One of the biggest things I have struggled with being self-employed is staying focused. On any given day there are so many things that I could be doing that it’s easy to get overwhelmed and sidetracked. I will often jump around from thing to the next–reading a blog post one minute, to posting on Twitter the next, to then checking my e-mail for the upteenth time, and onto checking something on Etsy.
I have found that many days I am not able to accomplish nearly as much as I had intended, mostly because I am so unfocused and it’s unclear to me what my goals are for the day.
As the year has gone on, I have found a series of really simple tools and things I can do that have helped me tremendously to stay on task, remember what I want to do and keep track of everything I want to get done, and feel much more productive.
1. Make a daily to-do list
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| Image Credit: Photo by John Shultz on Flickr |
I have always been a huge fan of making lists. It helps me to feel in control of what I need and want to get done. If I have a big, longer-term project I like to break things down into smaller, more manageable tasks that I can later check off. I used to write my to-do’s all over the place–Google calendar, little e-mails I would send to myself, scraps of paper–but this was very disorganized and therefore not always very helpful. More recently I have started using the Evernote app for this, which I have both on my computer and my phone. I always have a tab open on my computer with Evernote so I can easily add or check off things as they get done (and they have a handy checkbox option so you can check things off as you would on a piece of paper, which I love doing ’cause I’m nerdy like that). Every morning I refer to that list, putting together my to-do list for the day by pulling from the long-term list and adding in my daily to-do’s. I’m also a huge fan of Evernote for writing down my ideas for blog posts and jewelry designs. Because I also have it on my phone, which is nearly always with me, I can be assured that all of my ideas are together in one place and I’m not searching for scraps of paper.
2. Close my e-mail
I am notorious for constantly checking my e-mail, but honestly it’s a huge distraction and a subconscious excuse from really getting things done. By checking my e-mail every five minutes I could pretend I was being productive, when in reality it just makes me shift my focus, which I then have to shift back to my task on hand, which ultimately wastes time. I still check it more frequently than I would like. However, I find keeping my e-mail tab closed on my computer and only opening it a few times during the day and devoting a chunk of time to checking and responding to e-mail has helped me to stay more focused on what I really need to be doing.
3. Devote a time of day to social media
Like e-mail, I have found social media, while extremely important as a small business owner, to be a huge time suck and distraction, particularly Twitter and Facebook. And let’s face it, with everything out there, it’s easy to find yourself spending half the day on social media. I try to keep them closed on my computer for most of the day. Instead, I try to devote a chunk of time where I schedule out my tweets and Facebook posts (and periodically remember to pin things on Pinterest). Or I check things on social media when I have a few minutes to kill somewhere, such as when I’m on the T or waiting in line somewhere. I am a huge fan of Hootsuite, which lets you schedule out tweets ahead of time (you can read more about the wonders of Hootsuite on A Dish of Daily Life). Also, if you use the Chrome browser, there is a handy Hootsuite extension that allows you to go to any page on the internet and post or schedule a tweet or status update rather than having to cut and paste the link into Hootsuite. It’s a great way to post something without going onto Twitter or Facebook and getting sucked into the social media vortex.
4. Open a new window on my browser
If you are like me and have about 87 tabs open on the internet at any given time, it is so tempting to click on any of those other tabs when you are in the middle of working on something and get completely sidetracked. When I start a new task, I like to open a fresh window that only has tabs relevant to what I am doing at that moment. For example, right now I have a tab open for Blogger, Evernote (so I can easily refer to this list I wrote earlier this week for this blog post), the blog post I mentioned above from A Dish of Daily Life, and Hootsuite. All of my other windows with irrelevant tabs are minimized so I’m less tempted to start clicking on other things.
5. Set a timer
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| Image Credit: Photo by Pascal on Flickr |
It’s amazing how implementing these five little things have made me feel that much more productive and focused. I still am guilty of checking my e-mail and social media more times than I would care to admit, but they are far less distracting to me than they used to be.
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Great tips Bev! I definitely think making a to-do list is key to having a successful day! :)-Ashley
I actually like the Hoot Suite app on my phone better than the desktop version. I schedule all my tweets and such from my phone.
I’m going to check out the last app you mentioned. I can really use it! Great tips!
Ok I so need to take your advice!!! I am pinning this! And reading it a second time! (Even though I’d rather go play around on Twitter!) Thanks for mentioning my post on Hootsuite too – that really is a timesaver!!
I’m keeping this tab open to reread and implement your strategies. I love that I can have an interface between Chrome and HootSuite. I have been terrible about using the magical qualities of HootSuite but this might just be the tipping point for me. And I LOVE to check off the little boxes – with a pat on the back for a task completed!
I so have to do these! I have to make lists in the morning and I get a thrill with checking off items. I definitely have to lose my FB and email. I do keep my smugmug window open because I add photos to it while I work. And obviously if I’m blogging, I keep my WordPress window open.
STOP TRYING TO MAKE ME NOT A BASKET CASE. For realz. What if I get totally organized and with it and then I have nothing funny to write any more? Then I’ll be out of job! (OK. Fine. You’re right. Let me amend that.) Then I’ll be out of a hobby that I wish was my job!
love these tips! I sometimes find myself not being able to focus on one thing because of all the different things to do that I will just not work. I’ll go veg out in front of netflix. I’m definitely going to check out that app!! 🙂
These are great tips! I suck at staying on task.
The tip to open a new window is awesome! I, too, get distracted by having too many tabs open. Especially ones with little alert numbers that appear on the tab. I should also turn down the sound on my computer, so I don’t hear the alerts either. I’m going to look into that app as well. Thanks for the great advice, Bev!
Thanks for this post Bev! I must try the timer tip!
I kinda’ love this – as simple as you stated it was – it is, but it’s a great reminder, all of it! Thanks for sharing and stopping by from SITSSHAREFEST. 🙂
These are all great tips. I have used the Pomodoro technique and found it very helpful. LIke you, I see Twitter and other social media sites as a huge whirlpool. I try to really limit my time on there. Another tip that I have found helpful for both me and my teenaged son – I bought a .99 cent pencil box and when we need to concentrate on work or homework, we put our cell phones in the box. It just really helps to block it out of your mind and stop you from wanting to pick it up and check things every few minutes. The technique is called building fences and it’s very helpful to keep my attention focused where it belongs.
This is really useful, I’m exactly the same when it comes to organising myself. I’m definitely going to check out the apps you mentioned.
These are are amazing tips! I’m going to try that pomadoro app! I like your idea of dedicating a certain time for socisl media!
These are great suggestions. Email and social media is a huge distraction for me too – whether trying to work or spend time with my kids or finish a blog post. I actually shut off the push notifications on my phone so that I don’t feel tempted to read and respond to things immediately. I also love the idea of setting a timer!
I am so very bad at staying on task. I feel a little better knowing I’m not the only one… I had never heard of the Pomodoro technique. I will definitely check that out! (Stopping by from SITS)
I agree. I would be lost without my daily to-do list!
I haven’t checked out the HootSuite app yet for my phone, but I definitely will now!
Of course, that was a great article you wrote about Hootsuite (which I agree is a really helpful tool). And Twitter is so easy to get sucked into, but I do think it’s important to check into it periodically and share/retweet things 🙂
Seriously, how good does it feel to check off those little boxes? And then look at them at the end of the day and be like “Look at all I accomplished!” But yes, the HootSuite extension for Chrome is one of my favorite tools.
Yep, I do think depending on what you do and the focus of your blog, business, etc. you will have to keep certain tabs open (sometimes, for example, I need to have my e-mail open when I’m putting together the blog posts with the artist interviews, or need to refer to something someone wrote in an e-mail). And love that little thrill of checking items off of my to-do list 🙂
That would be sad, just pretend like you never ready this. But in all seriousness, while these things have helped me, I still very much have my basket case moments where I do not at all feel like I’m on top of my shit. But that could also be me being all pregnant and hormonal. Cause obviously once I have this baby I will totally be on top of everything! Oh wait… 😉
Yep, I definitely have those moments as well. If you can’t get everything done, might as well get nothing done, right? 😉 Hope the app helps!
Thanks, hope they help 🙂
Yes, that little alert message on Facebook is especially distracting! (And it doesn’t help that I often have my phone nearby which is constantly beeping with alerts for just about everything.)
I think it’s great, especially if I’m working on something that I know is going to take me awhile. Then I don’t feel as bad when break time goes to do something like check Facebook, and to know that I will have a reminder when it’s time to end that.
Thanks, Andrea!
OOh, I need to do that. It’s definitely equally as distracting to have my phone nearby (which, as I mention in a previous comment, is constantly buzzing and beeping with notifications about a gazillion different things!)
I’m thinking it’s technology-related…so many things to distract us, and so much information constantly being thrown at us! It’s hard to not get distracted.
Thanks! I like to (try) to dedicate time to social media rather than checking it nonstop because then I find I end up wasting so much time, but then I still feel like I get my “fix” if I set aside a time to do it.
I really should turn off the push notifications. Right now I get alerts for Google+, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (among other things) because it’s the default on my phone, and my battery is way better than it used to be. (In fact, as I was writing this comment I just got an alert from an app on my phone and of course had to check what it was!)
I can so relate to have distractions all day that on the surface appear to be productive but are not. These are great tips. I am going to work on the dedicated time to social media this week. I am excited to check out HootSuite extension as well as the Pomodroido, which I have heard about before but clearly need to use. Thanks! (Stopping over from SITS)
It sees to be something that plagues many of us, unfortunately 🙂 But it is reassuring to know you aren’t the only one, right? Hope these tips help!
Hope you find them helpful, they certainly have been to me (though I’ll admit I’m still not always as focused as I would like to be!)
I am so guilty of having a million tabs open at once and checking my email 1000 times a day. Love this list.
I really need to just keep THIS tab open at all times! The social media thing is so time-sucking. I need to be better about that.
Btw, do you know the origin of the name Pomodoro Technique? Pomodoro means tomato in Italian. I don’t get it!!
Me too, suuuuuuuch a massive distraction though! (Plus having all those tabs open really slows down my computer.)
That’s a good question, I’m not sure whey they call it Pomodoro Technique (though their timer does look a tomato). Maybe the person just really liked the word?
Hi. First timer here to your blog. I need to come back as you are not only so organized but also a lot of fun! Okay, I’m a new blogger (only a month), I have a full-time job & I’m a single mom. I am guilty of everything you said in your article — especially constantly going from tab to tab. I really want to learn more about Hootsuite. I have the app on my I-phone but have done nothing with it. My posts are auto set for FB & Twitter but other than yell at The Voice or a game, I’ve not utilized it much for the blog. What do you do?
I highly recommend it, especially as it gives you permission to take breaks (which we all need!)
Welcome, Dana! Congrats on your new blogging adventure….it sounds like you are quite busy. I also use the Hootsuite app to share other blog posts/website that I find of interest. That way I can share them without having to actually go on Twitter or FB (and thus be distracted by them!)
Excellent points, Bev. I incorporate most of them, but the lure of social media is such a pain in the butt that I really have to make items 2, 3, and 4 more of a priority.
I used to be the worst at that. I would write them down everywhere, and then could never remember where I put them! What I love about Evernote is having accessible on both my phone and my computer.
Oh my goodness, I used to waste so much time with social media, it’s so easy to get caught up in it and then suddenly and hour has disappeared!
I love these tips, they are so simple in retrospect but hard to think about when you feel overwhelmed! Thanks for the advice!
I agree! I think they are actually helping somewhat to feel less overwhelmed, but it definitely depends on the day 😉
Wow, what great tips, i have just downloaded Evernote, as I love to write notes too, but then always lose the notes – doh! this sounds perfect for me 🙂
Thanks for sharing 🙂
Paula
Thanks, Paula! Hope Evernote works out for you. I’ve stopped writing little to-do lists all over my house since I’ve started using it, so much more helpful!
These are really great tips for bloggers and business owners, Bev. I think so many people get overwhelmed by time management when it can really be broken down into simple ways to stay focused like you share here. Stopping by from the #BloggingBetter link-up. Thanks for sharing your post with us!