When I tell most people that I am a blogger, they assume that I just spend a lot of my time writing. Obviously, writing amazing is one of the essential parts of being a blogger. However, there are many other activities that you are going to have to do on a daily basis. When you think of everything that many bloggers do and everything that a blogger must do, you begin to realize the importance of good time management skills.
If you’ve been a serious blogger for a while, then you already know this. However, you might not have thought about all the different activities you spend actually making your blog successful. As a blogger, you are probably:
- Writing content for your site
- Maintaining your site and engaging with viewers
- Marketing that content
- Developing a monetization strategy
- Creating new tools and products to sell on your site
- Networking with other bloggers and maintaining a social networking presence
I am willing to bet that you had no idea how busy you were before. Now you really have an idea of just how busy you are and what types of things you may be neglecting.
As a blogger, you need to make every minute you spend count. This is even more crucial when you have a full-time job and are trying to get your blog to take off so you can quit. At that point, you are already at a disadvantage and will need to work twice as efficiently to reach your goals
Here are some things you should consider to improve time management:
Create a scheduled task outline.
I tried living the moment by moment life as a blogger when I first got started. This can leave you working long countless hours and never meeting your objectives. The problem with this approach is that you end up forgetting many of your key goals and pushing off important projects. This can delay progress indefinitely. Also, you can end up missing deadlines. Setting up deadlines and schedules will help you make sure you move forward. Getting into a rhythm and working the same time each day will help you be more efficient as well.
Know your priorities
Many bloggers have masterfully combined their abilities to waste time and work hard at the same time. This sounds counterintuitive, but we have all done it to some degree. Many bloggers think they are investing their time wisely when they spend an entire day every week commenting on other blogs or constantly looking for stories to submit to Stumbleupon. Unless they have a unique business model that requires such tasks, they are not managing your time wisely. You should consider all ways you can spend your time to improve the value of your blog and do what yields the best results.
Block your time for a specific task
One of the most efficient ways to get things done is to do the same task in blocks. Spend a few hours writing all your articles for the week. Spend the next day just doing research (without neglecting other daily chores as needed).
Avoid distractions
Many bloggers suggest turning off your phones and use a computer that can’t go online as you work. This advice may be necessary for some people who are particularly easily distracted. If you are constantly going to Facebook or texting your friends then you may need to consider it.
I personally don’t believe most bloggers fail due to lack of talent or passion. More likely, they fail because they don’t know how to manage their time effectively. Run your blog like a serious business and make every minute count.
Do you have any tips on managing your time wisely?
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