Probably one of the most put-off aspects of digital marketing is blogging. We’ve all been there; facing a 40ft wall blocking our creativity and we just haven’t got a clue what to write about next. Welcome to writers block.
So what do we do, we simply think of an excuse to put it off? No matter what excuse you conjure up, it doesn’t change the fact that in order to have successful content marketing, you must also have frequent, relevant content to actually post, too.
So putting blogging to the bottom of the pile is no longer an option. Instead, we are going find out what it actually is that’s making your blogging so hard and how to prevent these time-wasting actions. Here are some time-wasting reasons that may be all too common in your place of business…
Failing at Multitasking
In our day-to-day routine, the majority of us wear a lot of hats trying to be an effective multi-tasker. But in reality, we’re not as great at it as we’d like to believe. Recent studies have claimed that it is actually very difficult for people to fully focus on more than one thing at a time, but are much better at switching focus between tasks very quickly, giving the illusion of effective multi-tasking.
For instance, writing an email and talking on the phone at the same time gives the illusion that we are multi-tasking. But both tasks use the same part of the brain, therefore, we are not actually multi-tasking. We are just switching our focus very rapidly back and forth between tasks. This puts us in danger or errors in tasks or getting caught up and losing full concentration.
Productivity Tip:
We need to be as effective as possible when it comes to productivity to run a successful business. Try to stay focused on one task at a time. If your schedule allows for it, you can also try to prioritize your tasks into groups (i.e. lumping together tasks that are more communication-based, analytical-based, and so on and so forth.).
Getting Trapped in The Social Media Web!
It’s something we have all been guilty of. Browsing our social networks only to find ourselves getting trapped and before you know it, it’s 2 hours later and you’re knee deep in your cousin’s album from their recent trip to Florida!
Even if interacting on multiple social media platforms is a big part of your job, it’s important to set aside time for personal use, rather than during work hours. Overusing or stopping sporadically to check your accounts (even if for business purposes) can make it much more challenging to get back into a strong workflow.
Productivity Tip:
You need to schedule 30 minutes to read up on social networks rather than just logging on as and when you feel. It’s all too easy to get caught up so bare this in mind. Blogging will be more beneficial for you in the long run than scrolling endlessly down your Facebook timeline.
Having a Disorganized Workspace
Recently, OfficeMax ran a survey and it found that, out of 1,000 workers, a whopping 90% of them believe clutter negatively affects their mood and productivity. This is something that frequently gets overlooked, but can nonetheless be a big time waster. But before you go grab the desk polish, this also includes files on your computer desktop, unopened/unsorted emails and other similar digital materials that require sorting.
Productivity Tip:
Try getting into the habit of filing your documents away in organised folders each time you create one. This will shave off hours of wasted time searching for the file in a mountain of others. Similar to the advice given by popular chefs and cooks today, forming the good habit of “cleaning as you go” will clear up a lot of time for you to do other things.
Avoiding Essential Tasks
Procrastination hardly ever works out for the good, even more so in the business place. Leaving tasks until last minute can force you to push back other time-sensitive tasks, and before you know it you’re stuck in a vicious cycle of endless overdue tasks.
Productivity Tip:
To avoid procrastinating you should look at setting yourself hourly goals to ensure you stay on track. This will ensure you don’t slip off any essential tasks and will allow you to run a much smoother system.
Hopefully, running a system like this will give you a lot more free time.
Noisy Offices
There seems to be a shift in style recently, with more businesses opting for more collaborative spaces, leaving individual offices, and preferring hot desks. This is a great alternative as it can save you a big chunk of money when it comes to office rental etc. However, a problem that often comes with this type of setup is distraction due to high levels of noise in any one space.
Listening to music can help keep some people focused, but for others, noise just destroys their productivity.
Productivity Tip:
If you want to make time for writing blog articles, you probably fall into the category that does better in a silent environment without music etc. So if your office is typically on the noisy side, instead of staring at your computer screen for 10 minutes reading the same sentence over and over again, try using some ear plugs or noise-cancelling headphones when distraction arises. You can then zone into your own little world and finish some productive work.
Socializing longer than necessary
Socializing is something we all love to do. Whether it be with family, friends colleagues or clients. When we are spending our time with certain people, we develop a desire to connect with them on a personal level.
The only problem is when these little chats escalate into hours of socializing and impeding on your productivity.
Productivity Tip:
We’ve noticed some blogs advising people to schedule chats to ensure productivity isn’t damaged – but let’s be realistic – who schedules chats?! Instead of this strict regime, just simply keep an eye on time when you’re socializing. If you feel that a chat is becoming long and affecting your work, simply wrap it up!
Not Asking Questions
Ever been stuck trying to get something done because you’re not entirely sure what the objective of the task actually is? Don’t worry, we’ve all been there. Not asking questions for clarification can play a big part in wasting time.
Not sure where to research something or whom to contact etc. can make tasks become mountains built up with confusion.
Productivity Tip:
Ask a heap of questions right off the bat if you’re unsure of how to complete the task at hand, and be sure you get all the answers you need before attempting the task. Having all the right tools will boost your productivity, which will give you more time for blogging.
Visiting Non-Work Related Websites Throughout the Day
The Internet can be a silent assassin when it comes to killing productivity. Yes the majority of us depend on the World Wide Web to bring us new leads and earn our business a decent income, but according to a recent survey by Salary.com, nearly 65 percent of employees visit non-work related websites every day during work hours. The survey also concluded that these websites also kept most employees off-task and unproductive.
Productivity Tip:
If you find yourself needing a quick break from your day-to-day tasks and find yourself wanting to browse the Web a bit, try visiting a few popular blogs from leaders in your industry to get some inspiration for content to use in your own blog. This way, taking a break from the grind of work can be still be productive, as it’s helping you research for your next article.
Final Thought
It happens to us all and have all been in a position where productivity has hit a low. But you need to overcome this. Nobody is going to increase your productivity for you – it’s all done by yourself. Once you have tackled these pointers, you will then have more time to concentrate on your blogging.
But before we leave it at that, we understand that blogging just simply isn’t for everybody. We have had man clients in the past cringe at the idea of writing blogs – “Where do I start” “I haven’t wrote large articles since my school days”. We get it. So if you’re still struggling, check out our new blogging service for fitness professionals. Our team of talented copywriters will take your business under their wing and create the engaging blogs you have desired each and every month!
