In early April, I posted a notice that I was working on a new ebook about how to respond to client requests for proposals (RFPs) so that you land more freelance writing jobs. But, have I finished it? Nope! And it makes me sick to my stomach.
As I've added more and more to my plate, I've fallen into some very bad habits - the most glaring of which is I've stopped doing what used to work.
Following is what I'm doing to get back on track so I can spend more time on my passive income projects.
The One Thing - That Works - That You Can Do to Spend More Time on Your Passive Income Projects
One thing I used to do on a regular basis was keep lists. Over the last year or so, I've gotten away from this. Being a Type A personality, lists work for me because if I write it down, then it must be done. That's the way my brain works.
I think that's why lists are so universally popular though because there's something about checking off a task that gives one great peace, satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment.
So last week I started back with my list writing. At the end of the day, this is the last thing I do. Not only do I write out what I want to accomplish for the next day, I time block it so I know exactly what I'm supposed to be doing every hour of the day.
This keeps me focused. For example, today's list of tasks looked like this:
Example of a Time-Blocked Daily List
9-9:30 Draft Guest Post for LM's Blog
9:30-10:30 -- Update Foreclosure Cleanup Blog (Do post on Produce the Note Defense)
10:30-10:45 -- Post to Trulia Blog (go through Ezinearticles acct to find a post)
10:45 - 12:00 - 5 blog posts for Donald
12-1:30 - Article Marketing: Rewrite an Inkwell Editorial Article & Post to CC, EZ, AC, Hubpages
1:30 - 3:00 -- Write Sales Page for Ebook Excerpt & Upload
3-3:30 - BREAK (Lunch w/Judge Judy!)
3:30 - 4:30 -- IW.com Post (Freelance Writers: How to Get Organized So You Find Time to Work on Your Passive Income Projects; mention RFP book deadline failure)
4:30 - 5:30 -- BizyMoms Post (look through old posts to job brain for an idea)
5:30 - 6:00 -- Rewrite Produce the Note Defense Article as a 400-word Hub
6:00-6:45 -- Place Backpage Ads
6:45-7:00 -- Put on Dinner
7:15 -- Leave for Run in Park
Why Leaving Yourself Notes Is Extremely Helpful
One thing you might have noticed is that I leave notes to myself. For example, in the 3:30 to 4:30 time slot, my task is to write this post for InkwellEditorial.com. I knew yesterday when I made out this list what I wanted to write about.
So as not to forget it (because if I don't write it down I run the danger of forgetting), I wrote down what I wanted to write about.
In the 4:30 to 5:30 time slot, my task is to write one of my monthly posts for BizyMoms.com, a popular work-from-home site I was recruited to write for last month. But, I was tired and had no clue about what I wanted to write about, so to jog my memory I left myself a note to schlep through my old blog to come up with something.
FYI, doing this is a great way to come up with new material. If you don't have an old blog, go through the blogs of others who write in your niche. Don't copy their material - of course. But, use their blogs/websites to jog your brain cells for a suitable topic to put your own spin on. I do this all the time.
For me, leaving myself notes is like using a paint-by-numbers set. It puts my thinking on auto pilot. And if you're a busy freelance writer, you know how important this can be - especially if you're trying to cram in your own stuff in addition to client projects.
What to Do about Tasks You Don't Finish On Your List Every Day
One thing I am learning to do more of is cut myself some slack.
So far, I haven't had one day where I've gotten through everything on my list. I'll get a client email that will distract me for a half hour. Or, an email from an ebook buyer with a question. Or, my internet service will be disconnected (which happened in the middle of my lunch break today - on one of the very few times that I've actually stopped working to eat and watch Judge Judy).
But, c'est la vie, no?
I simply carry unattended tasks over to the next day - and the next one if I have to. My goal is to always finish what's on the list by the week's end. If that's not possible, then I prioritize - getting to what absolutely, positively has to get done - and finishing up the rest on the weekend.
Since I started doing this again last week, I feel much less stressed and more in control of my day-to-day existence. I'm already an insomniac, but I was getting to the point where I felt panicky because I didn't feel like I had control over my own existence anymore.
And, I'm not one prone to stuff like panic attacks.
If you feel like you're not accomplishing all you should, try making daily, time-blocked lists for a week. I'm willing to bet you'll feel more in control and accomplished.
Good luck!
Moving to Jamaica
I move to sunny Negril exactly two weeks from today. And considering the cool, rainy weather we've had here in Atlanta lately, I can't wait!
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