Maintaining a blog day-to-day can be a stressful activity for any blogger with any amount of experience. From writing to moderating comments to administrative tasks, a bloggers work never seems to be done. Productivity is an important skill to master if you don’t want to be buried in a landslide of responsibility. Learning how to manage your time efficiently will help you to grow your blog.
Productivity in Theory
What is productivity? Contrary to popular belief, it is NOT the ability to manage your time and organize your files. Productivity literally means “the ability to produce something.” So your goal with productivity should not be to manage, it should be to create.
The number one thing that blogs have to offer is information, and it’s the production of information that you’re aiming for in productivity. The goal of learning to organize your time and manage your skills is so that you can concentrate on producing things, be it content, a new product, or some design changes. These creations ultimately produce what is probably your main reason for blogging: money and authority.
What Stops People From Being Productive
So what stops bloggers from being able to churn out a 600 word pillar article everyday and respond to emails like lightening? The answer varies with everyone. Some bloggers do not have enough time to work for hours a day on their blogs, and others do not have the proper motivation to put in a lot of work. Some even suffer from a fear of success.
Learning how to overcome personal vices will help you to be more productive. Before you can utilize tips on productivity, you have to be able to make a commitment to produce something worthwhile, and to form good habits that will help you manage your blog.
How to Be Productive
Productivity stems from the idea of learning how to arrange and manage tasks so that they get completed. The simplest form of this is a “to-do” list. However, some people stray from the broad spaces left by a simple list of tasks. Other tips to keep yourself productive include:
Preparing Your Posts in Spare Time
If you have down time throughout the day where you aren’t doing anything, such as when you are waiting in line or in between meetings, it’s a perfect time to develop or jot down some ideas. Simple outlines can be two to three bullets, and make your content that much more developed.
Prioritize!
Knowing which tasks are essential to growing your blog and which tasks are not is important when it comes to productivity. Consider which items on your list are urgent and take care of them first.
Outsource Minor Tasks
If you happen to have multiple minor tasks that must be taken care of, then outsource them. Have someone else re-organize your category template or change the comment colors from green to yellow while you focus on producing posts. Hiring people to work under you can be an investment if it allows you to continue to grow and stay on task.
Take a Break
Taking time off is just as important as working. If you don’t allow yourself a simple break from time-to-time, burnout will set in and it will become impossible to be productive in anything.
Utilize Your Tools
There are various resources and tools available for blogging from desktop clients to plugins that find relevant images and links for you to use in your content. Utilizing and customizing the tools available to you is a huge step in reducing the number of daily tasks you have to handle.
Ask for Assistance
The great thing about being a blogger is that there are other bloggers who know what you’re going through. If you have a tight network of friends, you can often ask for assistance in finding new resources or getting jobs done to make your life easier.
Being productive can be a hassle for new bloggers who will be swamped with promotion and building themselves up. It can also be a chore for well established bloggers who need to maintain their status. However, anyone can learn how to manage their time and resources efficiently to produce the best content or product that they have to offer to their readership.
A Question For You
So, how do you stay productive on your blog? Do you follow any of the tips I suggested above? Let me know in the comments!
21 Discussions
Hi Alex,
My but you are a wise one for 15! I follow your post faithfully but the problem I have is that I have a blog to direct it to my online store so if I’m not adding new inventory its difficult to add new content. I’ve tried to add different links to useful information and things like that but I don’t think thats what you had in mind.
I will say though, because of you, I have become an avid Twitter user the past couple weeks. I really thought it was kind of meaningless and didn’t really see the need for it but now that I’ve been doing it, I have a completely different outlook on it. Its interesting to read the different comments/suggestions that come up that you might not of found otherwise.
Thanks Alex!
peg’s last blog post..Links for 2009-03-16 [Digg]
I do what I can when it comes to blogging. Thanks for the comments!
What’s your Twitter account? I’d love to follow you and maybe get to know you better. While you’re at it, you should leave your Twitter account in this blog post and maybe get a few extra followers from our community: Share Your Twitter Account
Leaving my twitter account as you suggested.
http://twitter.com/peggy353
Just curious, did you teach yourself about all this computer stuff; your knowledge is unbelievable.
I see you really becoming someone in the future where everyone will know your name. Your passion along with your knowledge is half the battle.
Peg’s last blog post..Links for 2009-03-16 [Digg]
Awesome, I’ve followed you @AlexFraiser.
To answer your question, I picked up most of this knowledge in the 2 years I’ve been doing all of this. Blogging and web design is just really interesting, so I picked it up fairly easy and make the best of what I can.
If you have an online store then it would be easy to blog about your products. You could take one product and write so many posts on it then take another and do the same. If there is a new product, of course there will be something more to write about.
For Bloggers Who want to Stop Writers’ Block
This is a very common problem for those running online stores. You’ve inspired an article; hope you watch out for it.
Dennis Edell’s last blog post..3 Secrets to Writing for the Search Engines
Hi,
It’s amazing you are only 15,
I see great future ahead of you when you grow up.
I’m always updated with blogussion’s posts and love being an email subscriber.
I have also recently posted my ideas on this issue at my blog: http://www.tzveeka.com/?cat=36
I think that when fun is involved with work – work gets done faster and better, always try to schedual something you like doing at evening so while working, you’ll be anticipating for the evening and the job will just fly for you.
Also, when somthing becomes a chore, try to think of it diffrently – usually we think we need to omplete a job to get it done so we sometimes say to ourselves “we’ll complete this chore today” and the chore is huge and can’t possibly be completed today.
If we put a mindset of “starting” and not “completing” we’ll be alot more easy with actually doing the chore and start doing something about it, when some task is big, thinking about completing it usually makes me tired and even unwiiling to start working on it.
that’s some of my thoughs, i have more on that on my blog.
Thanks for these great posts, can’t wait for the next.
tzveeka’s last blog post..Automated Free Scripts and Ideas
I can only hope you’re right! Hard work now pays off later, right?
I always love to see email subscribers come and stop by the blog. We only have a handful of people who do that…really respect you for stopping by!
That’s the beauty of the internet. It allows you to do things you find fun. I personally find blogging and web design fun, so I want to take those two things up as a career for when I grow older. I’m always anxious to get home and start working in this blog, because I enjoy the social interaction and thrill of meeting new people through this place. With all of that in mind, it makes working no problem!
I would love to see some more of your views throughout future posts. I agree with every last word you said in your comment. Really look forward to seeing you around Blogussion more!
Hey, Thanks for replying
Well, hardwork pays off when it involves two things:
1. it involves production.
(you can speak to walls 24/7 without producing anything and call t hard work)
2. you need to know & understand the logic (or business model behind it) – for two years i’ve
been running a website that didn’t have any business model behind it.
it worked for over 20 hours a day sometimes and never even made 10 bucks a day out of it.
One day, i stopped working, and started working on a new website that had a great busniess
model because everyone else i know who was involved in this category was making loads of money.
that site made over 250,000$ dollars in less then a year…
so you’ll eventually need to understand the revenue logic behind the work and time you put into things.
Alex,
I have a question for you please. I signed up last week or sometime to: http://mrtweet.net/home/peggy353
So I just got an email from them that says to get recommended post this:
Hi! If you think I add value to your network, do drop me a recommendation at http://mrtweet.net/peggy353?gr Much appreciated!
Well I did and now I feel like a fool, lol. Why would anyone recommend me and why do I care if they do?
Also, how do I tweet someone if I like there message; just can’t figure that out.
Thanks for any advice you can give.
Peg
Peg’s last blog post..Links for 2009-03-16 [Digg]
I have never used MrTweet, so bear with me here lol.
What I think the service does is it just simply let’s other people post their positive opinion and “recommend” you for being followed. They would recommend you because your tweets have a characteristic they like. Whether it is they think you are interesting, think you share a lot of great content, or whatever it is, I am pretty sure MrTweet is a tool used to get you more followers based off of other people’s opinions on you.
For your second question, I think you are talking about @Replies. Just click the little arrow icon as shown in this screenshot here, and it will automatically put “@Name” in the type box. Always remember to have “@” in front of the screen name so the person knows they are being replied to.
Good luck, and I hope my answers help you out!
Thanks for the quick replies; much appreciated.
This Mr Tweet thing has almost 125,000 followers, here is the address in case your interested: http://www.mrtweet.net/
I’m laughing because something tells me you could probably teach them a thing or two; interested in what you think of there site/suggestions.
Thanks Again!
Peg’s last blog post..Links for 2009-03-16 [Digg]
I have an idea for a follow-up post on productivity. Many bloggers are productive at writing and some are just as productive at driving traffic. What a large percentage of bloggers wish they were more productive at is generating an income from blogging.
You’re dead on with that comment!
I realized I can design and write, but when it comes to other things like SEO and marketing, I’m not as skilled. I have to wonder how many bloggers out there can do it all. That is a good idea for a post, there are a few things I can think off on the spot to write about. Thanks.
I am in my 10th month of blogging and when year one has been completed I will have close to around 300 posts completed. I feel like that is a major accomplishment for a none writer. Things really interesting on 01/01/2009. I started what I call the 109 Day Link Building Explosion that requires a post every day through April 19th.
I really enjoy this as it takes me to sites and blogs like this. Because I have an SEO business to run I occasionally miss a day or two. So with that in mind I actually got a weeks worth of posts ahead as I knew that we would be upgrading the site and moving to a new web host. Then I actually got busy with some new business that the program generated. So I actually ended up a day or two behind my schedule. This post will finally have gotten me caught up.
Doing this program got me out of an SEO rut. Its hard to be creative talking about the same old stuff. The program also represented a challenge. So if I have any recommendations it is to stay fresh and to challenge yourself.
On another point: I am here today to reviewing your blog for Day 78 that will appear 03 /19 /2209.
Thanks!
Boris @ Niche SEO’s last blog post..The 109 Day Link Building Explosion Day 77
I have been keeping up to date with your Link Building Explosions. I have to say, I’m very impressed that you are still going on with your series. You post a lot of information every day, and from what i can tell you haven’t missed a day. I don’t know what you should feel more accomplished about: Hitting 300 posts, or sticking to a long term goal.
I saw our blog on your list. Janith and I really appreciate it. Glad to be part of your series!
I am younger than Alex and can say I know much, much more than him – lol
Honestly, Alex does know a fair bit, but on the other hand picking all the information up isn’t all that hard. I started my first blog around one year ago, sold it for something like $600 a few months later. Picking up the information wasn’t the hard part, I spent hours a day reading.
However, finding time to get posts in was the hard thing. Trying to find topics that were a good read and were something new. I guess I could have taken the approach of guest posters or even getting a partner for new content.
Anyway, you’re doing quite well, Alex!
WPThemeKid – Daniel’s last blog post..Eating Out WP Theme Release!
I don’t know what provoked you to make statements that you’re smarter than me, but can we save those kinds of egotistical comments for a different time? Really Dan, it’s not a competition between us and I don’t appreciate being publicly talked down to like that. =/
On a brighter note, what was the site you sold for $600 about?
Don’t even bother listening to him, Alex
I’m 15 too and you’re teaching me a lot from these posts, so either Daniel is some sort of super kid (with no manners), or, well, make your own mind up
Simon | Teenius’s last blog post..The Importance Of A Good Logo
I don’t know a whole lot but thanks to Alex, I’m learning. His maturity and the way he explains things; how to do things is the best I’ve seen yet. I look at other how to blogs but his is the one I actually look forward to receiving because I know I will learn something new with each post.
Alex has a true passion for what he does which reflects in his blogs which by far exceeds others for that reason alone. I tend to think he will do quite well as he continues with his goals and expectations of himself.
I don’t know how good you are Daniel nor do I care. It is an instant turn off to read your post just to get people to your blog by telling others how much more you supposingly know than Alex; probably your immaturity showing. Maybe you should try a different approach.
Peg@baby,kids,teens,clothing discounts and bargains’s last blog post..Free Liz Claiborne Clutch/Ipod Nano Carrier New In Box
Thanks for the compliments Peg, they mean a lot.
Always glad to know I am helping somebody out!