Ep #44: 4 Tips for Getting Things Done for Bloggers

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Last week I promised something a little different today, and I’m delivering! Because today, there’s no guest, but there is a theme. I know we’re all super busy this time of year, so I’m keeping today’s show short and to the point. AND it’s focused on a topic near and dear to us all – 4 Tips for Getting Things Done for Bloggers! One thing we’ve learned at the conclusion of Season One of the Chopped Podcast, is that we all have SO much to do.

Chopped Podcast: Getting Things Done for Bloggers

Remember the days when blogging consisted of creating a recipe, shooting it, and posting it? Then maybe we’d share it to Facebook and Twitter. And we thought we were busy then!

Today there’s Pinterest, Instagram, SnapChat, Periscope. There’s SEO, ads, google analytics, list building. And any one of these platforms can change their algorithms on a dime, requiring us to spend time learning the best way to operate our business as a result. Every day can feel like such a challenge of things to learn, let alone to execute on!

If you looked in my daily journal over the last couple of years, the theme would have been — I have SO much to do…it’s crazy. I’ve felt constantly behind and overwhelmed. Sometimes that overwhelmed feeling has caused me to contemplate quitting. I thought about going back to the corporate world, because it just seemed like it would be better than this. Right? Because at least then I’d get to come home and have my evenings back again. I could go back to the days when I used to decorate my house on the weekends, and make cookies without reciting the recipe, or writing a post in the back of my head.

Somehow I know I’m not the only one who feels this way from time to time.

But I want you to know I have a solution. When I slip into this Overwhelm Mindset it’s a sign. It means I need to get back on my Getting Things Done Mindset!

Because truth be told, my whining about how hard all this is, is really just giving in to Resistance!

When it comes right down to it, I have SO many ideas about what I want to do. I have ebooks I’m working on, recipes I’m dreaming up, ideas for different ways to photograph our recipes, webinars to launch, tips I want to share with you, people I want to interview, and so many more of you that I want to meet!

And here’s the deal….I want to have it ALL. I dream big, people! And sometimes I get a little scared of that big hairy dream.

I guess that’s the idea behind a big, hairy dream. It has to make you feel a little stretched.

That’s the reason I hired the most awesome life coach on the planet, Jay Pryor (see additional link below). People who went to Chopped Academy got to hear him speak in person and everyone there agreed. He is the best!

Jay is helping me get rid of what I call my brain clutter. Coincidentally that has led to less physical clutter as well, a welcomed side bonus. What are the benefits of getting rid of brain clutter? I’m clearing out the old to make room for all of the amazing things I want to do with my blog, my life, and everything in between!

So I wanted to share my thoughts with you on the Getting Things Done Mindset.  It rolls  out into four simple steps: my 4 Tips for Getting Things Done for Bloggers

Tip #1: You are a physical being

Ask yourself, how will you feed your body so you will have the energy you need to get things done today? Think of yourself as an athlete, training for a big competition. Can you imagine an athlete eating HoHos before a big race? No? Because they eat a diet that gives them the energy they need to get through their day. I’m not going to get into diet here, but I just want to say, know yourself. Know what helps you feel your best.

Give yourself permission to eat a diet that helps you feel your best today. — @choppedcon Click To Tweet

How will you train your body to have the stamina you need today to get things done?

Sitting all day at your desk is not strength-inducing. Here are some things I do to help mix up my day a little physically:

  • I Keep a stair stepper in my office and I get up and take steps throughout the day
  • I also have a bouncy ball chair and I switch to it sometimes and bounce away
  • I have a standing desk that I switch to for various tasks
  • Conference call? Tell them you’re doing a walking meeting, take your earbuds and walk and talk
  • Music – listen to uplifting music to keep you motivated and inspired
  • Mix up your day so your physical body doesn’t get bored – take breaks, move around.
  • WORKOUT – Exercise raises your focus for up to three hours afterwards says Dr. John Ratey, author of Spark – The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain. Dr. Ratey refers to exercise as  “miracle-gro” for the brain. Good stuff!
  • Stay relaxed. I’ve heard tennis coaches say this to their students over and over again. Stay relaxed. It seems counterintuitive, doesn’t it? To be your best in a sport, you have to stay relaxed? The trick is to stay relaxed, but engaged. The same is true for musicians, speakers, and even bloggers.
Breathing in I calm my body. Breathing out I smile. Dwelling in the present...I know this is a wonderful moment. - Thich Nhat Hanh Click To Tweet

Tip #2: You are a Spiritual Being

Find ways to connect to the spiritual side of your work:

  • Be mindful. I find the best way to be mindful is to meditate. I use the app Headspace that provides guided meditation (see the link below).
  • Why not let your work be a spiritual endeavor? I spoke to Cathy Yardley on the Namely Marly Podcast last year. Cathy is author of the book Write Every Day. Cathy suggests creating rituals to help your subconscious understand transitions. So, when you’re ready to begin work, why not light a candle to signal to your subconscious self, now it’s time to get creative. Pick one with an aroma that really resonates with you or that is known to help with productivity. My favorite? I love peppermint scented candles to help me feel invigorated and ready to go!
  • Know your WHY! Synthesize that into a brief statement and have it nearby. Your spiritual self wants to connect to that and will help guide you.
  • Stay relaxed. Yes, this is a theme. Deep breathing throughout the day helps to stay relaxed. Breathe in to the count of three. Hold it to the count of three. Breathe out to the count of three. Hold it for the count of three. Repeat 3 times. Try that right now. Don’t you feel so much more relaxed now?
We have to be capable of tenacious creativity. #ChoppedCon — Marsha Sinetar Click To Tweet

Tip #3: You are an Emotional Being

I’m sure you’ve heard the saying: emotions, buried alive, never die. Use these tips to get a better understanding of your emotions and how they may be guiding you.

  • I heard recently that sadness is rage turned inward. If you’re feeling down, ask yourself, “why am I angry?” Or “what am I angry about” or even “What can I be angry about?” Make up something to be angry about and then go find a healthy outlet for that rage. It’s times like this when I wish I had a punching bag set up in the basement. But any kind of workout can help here. And sometimes just giving voice to that anger helps. Write it down in your journal. I feel angry and then try to examine why.
  • Joyful. Find some joy today. I mean that tingling in your toes kind of joy. Get up early, put on a great song, dance and feel utterly joyful. You’ll be surprised how this can make you feel!
  • Power Pee. Cara and I talked about this in the last Chopped Podcast episode about Authenticity. Every day you have to go to the bathroom…so why not take a Power Pee? Look, emotions can be a like a powerful undercurrent. You don’t see it, but it’s guiding you in ways you have no idea. So check in regularly to really understand how you feel. And since you have to go the bathroom so many times a day, why not just use that as a time when you can check in. Ask yourself, How am I feeling? Am I upset? Am I happy? Am I energetic? And then do the deep breathing exercise I mentioned earlier. It works wonders and takes only a few moments.
Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength. — Corrie ten Boom Click To Tweet I finally figured out the only reason to be alive is to enjoy it. — Rita Mae Brown Click To Tweet

Tip #4: You are a Bossy Being!

That’s right. You are the bossy pants of your blogging career. So why not act like it! Right? If you’ve had a few too many mopey days, it may be a sign you’re needing a bossy pants day. Or you can integrate these into your everyday business life too.

  • Prioritize – understand the difference between what’s urgent and what’s important on your to-do list. Urgent items can sometimes take priority over important items, but it really should be the other way around. Do what’s important first!
  • Delegate – find people you can delegate work to, especially things you don’t enjoy doing so much.
  • Put on a power suit. OK. You don’t have to wear an actual suit, but get dressed in a way that makes you feel good and bossy. Listen to Tessa in episode #1 (see link below) where she says she puts on red lipstick when she needs an extra dose of bossiness.
  • Make friends with Time. Have you heard yourself say, I’m so busy. I have too much today. There’s never enough time? Be careful with your words because they become  self fulfilling prophecy. Why not experiment by changing your language around this topic. I have enough time to get what I need to get done today.
  • Stay focusd. Get rid of distractions. Seriously! I turned off notifications for most of my apps. You have important work to be done, if you can’t ignore the red number on your mail icon, then go into settings and turn off the notifications…so you can stay focused on what’s important.
  • Become the Queen of NO. I love Marie Forleo’s video on saying no to distractions. I’ll leave the link in the show notes page. It has some language in it so if that offends you, then you might just wanna skip it, but it’s a fun way of helping yourself say NO!
  • Create some computer free workspace. I personally feel like the computer is a creativity killer. If I have an idea now, I write it down on paper. Or the whiteboard in my office. Sometimes I’ll use colored pens or pencils to make it even more creative. I am using up all the old letterhead paper that I used to keep on hand to send out resumes – who does that anyway? And I make my notes pretty and fun. But the trick is, to wait to jump on the computer with it until my thoughts are more formed. So, try this and see if it works for you. Create some computer free workspace and let your creative self soar!
Taking risks and making choices is what makes life so exciting. — Amy Poehler #choppedcon Click To Tweet

I am NOT bossy. I AM the boss.  #choppedcon

 

What are your favorite tips for Getting Things Done? leave a comment below, or send me a shoutout on twitter. Why not take a photo of you getting things done and share it with me on Twitter with #choppedblogger

I’ve condensed everything (including quotes) into my handy Getting Things Done Guide. Check it out!

Show Notes: Getting Things Done for Bloggers

This episode includes references to some resources you might find interesting. Here they are:

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Thanks so much for listening to today’s podcast. I hope you found it informative and helpful to the work you do every day. Make sure you don’t miss out on any of the Chopped Podcast episodes by heading on over to iTunes to subscribe to the Chopped Podcast. While you’re there, provide a review and rating is a great way to help other podcast listeners find it too! That’s it for today’s podcast. As always, thanks so much for joining in the discussion!

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