Time management is something that I struggle with almost everyday.
If I only had 36 hours in every day I would be doing good. I could get the sleep I need, work my job, run my kids around and still have all of the time I need to blog and work on getting my product launched.
Do you ever feel that way? If only you had more hours in a day you could actually get everything done when it was supposed to be done.
Time Wasters
For bloggers there are a lot of unnecessary activities that eat up time and add to the time management problem. These unnecessary activities are time wasters.
Some time wasters are:
- Reading email
- Personal social media
- Playing games on the internet
- Personal phone calls
- Chating with friends on line
- Browsing the internet aimlessly for non-work related things
- Following a rabbit trail that ends up leading no where
- Interruptions by people coming into your work space
These are just a few of the time wasters that I am guilty of and try to avoid. I am sure you could add to the list.
Ways Of Avoiding Time Wasters
No matter what the time waster is it needs to be avoided and not done during the time you are working.
Depending on your situation you will have to figure out what the best way of avoiding time wasters. The following are a few suggestions.
- Turn off all email notifications. I know if I don’t see the emails pop in I am less tempted to check the email right then.
- Turn off the internet if you do not need it for research.
- Turn off all of your chats so people can not see you online.
- Use programs like Invisibility Cloak or Kiwi Cloak which block time wasting sites for a predetermined length of time.
- Have a notebook where you write down everything that needs to be done either the night before or at the beginning of the week for each day.
- Use one of many blogging calenders available on the internet. Here is one I found that I thought looked good. blogenergizer.com
- Set a timer for a specific length of time. Whatever activity you are to be doing, do it non-stop, without distractions until the timer goes off. You will be amazed at how much you can get done in a solid block of time without any distractions.
- Follow Kris Mainieri’s Lock Down Method in the video below.
Making More Time In A Day
I can usually make good use of the time I have to work on the internet.
My problem is blocking out time to spend on the internet. I work outside of my home for about 4 1/2 hours a day, I home school my son and run him to what seems like a million things, and do any number of miscellaneous chores around the house.
Does this sound like you. Oh, maybe the list is a little bit different but it is still a list and it seems to take a lot of the time out of the day.
I seem to spend a great amount of time sitting at some event (if you have kids I am sure you can relate) where I could work if only I had internet.
I finally figured a way out to actually be able to do something even without internet. Before I leave I will get online and copy 5 to 10 posts that I want to comment on. I then paste the posts into emails with the post URL at the top of the email so I can easily get back to the post in order to add my comment. I then send the email to myself. If I open the emails and download then on my iPad while I still have internet I can read the posts later when I do not have internet.
I also have a word processor on my iPad so I can actually go ahead and write the comment. When I arrive home I go back to the posts and add my comment. This is such a time saver for me. I am then able to use my time on the internet to do those things I can not do when I am gone.
What About You?
Do you have any time savers that you would like to add? Or, maybe another way to avoid those obnoxious time wasters. I know I can use all of the ideas I can get.
Get on my Early Bird List now!
www.BlogSecurityDefender.com
{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Dee Ann
Time Management is a MUST for those of us who run our own businesses. I think I’m pretty ok with it. But there is always room for improvement.
No matter what in the beginning of my day I follow my daily DMO which is go to my blog, check out social sites and then, and only then do I have my breakfast! How about those apples?
I got in this habit so I wouldn’t waste time talking to people on line – which reminds me I do need to cloak! Thank you for that one!
I only visit social sites a few times a day to post something or to answer a message. When I’m on Facebook my eyes only go to the left and look at my groups. I opt in and keep up with that.
The only time I play around on Facebook is at night when I want to communicate. After my work is done.
I do believe in the theory of “eating the frog” i.e. doing the most difficult task of the day FIRST! That is after my quick daily DMO. Now I have the time for that frog which is currently a product I’m working on.
Well, sorry for the novella, but I do get carried away with time management issues because it is so important to do.
Donna
Donna,
No problem on the novella. I love it. Time Management is so important and if it is not done right nothing gets done.
I like your ideas. I try to follow most of those with a whole bunch of stuff thrown in between.
I leave for work at 6:30 AM so I try to get all of the stuff you do before eating breakfast done before I left for work. That works great until I get to tired and don’t get up till 7 or 7:15 and then I am behind for the day.
Thank you for the great ideas on time management.
Dee Ann
Dee Ann Rice recently posted…Right-Click-Copy Enable or Disable?
Hey Dee Ann,
Ah, I know so many people who have this issue. Although I wouldn’t say I’m perfect I really don’t waste a lot of time on stuff.
As you know I have a pad on my desk and I write down what I need to accomplish for the day and I get to it. You won’t find me playing online or chatting with people. Now I do ask questions on my Facebook wall and I will respond but I’m not going down my newsfeed talking to everyone online.
I also just get on Twitter three times a day and I don’t leave any of that open. I’m focused on the tasks I need to do at that moment. But I’m also very fortunate to live alone so I don’t have a lot of distractions. I still have some since I do work at home my neighbors love to come over and complain a lot about stuff. Just today I had to meet with an electrician so I do have outside interferences at times. For the most part though I’m pretty focused.
Glad you figured out to copy those posts to your email so I hope people will see why they need to have that feature on their sites.
~Adrienne
Adrienne,
I think you do a fabulous job of time management. I think we could all learn from you. I am totally amazed at what you are able to get done in a day.
I do have a notebook on my desk that I write in everyday and I do write down what I am supposed to do that day. That works great until I just literally run out of time. That is where those extra 12 hours come in. I just need more time in the day.
Thanks for your ideas and have a great day.
Dee Ann
Dee Ann Rice recently posted…Right-Click-Copy Enable or Disable?
Hi DeeAnn,
I started smiling as I read your first paragraph, because your life sounds lot like mine.
It’s very tough to work for a long period of time without any distraction/interruption at all. Even though I don’t have kids, my cat will periodically disturb me when I’m at the computer. One time she’s hungry, the next she just wants attention and so forth and so one.
Then, there’s this internet, of course. I’m a bit addicted to YouTube, so I have to control myself there.
However, all in all I do manage to do my work outside of the home, write for my 3 blogs each week, write for my clients and do some coaching sessions. I guess I do OK
Thanks for this great info
Sylviane Nuccio recently posted…How To Write Your First Book – Part One The Writing
Sylviane,
I think you are doing great to get everything done that you do.
I get this blog done but my other blogs are lacking attention. I keep thinking I need to write a post every now and then on one of them but I just don’t have the time.
You really do get a lot done.
Thanks for stopping by and your comment.
Dee Ann
Dee Ann Rice recently posted…Right-Click-Copy Enable or Disable?
Hi Dee Ann
I used to be very good at time management when I worked in an office but since I have had my home based business full time I have gone backwards.
My husband also works out of home and our phone rings through the day. I do some work in his business too but that is okay.
I do waste time on email and a little on Facebook but not a lot. I do have it open all day but I am like Donna I mainly check my groups.
I think for me I have too many things I am trying to do and have been dropping some. I need to concentrate more on the main things that I want to achieve.
A great post and tips Dee Ann as it is so important for us all to get what we need to get done actually done.
Sue
Sue Price recently posted…Pure Leverage 100%Commissions and EZ Money Method
Sue,
I think I am with you – I have to many thing I am trying to do but I can not figure out what to drop. I just keep on cramming more stuff into the limited time that I have.
I think a lot of it is having a family and being a mom. That is time consuming.
I also will keep my social networks open during the day but, like you and Donna, I do not get on them to socialize. I just keep checking to see if there is another post that I need to comment on or something like that.
Thanks for the great comment and have a great day.
Dee Ann
Dee Ann Rice recently posted…Right-Click-Copy Enable or Disable?
Hi Dee Ann
Time Management is such an interesting subject.We all have 24 hours in a day and we want to turn into 36 hours, by having so much on the plate.
I have to use a day timer and my IPad to keep my on target and focus on that particular day.
I did enjoy the video, but I still have the problem with the lockdown simply because Kris said he heads to the hotel with the computer on the beach…. Wow… that would be hard to stay focus. I live in Miami and Iknow there are many distractions there and everywhere.
But like Adrienne if you learn to be focus at home, you don’t have to spend money to learn to get focus and use the time you have wisely.
Dee Ann I have so much on my plate, with being a minister, life coach, now the Internet Marketing(which I am new to) and then I travel as a speaker. I just gave up Toastmasters because it was too much.
But I enjoyed your article, and I want to add another time waster… The good old TV. That can be a distraction for me.
Thank you and forgive me for rattling on
Gladys posted…Rekindle a lost belief
Gladys recently posted…Don’t Ever Stop Growing
Gladys,
Your plate sounds really full. I thought mine was full.
We really do try to cram 36 hours of stuff into 24 hours don’t we. That is where the problem seems to lie.
I thought that the Lock Down Method was interesting and might work for some people so I included it in my post but like you I think I might be more distracted on the beach than at home.
I do pretty well handling the distractions at home. My problem is having to many things that I have to do outside of my home. I am always trying to fit in just a few more minutes here and there where I can work.
Great to have your comment and ideas. Have a great day.
Dee Ann
Dee Ann Rice recently posted…Right-Click-Copy Enable or Disable?
Hi DeeAnn. I so needed these tips on time management. So many people have this problem and it is extremely difficult to get a handle on it. I struggle with it everyday and look for techniques to help everyday. You’ve given me some insight and some tips to help. Thanks so much. Great article.
Barbara Charles recently posted…4 Reasons Why Triberr Won’t Work For You – The Series
Barbara,
I think we all struggle with time management. I know I do.
Even when I prioritize all of the stuff that needs to be done I still feel like I miss important things or don’t get stuff done like I should.
I wish I could say I make a list for each day and finish the list but I usually have to carry over to the next day what does not get finished.
Glad you got some insights and thanks for your thoughts.
Dee Ann
Dee Ann Rice recently posted…Right-Click-Copy Enable or Disable?
This happens to me too. Actually I work at school in the morning and in the afternoon. I spend some of spare time to write or make a post. I feel the time passes by so quickly so I think I have to manage my time wisely and well. I am online in the afternoon and at night before going to bed. I also spend a little time in the morning around 3 a.m. to update my blog or to post an article or to write something. The tips or solutions above are great and very useful for me. Thank you very much for the solutions given. They are very helpful.
Heru,
There just are not enough hours in the day to get everything done.
I think all we can do is manage our time the best we can and do as much as we can. Then get up and start again the next day.
Good time management practices do help though.
Glad you found my solutions helpful. Thanks for your comment.
Dee Ann
Dee Ann Rice recently posted…Right-Click-Copy Enable or Disable?
Time management is the key to success in any field. So having a time management skill makes our tasks easier.
Prakash recently posted…Where Is My Water for PC, Android Download APK Online