Do you have a routine? If not, you may be struggling to remain motivated and productive. If used properly, a routine can ensure you remain productive every day and clear that dreaded ‘to-do’ list.
Drawing up a routine
No doubt you have a list of tasks that you tend to get through every day – you check out the newest forum posts, you respond to emails, you create content and you undertake some marketing. Is this task list written down? It should be.
If you take the time to write down a routine or task list, you can check off each item as you complete it. This gives you a visible reminder of your progress and will help keep you motivated.
Never stick too rigidly to a list of tasks though, as this can restrain innovation. Always leave time to think of new ideas, to check out the competition and predict what your members will want in the future.
Sticking to your routine
By having a routine written down, either on paper or on your computer, there will be no avoiding the jobs you need to complete each day. You will know exactly what is required of you, and you will have a far greater sense of achievement at clearing a written down ‘to-do’ list rather than one that is just in your mind.
Once you have a routine written down, make sure you stick to it – after a few days you will find that you are completing your routine tasks faster and as a result you will have more time for other jobs.
A regular routine will result in an increase in productivity – do you have a set routine? How does it benefit you?
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It took me a long time to learn this and it really has boosted my productivity. That said, I’m now so routine and list oriented I’m almost compulsive about it. So, I have to be mindful of being too rigid and allowing interuptions, which are inevitable, from throwing me off.
I do find that the more I stick to my routine, the more productive I am. I think I’ve developed a solid blogging routine but I do need to work out how to do more in less time. I also need to write more posts in advance.
Josh – You’re right that whilst routines are great to have, you need to ensure you aren’t stifling creativity by disallowing deviations from your regular routine – such deviations can often be the source of some of your greatest work.
Skellie – Working out how to do more in less time is certainly a challenge. Having a set routine should help you get more done in a specific timeframe and leave more time available for advance posts etc.
Well, a To-do list is a must. It improves one’s efficiency and also helps to meet deadline. And it gives immense satisfaction at the end of the day when you tick the work done and realize that you have had a productive day and have finished all your work.
Your so right, the amount of times I get in front of the computer with a list of ‘to dos’ and log off with half undone!…..
My to do list just gets scribbled, rewritten, gradually whittled down and then it’s longer than ever again. The trouble is I always go for the easy items first.
Tom – You are certainly right that completing a to-do list often provides a great deal of satisfaction. It is this satisfaction that helps keep you motivated.
Peter – It sounds like you need to be more strict with yourself or make your list more realistic!
Chamonix – Perhaps you need to re-order your list so that you get the most challenging items out of the way first!
My trick for writing a successful “to-do list” – always include one thing you can cross off straight away. It’s much less daunting like that. I quite often put “make to-do list” as my first item
Biddy – That’s a great idea; very often the hardest thing is to just get started – by putting something easy right at the top you solve that problem!