You may have read about ways to blog more effectively: consistent posting, authentic voice, analyzing what works (and what doesn’t). With over six+ years of full-time blogging under my belt, I’ve included some great tips in this post to help focus on the key matter at hand: getting that blog written in a focused and productive environment!
Keep your smart phone in another room
I keep my iPhone docked and charging in our second office as I create content at my desk. Why? I can block out the email notifications and phone ringing when I need to focus on writing (hello voice mail). Obviously you can mute the phone but I sometimes forget to check the mute button (things *can* get busy around here!) when I’m through.
Quit email when in writing mode
If only for 20 minutes to get your content organized, written and proofread, this will keep your brain focused on the content.
Keep a full glass of water at your desk
So many times, I say to myself that I’ll get up every 15 minutes to refill my glass. Once the juices get flowing however, you may hit the save button only to realize that nearly an hour’s gone by before you’ve had a sip of water. Now I know that inactivity is the disease of our generation, but IMHO dehydration comes a close second.
Take breaks!
Save your work, back it up onto an external drive, walk downstairs, outside or up to the kitchen. Whatever it takes to get your eyes off the screen and your body moving for a few minutes!
Turn notifications off
So many times I’ve sat through meetings, brainstorming and working on proposals when a client’s phone screen all of a sudden comes to life. Bam. Focus and concentration’s out the window. Better to turn those concentration-suckers off until the business (or writing) session’s through.
Back up and take that lunch hour to head outdoors
Gauge when your inbox is at its least busy and plan a power walk or jog during an inactive hour. Here at Vancouverscape, PST lunch hour syncs with my inbox so I normally head out around 11:30, return by 12:30, pop into the shower and fix lunch in time to return to the emails. That’s the beauty of having a home office, a luxury I do NOT take for granted.
Keep your blog posts to the point as you write them
Often enough, those first 400 words you churn onto the computer are the most relevant for your blog’s key focus. Hone in on the meat and bones, adding supplementary material as needed to expand on the subject matter.
And there you have it, seven tips for highly effective bloggers. Let me know in the comment section if you have any fave tips to share with us.
