Blogging Productivity
If you can only retain one session from BlogOnExpo, this may be the session to retain. Here, I will talk about how I have been able to make simple changes to the way I surf the web that have saved me over 2 hours a day, allowing me to
- Sleep in two hours extra
- Get 10 Hours more work done each week
- Take Friday Off
- Stop working two hours earlier everyday
- Etc.
Set your Homepage to Google or Netvibes
Personally, I like the traditional Google homepage because it is clean and simple and there are no distractions. I cannot tell you how much time I have wasted clicking on random news stories from a site like Yahoo! Netvibes may feature a lot of contenet, but you can customize it so you only read what you need to read.
Set a Schedule
At the start of the week, set a schedule for things you need to get accomplished that week. Do the same at the start of everyday for things you want to get done that day. Creating and following a list helps insure you get all your work done in an efficient manner.
Read Blogs Once a Day
Don’t check back 5 times a day to see if anything new has been posted. If you visit once daily, you will save time and still view the exact same amount of content as if you visited every half-hour.
Stop Checking Stats
I used to waster so much time checking my blog’s stats. Again, limit yourself and spend this time thinking of ways to increase your traffic, not check it.
Declutter your Computer
Are there a lot of files and folders you don’t use anymore? Clean them up by backing up everything you don’t use and then deleting it. Organization makes it possible for work to get done faster.
Check Your E-Mail Less Often
You may need to check your e-mail more than once a day, but you don’t need to check it every half-hour. Check it a few times a day and respond to all important e-mails and delete or file away all other e-mails. Having an organized e-mail inbox helps insure that you don’t forget to respond to somebody you intended to contact.
Wake Up Early
This is something I know most people won’t want to do, but it works. I find I get so much more done when I work from 6 AM to 9 AM then from 9 AM to 5 PM because there are few distractions during those 3 hours.
Write Posts First
Once you start surfing the web for ways to promote your blog, chances are you will get distracted quickly and waste a lot of time. Get your posts done first and the work on the other aspects of being a blogger (promotion, monetization, etc.)
Upgrade your Technology
Make sure you have the fastest internet connection possible (that’s reasonably priced) and upgrade if getting the fastest internet connection possible only costs a few bucks more. The time saved will be tremendous.
Remain Healthy
Don’t have too much caffeine and make sure you get enough sleep. Take time during the day to exercise and get up to take a break every once in a while. Remaining healthy will only make you become more productive when you work.
