Blogging is a gift that keeps on giving. It is writing, alright, but it’s more than that. In reality, bloggers tend to wear many hats, especially when starting, and don’t have a team to help them with SEO, content promotion, digital marketing, etc. It is physically and mentally demanding because blogging needs a strategy focused on the frequency of posting and its readability. Reader engagement, more often than not, is the primary goal of a blogger. So, when a blog has quality content, an audience that resonates with it will take the conversation to conversions. In this post, I’m sharing some productivity tips for bloggers.
Productivity Tips for Bloggers
In a blogger’s life, there are wins and struggles too. There are days when you feel like you’re on top of the marketing world, and you can write all the incredible stuff without missing a beat. Then there are days when you start a blog, and all you can twist out of your mind is a single sentence. What takes your focus can be overwhelming, such as the demands needed by the other hats you’re wearing. Tasks can be super time-consuming and can leave you feeling more drained than ever.
I can get easily distracted when it comes to my blog work, and overthinking my to-do list usually puts my writing on the back burner. When this happens, I feel overwhelmed, which further affects my productivity. I know how most bloggers think this way. And if you’re one of us, here’s a roundup of tips that can help you finish as much as tasks as you can and still save time so you can relax and do other things outside of blogging.
Maintaining a to-do list
To keep things on track, a blogger must maintain a to-do list. Make sure that it is simple and not vague. Sometimes to-do lists can be stifling, but if you add on it the more significant purpose your task will serve you, it might make a difference, why completing those tasks is essential in a grander scale of things. Also, take note of what tasks don’t add value to your purpose as a blogger and your other functions. It helps, too, for some, when a job is set daily or weekly in terms of frequency and then breaks your large to-do tasks and keeps them smaller and more precise. You could even use you’re Google calendar as a to-do list, blocking out times during the day to make sure you’re spending time on the top priority task at hand.
Disabling phone notifications
For bloggers, this makes your train of thought scattered and leaves you feeling unaccomplished. So, go ahead and turn your notifications off -both your smartphones and desktops. Perhaps set it to airplane mode and use apps that have this functionality for increasing productivity. Be intentional about how you use technology as a blogger, it can be helpful, but it also creates a habit that keeps you from focusing and being efficient.
Using the Pomodoro technique
A lot of my blogger friends swear by the effectiveness of the Pomodoro Technique. In Italian, Pomodoro means tomato. It is a widely known method for time management and was developed in the 1980s by Francesco Cirillo, a university student with focus issues. He developed the Pomodoro Technique by observing how 10 minutes of focused study time is adequate for him.
If you feel like your writing can zero distraction and stay focused, according to this technique, take some frequent breaks, which helps sustain concentration. Here’s a sample of how to do it:
- Get a timer and set up your to-do list.
- Set your timer for 25 minutes and keep your focus on the task at hand.
- When it ends, take note of what you completed
- Give yourself a five-minute break.
- By the time you finish four pomodoros, a refreshing 15-30-minute break is the next step
Using productivity tools
For a blogger, you have these core components that you must constantly monitor focus, organization, and automation. Try checking on apps that help you track your time better, like Toggl. For organizing your files, Dropbox and Google Drive are great options. Also, invest in a tool that enables you to manage your password like LastPass, and create boards for your projects like Asana, Hemingway App, and Grammarly for writing.
The most important part here is what tools or apps can help you streamline your processes both as a blogger and if you have a day job! So use only tools that serve you, making your blogging more effective and efficient.
Creating a blog post outlines first
I love outlining because it also keeps my memory sharp, especially when it comes to subtopics I tend to forget. So how to do it? First, ask yourself if your topic is worth writing about. It lays the groundwork for your piece, then researches similar topics online and what you can add to the value that other bloggers have. From this, you can start plotting your outline with subtopics and points so that your outline flow is logical.
Taking advantage of automation
Lastly, find ways to automate your blog. It’s a game-changer. Mostly because sometimes writer’s block plays a major factor in productivity, and automating your other admin duties can lead to a less cluttered mind. Imagine being so productive you’re able to free up much of your time to spend on other things that you enjoy, like a vacation or a 30-minute coffee time. The ways to streamline your blogging process are limitless, but I suggest you start by putting your blog posts on autopilot. Use apps that function to facilitate your blogging system, like keyword research, topics for different posts, etc. Anything you think could work not only for auto-posting but also for syncing and scheduling.
If you’re like most bloggers, you probably spend a lot of time on social media, talking on the phone, and checking your email.
While these activities are necessary for promoting your blog and growing your audience, they can also be huge time-wasters. To be a productive blogger, you need to set goals and then focus on achieving them. One way to do this is to write your posts in advance and schedule them to go live at specific times. That way, you’re not spending hours every day writing new content. You can also use tools like Facebook’s scheduling feature to pre-schedule your posts. That way, you can batch your work and stay on top of your social media traffic.
Another productivity tip is to stop checking your email so often. If you’re spending hours every day checking and responding to messages, you’re wasting valuable time that could be spent writing new posts or promoting your existing content. So unplug from email for a few hours each day and focus on being productive. Lastly, consider using affiliate links in your blog posts. This is a great way to generate passive income while still providing valuable content to your readers. When you include affiliate links in your posts, you earn a small commission when someone clicks on the link making less work for you and more money. These are just a few ideas to help you get more done and be more productive as a blogger.
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