Motivation can be a funny thing when you work on the internet. There are a million things waiting to distract you. From casual games to that television show you missed, you have a number of ways to distract yourself from whatever your goals are when you come online.
Blogging can be especially tough because it’s easy to get lost in Stumble Upon or to spend hours networking on other sites. While these things are equally as important, if you don’t spend time writing blog posts your blog will only get so far.
Some days, I stay on task incredibly well. Other days, I convince myself that being a reviewer means I can spend the day playing games. It is true I can do that, but in reality I need to do more than that to make any of the sites I write on successful.
Staying on task sounds easy, but with so many ways to lose your concentration what do you do to keep it?
Keep a Blog Schedule
As much as I hate schedules (and I seriously hate schedules), I find that they do offer a huge benefit. If you run multiple blogs, scheduling time for post writing, networking, and research can be a huge help to you. This will stop you from spending too much time on one blog and not enough on another. It will also make you try harder to stay on track. Having a structured day gives you a reason to get done whatever you need to do.
Make a To-do List
As much as I hate schedules I seem to do better with to-do lists. The process of setting goals for the day and attempting to meet them all works really well for me. When I wake up each day, I will make a list of as few as three and as many as ten things that I feel I can realistically get done. As I finish those things I will cross them off the list and move on to the next thing. This works well for me because it’s not as structured as a schedule and I can move throughout the list with the freedom to choose what I want to do. As long as the list gets done, the order doesn’t matter so much.
Keep Instant Messengers Off
Instant Messengers are great for communication, chatting, and connecting with friends. However, they are also a huge time waster. I don’t know how many times an old friend has IMed me and I’ve got around to talking, causing an hour to float by with little done on my end other than that conversation. If you need to get something done you need to turn your IMs off and only have them on when you’re doing something leisurely. I try to keep mine off during writing times, but when doing Myspace, SU, or networking I will have them on.
Take Mini-Breaks
Breaks will work to help you keep on task if you use them the right way. Most people try to work until they are either done or burnt out. The problem with this is that if you get burnt out you aren’t going to want to go back and finish the project. Instead, you will need an extended break. With that in mind, take ten minutes to get away from the computer. It doesn’t matter what you do. You could grab a snack, talk to the family, or take a power nap. As long as you take a few minutes for yourself when you get back to work you will be refreshed and ready to go.
Staying on task can be a real issue when getting the job done. What helps you stay on task and what do you find are your biggest time wasters?
Technorati Tags: Time Management, Blogging, Bloggers, Schedules, To Do List, Task, Concentration, Myspace, SU, Blog, Distractions
Like this article? Buy me a Latte!
Written by Ashtyn - Visit Website------------------------
No comments yet.