simple. When I’m not on break, it’s time to earn my time off by being productive. When it’s time for my break, I know it’s well deserved because of what I did in between. If you don’t have scheduled breaks, then psychologically, you’ll feel like taking a break whenever you feel like it. However, having a set time will ensure a break is taken at that time and you’re working all the times in between.
Ever since I implemented break scheduling, I’ve been able to produce more content because I want to earn my breaks by getting my work done.
Don’t Browse When Plugged In
I like to use the phrase “plugged in” when I’m in work mode. I actually got it from the movie “Social Network” and it means no interruptions while I’m in work mode. This also means I won’t browse the Internet or become side tracked when I’m working on my content. There are only two things open when I’m plugged into…
First, the screen with my research on it and a word processor to type my content…that’s all! Closing screens and other irrelevant tasks while working will ensure I stay focused on the important things I need to do. While doing work, why NOT give it a name like “plugging in” or something so you know you’re in work mode?
Time Your Output
I take intervals when writing content and use a timer app on my mobile phone. I’ll set it to 10 minutes and when I press “Go”, it’s time to start writing out content. I won’t stop writing until my 10 minutes is up and during this time, there are no distractions. After the 10 minutes, I set a quick 5 minutes break to stretch my fingers and go right into it again, pushing out 10 minutes of content. So far, in 30 minutes, I’ll have 1,700 words written, which is more than enough; however, it really depends on my project. In my honest opinion, it’s a great way to keep working because you’re working against time to get as much done as possible. For example,
This content, I wrote in 20 minutes and have been using my timer application throughout the whole process. Open up your application store and download a FREE app now to keep time so you can start implementing this strategy.