Another aspect of my “Organizing for a Better Blog” quest is giving my blog the importance it’s due. It’s part of my marketing mix; it not only showcases my thinking, it also demonstrates some of my writing ability. As a writer who wants to work more in the online arena, that’s pretty important.
And yet, I can find myself doing almost anything else but blogging. It’s not that I don’t want to write, it’s that I will place more importance on other tasks and minimize the affect of blogging on my business. I also put clients ahead of my own work – not a bad thing if I’m on a deadline, but if the project is more long-term, I can steal a few minutes/hours for my own work without jeopardizing what I’m doing for them.
Maybe it’s a “woman” or a “mom” thing, but I’ve always placed more importance on others’ needs than my own.
That stops today. Well, at least with regard to my blog and blogging. 
A smart woman in my weekly mastermind group suggested I do what I don’t want to do first thing in the morning. That’s good advice. However, given the importance of blogging regularly, I’m going to change that to – “do the one thing in the morning that will have continued benefits for your business.” Then I’ll move to “the one thing that will make me the most money today.” (That second one might not have immediate cash benefits but could.) Then if I feel like it, I’ll tackle that one thing I don’t want to do.
There. Now I’ve made that public.
And my blog post for today is now finished.
Now, if it would only stop snowing outside and get back to the business of becoming Spring.
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I love your suggestion to start with the one thing that will have continued benefits for your business. Blogging is lasting connection with your readers. I like thinking of it that way. Thanks for the suggestion. |
I definitely agree! . I don’t think men struggle with the issue of helping others first nearly as much. Thanks for sharing…
I really like your new strategic approach — especially starting off your day with the one thing that will provide ‘continued success’ for your business! |
Great plan you did! keep up the great stuff..
I think we’re trained/programmed to think that way, and it’s really tough to get past it. |
I don’t stop my day until I have accomplished that. I now go to bed a feeling more successful; for I don’t ever have to ask myself what I did I accomplish today.
Very well written. We always plan to do something yet we always make excuses not doing it. If you want to achieve something you will always find a way but if you don’t there will always alot of excuses you can make.
Very practical and important. When we commit and it is our intention to do, we always find a way to do and a message that matters. Well done…:P
I can so totally relate!! I go out and do my fitness classes first then come home and get to blog away. But often other things do get in the way. I will use you line above “do the one thing that will have continued benefits for my business”. Great idea!! And I am anxiously awaiting Spring too!
Fitness classes first? My dream! Good for you because that’s soooooo important and one of the things I tend to overlook. Thanks for stopping by!
Well written post Lisbeth, something that being a freelance writer I can relate to ! It happens with me so often !
Either it’s the kids, or home, or other clients work in hand, something or the other that keeps me away from blogging regularly.
I guess we all have to manage our own schedule and time, and that is just what I have learnt along the way. I just make sure to complete and post one blog within 1-2 days, and chalk out other tasks around that, and it does work if I aim for it!
Leena, it sounds like you’ve figured out how to make things work – good for you! It’s a juggling act and finding priorities and being able to stick to them can be confounding.
“do the one thing in the morning that will have continued benefits for your business.”
I like the idea of putting benefits first. Completing that action would make it much easier to confront those hard to do tasks.
Thanks Sheila! I credit that thought to divine inspiration.
You are right! I dread blogging, yet I write all the time. I love it! I have over 500 posts almost fully written, half-written, and some are just little puffs of ideas I got from a visit to a neat site.
Yet I find it hard to complete them. I’d have it be the first thing I do when I get up, but I’m a wreck mentally for a while…My brain seems to be like the TV I just got rid of: very sl..o…www to start up! But yes. When I finally do set to work, I’ll do the thing I want to do least: finish a post. And luckily, that will also be the thing most likely to make me profitable somewhere down the road.
Good. It’s a done deal. Problem solved. Ohhh, wait. I still have to worry about whether I’ll actually DO it. I plan to. I will!
I know you know blogging is just a different kind of writing, Paula. Over 500 posts nearly written – wow! You’d be set for YEARS if you could finish even half of them. And, while for me it works to do them first thing, you might want to determine your best writing time and block a 1/2 hour or use a timer to get you to work on just one post. Maybe by focusing on only one, you’ll be able to get through it. And – I’m wondering if you’re thinking too hard about how to end the posts. I can’t tell you to think less but . . .
Thank you for stopping by and for commenting!
You’re right. I’m waiting for them to be perfect, and that ain’t gonna happen. I need to take everyone’s advice and just put them up. Thanks, Lisbeth.
Great post, Lisabeth! It’s amazing how easy it is to forget to do things if we don’t specifically set aside time to make things happen in order to do the things we want to do in life.
Thanks for the compliment, Steve and for stopping by to comment. Much appreciated!
Aloha Lisbeth!
I’m a chunker. The timer is my negotiator. I live in the jungle, and I am a single mom, so there is not so much flexibility. I use the timer to say, “see I have just a few more minutes on this chunk”.
My kids want me to succeed, but they also need me to be there for them.
I love your suggestion to start with the one thing that will have continued benefits for your business. Blogging is lasting connection with your readers. I like thinking of it that way. Thanks for the suggestion.
Many blessings,
Carrie
Wow, you have some interesting challenges, Carrie. I’m glad this resonated with you. Anything to make our work easier, more fulfilling and take less time I’m all for! (Sounds like your kids are, too.)
Can certainly relate here. I run out of time to do all I want to do.
I think we have a lot of company, Alyssa!
Way to go stating this publicly Lisbeth. Now you’ve got yourself accountable to many. I think you priorities are in order!
Thanks Rhonda – that was the plan.
That is such a great plan Lisbeth! I think I am going to do that, too!
Woohoo! Let me know how it works for you, Danielle!
Very practical and important. When we commit and it is our intention to do, we always find a way to do and a message that matters. Well done
Thanks, Roberta!
I love your honesty, Lisbeth! Honesty and great solutions benefit us all. Thank you!
Thanks Sherrie! I find honestly works well and shows the real me.
Let’s face the music … we moms are all dancing the same waltz.
Every mom I know (and I’ve worked with 1000′s of them in my offline career!)is hard-wired to meet the needs of others first, primarily their childrens’ needs. Naturally, as small business owners, mompreneurs are constantly perfecting their juggling act.
Like Michelle, I really like your new strategic approach — especially starting off your day with the one thing that will provide ‘continued success’ for your business! And who knows? Blogging could end up to be that ‘one’ thing.
Thanks, Melanie. I’ll keep you posted on how working on something that forwards my business first works long term. So far, so good.
It is a woman thing. I think we’re trained/programmed to think that way, and it’s really tough to get past it.
I like your strategic new approach though. Start with what will benefit your business most.
I totally agree. I don’t think men struggle with the issue of helping others first nearly as much.
I think you are really “on-to-something” Laura, when you re-inforce the meaning of why you blog. It’s inspiring to remember the importance of why we do things I believe.
I know for myself – I adopted a practice that lessens the amount of “busy-making” work I do now. (I call things like email, research, and other peoples priorities busy-making: I make a promise to move 3 projects forward each day at mininum, I don’t stop my day until I have accomplished that. I now go to bed a feeling more successful; for I don’t ever have to ask myself “what I did I accomplish today”
And on those special days when I accomplish everything by 2pm in the afternoon? Well That’s a magnificent day.
Anne – love your outlook and how you manage your time. I’ll have to consider adding how you do it.
Thanks for sharing that.
Lisbeth! So True especially for healers (and as an intuitive you are one of them
Time management is so hard when someone calls for our help be it family, friends or clients! It’s a skill to cultivate, develop and reassess and I like how you reframed the wording! Go Get ‘Em 
~~~Laura
Laura, you’re so right. I’ll be the first to drop everything if someone needs something. That simply needs to change. I’m glad you stopped by and found something useful within my words.