Ever have those days where you feel like you get nothing done? Well, you are not alone! It is easy to sit in front of your computer and the next thing you know, hours have gone by and you are still trying to accomplish that one task on your to-do list. One of the best parts about blogging is that you have complete freedom when it comes to your schedule and your blog but at the same time, having so much freedom can cause you to go off-track. Setting up a few workflow tactics will help you not only crush your to-do list but will also help you feel so productive!
1) Set up email templates
If you find yourself getting the same emails over and over again, I recommend creating email templates for yourself! If you work frequently with sponsorships or guest bloggers it may be helpful to set up a few basic email templates so you can respond back faster. Typing the same email over and over again can be time-consuming so creating a template is a game changer when it comes to your time. Creating a template will help you get the wording just right and allows you to have some time to write it out without your inbox haunting you.
Creating templates will help you reply much faster and cut down the time you are spending in your inbox. No one wants to spend their whole afternoon (or even whole day!) replying to emails so creating different email templates can be a huge time saver for you.
Not sure how to get started on creating email templates? You have a few choices: either save them in a Google Doc or some other place where you have easy access, or use the Canned Responses in Gmail!
2) Organize your blog with Trello
Trello is a great tool to use when it comes to blogging and running a business. It is great for organizing information, lists and more. You can use it for just about everything! Not only can you use it on your laptop but you can also get the app on your phone. Your boards are literally with you at all times so you can edit them whenever you need to.
If you are not into a paper planner, you can always start tracking your to-do lists in Trello. You can create checklists, easily move tasks over to the next, and archive tasks if you no longer need the reminder. Not only can you use it for a planner, but you can start planning out blog ideas, content ideas, or even organize any kind of research. Your boards are customizable so you can use it however it works best for you!
If you don’t know how you can use Trello to save yourself a bunch of time, check out Trello for Business by the ladies at Think Creative Collective. It’s full of tips and tricks on how to use the platform to its full potential!
3) Batch your work
Batching your work can help you be more productive in a specific time setting. Instead of switching from task to task, try blocking off a few hours for a specific task – like writing! Give yourself a few hours to create as many blog posts as you can. You may be surprised at how many you get done in a certain amount of time. You can batch your work with just about everything. From writing blog posts, to scheduling your social media content, to even checking emails, schedule time in your calendar to batch work everything. If possible, you can even dedicate specific days of the week all to one type of work. This will help you get more things done because when you are creating social media posts you will already be in the social media mindset and will be able to create days, weeks or even months worth of content at a time. This will free up time during your week to work on other projects and ideas.
4) Create a content calendar
I always hear new bloggers talking about how they are just winging it when it comes to their content. While this may work for some, I personally love to create a content calendar. This helps me plan out when I will be writing and scheduling out posts. It also lets me see what type of content will be going live on my blog at certain times which can help me not only promote those blog posts but even scheduling social media content around those topics as well. You can either use a paper or a digital calendar to plan out your content. Trello is also a great tool to help you plan out your blogging content.
Having some workflow tactics in place will not only give you more time to create those wonderful blog posts but will also help you stay on track of emails, social media content, and those administrative tasks that everyone loves to do. Think of the simple tasks that you do every day, is there a way to simplify it and add it into your workflow?
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