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Optimize Your Time Online By Using A Schedule
Posted On: October 7, 2008Posted In: Blogging Tips, IMwithJoe.com, Marketing Tips, Organization and Productivity, Video Blogging
Comments: 83 Responses
Effective Time Management With Schedules
No matter if you work online part time, or full time, the name of the game is optimization. The people who achieve the most success online are the ones that are able to optimize their time in the most efficient manner. Why is optimization important? Come on man! There’s so much freakin crap to do online it’s crazy!
That amount of crap is multiplied for the entrepreneur that has more than one business or website. Most that I know have multiple projects and websites going at once. How do you effectively manage all this stuff without driving yourslef crazy? You create a schedule man!
Developing A Schedule For Your Online Business
Everyone has a different situation. Some work part time, with no more than two hours online, yet they have surpassed in progress, those that work online for 8 hours or more! How is this possible? Because they optimize.
The first part you need to look at is how much time you have to devote. Is it 2 hours, 4, 8, 10? Is that time alloted each day, each week, or each month? No matter what you have to work with…you CAN work with it.
To help manage all the crap you have pilled up, take your time and create slots, just like when you were in school. One thing that I found very important, is actually writing down the schedule. I know it may seem obvious, or maybe it doesn’t, but it works.
Writing things down has always helped with retention, and it’s no different when coming up with your schedule.
What To Include In Your Online Schedule
I’ve included every part of my time in the schedule, not the leasure time, but all the “work” time is accounted for. Some of the things I included are:
- When I wake up
- When I take a shower and get dressed
- Any exercise I do (or plan to do lol)
- Any personal/spiritual development I do daily
- What sites I’m working on for the day
- What education I am undertaking
- When it’s time to wake up the kids
- When to eat breakfast
This may seem trivial to you, but trust me, just doing this has improved my productivity immediately. I will also say that my email/chat clients are closed during this time and only open when I am on “break”.
So how about you? Do you have a schedule that you follow throughout your day to optimize your time online and become more efficient? Let me know!
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October 7th, 2008 at 10:38 am
You know I could say it’s hard for me to stay on a schedule because I never know what my day will look like, then the girlfriend wants to spend sometime with me because I’m so busy and blah blah blah. That’s bs, we’re all in the same situation. I mean, we’re all busy, we all have (maybe not…) a girlfriend or even a family which is much more time consuming, most of us have day jobs, etc, etc.
I wake up a little early every morning and spend 30 minutes checking feeds, reading articles and commenting on blogs. Then, during the day, I’m lucky to be able to browse the web and comment a little bit. During the evening I spend sometime with the girlfriend and/or go to the gym. She goes to bed early, so from 10:30pm to 12-1am I have plenty of time to get things done. This is usually the time I will write articles for my different blogs (usually 1 hour) and then I work on other projects going on. My other projects are much more passive income so it’s not very time consuming. Then, during the weekend, sunday is my “Creative” day. I work on future projects. I do it on Sunday because I can spend 3-4 hours straight and new projects are usually time consuming so that gives me plenty of time to do some damage.
Yes, I do sleep like 5-6 hours a day and it’s not much, but that’s how I managed to make 100$, 200$, 300$ a month and so on. Effort always pay off. Most people think I’m lucky to have a very good passive income and wants to do it also, but they don’t really understand it’s no freakin magic.
Final note, like Gary Vaynerchuck said to get more time to get things done: “Stop watching fucking lost!”
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Normal Joe (2116 comments) Reply:
October 7th, 2008 at 11:09 am
You got it man! We all have things we have to work around…it’s just a matter of knowing and trying to plan around them. Sometimes I don’t wake up on time….instead of saying the day is shot…I just move on with the schedule! Sometimes I work late, well…when that happens, you most likely won’t see me online in the evening, because it’s family time.
The thing is, having a plan, within your normallly alloted time, will work wonders…and it looks like you have it! You have to make time for life outside the net! That means making time for your lady! [I would say that's very important lol]
Family, relaxation, recreation…all that gets added to the mix. Optimize your time, and more gets done, which gives your more times for leisure.
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October 7th, 2008 at 10:50 am
Good stuff, Joe! I am a scheduling monster, but definitely need to be more productive with my schedule.
I set weekly goals with a goals group that really dominate my daily schedules during the week. I need to adhere more to my schedules than I do. You would think that since I have been an entrepreneur for the past 6 years that I would be use to working at home, but I don’t. It is still challenging.
Balance in your life is everything, glad to hear you are mixing some different elements into your schedule. It is important and at FreddieTaylor.com, I will be getting into exercise, drinking water, reading, spiritual development (not the details, just importance) and family life.
I think a blogger has to be well rounded and balanced or else you will end up hating this profession as well.
Good stuff, Sammich Man!
Checkout Freddies last blog post..Monday’s Motivational Moment – Go Before You’re Ready
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Normal Joe (2116 comments) Reply:
October 7th, 2008 at 11:06 am
I hear ya man! Working online, it’s easy to lose balance! I believe it’s important as well to stay well rounded. And I won’t be getting into the details of the spiritual stuff on this blog….unless it relates specifically to something I am doing, I also won’t hide it lol.
Exercise is definitely something I need to incorporate man! Oh man…yes I do! But yeah, I always have goals…but the actual schedule, down to when I take a break FOR ME was the turning point!
It’s just so much easier to know for sure…I’m spending this much time here, and there, etc. Now, that’s not to say I don’t have flexibility, but just today, I got more done in one session that usually takes 3 days lol.
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October 7th, 2008 at 11:32 am
Great post Joe
I don’t schedule much because my routine is basically the same most days. I know such thing as appointments and other obligations get in the way of daily routine.
I never thought of writting stuff down because I do everything at my computer. I dislike having scraps of paper all over so one of my computer has a scheduler on it that I do use on ocassion.
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Normal Joe (2116 comments) Reply:
October 7th, 2008 at 3:24 pm
Nothing wrong with having it on your pc, I’ll transfer it there once it’s finalized, I’m still drafting it! There are no rules man, whatever keeps you optimized and most efficient, that’s what you do!
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October 7th, 2008 at 11:34 am
Ok so I don’t have a schedule whatsoever and just kind of go by whatever happens. Which probably is the entire reason why I don’t get a whole lot of things done somedays lol
I’ve thought about implementing a schedule and I believe it would be a lot more beneficial but well I’m lazy and and……..yeah!
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Normal Joe (2116 comments) Reply:
October 7th, 2008 at 3:24 pm
hahahahaha, dude! I sooooooooo understand, but I found that once I actually did it…it wasn’t too hard, and helped me out a lot. With the work you do without a schedule, I know how much you’ll improve with one….try it out…trust me lol.
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October 7th, 2008 at 11:59 am
At the moment I have a schedule like this -
1. I wake up
2. I take a shower, I get dressed.
3. I go to my computer.
4. I turn it on
5. Concurrent to start-up, I boil water.
6. I make coffee
7. I sit at my laptop
8. I work at my laptop
9. When my stomach growls beyond control I eat something or I make more coffee.
10. I work at my latop
11. When I get incredibly tired I fall asleep on a pile of sleeping bags near my laptop
12. I work
13. I repeat steps 6-11 a few times
14. I go back to my bed and sleep there.
15. I start over at step 1.
Is that what you mean by schedule?
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Normal Joe (2116 comments) Reply:
October 7th, 2008 at 3:23 pm
Sounds like a schedule to me!
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October 7th, 2008 at 12:04 pm
And here I am reading and commenting on blogs instead of working. I’m going to have to use some of your time management techniques and schedule my blogging time more effectively.
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Normal Joe (2116 comments) Reply:
October 7th, 2008 at 3:23 pm
Welcome to the site dude! I look forward to seeing you back around here, and hearing about your time management adventures.
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October 7th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
@Anna – That is hilarious! You are a working MONSTER!!! Back away from the laptop, ma’am!!!!
Checkout Freddies last blog post..Monday’s Motivational Moment – Go Before You’re Ready
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Normal Joe (2116 comments) Reply:
October 7th, 2008 at 3:22 pm
robot son…don’t even trip.
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October 7th, 2008 at 12:25 pm
@Freddie – Thanks
But its okay – I’m “on holiday.” So I can be online as much as I want
In any case I should write more in order to properly answer Joe’s question. After all, its about time management and all the time in the world with my laptop won’t get me anywhere if I don’t do anything productive.
So here is what I do to manage my time.
I have a folder full of ToDo lists. I have a ToDo list for each major campaign I am working on – each site, affiliate campaign, etc. This helps me not get to dispersed and confused. It also helps prevent me from going off in all different directions at once.
For example, I even have a list for “new plugins” so that every time I hear about a new plugin I can bookmark it or note it down but I don’t have to drop everything to go try the new plugin. (I love plugins but I try to choose the best ones so I don’t overwhelm my blogs).
I work on one main overall campaign at a time. I push myself to dedicate at least 70% or 80% of my time to that. The rest can be spent on “the little stuff.” But even if I “take a break” I do something that will still be beneficial for my IM work in the long term. Blog commenting, forum posting, rating other people’s work, etc – this is all easy and fun to do but it is also necessary. The trick is, not to get too wrapped up in little stuff but to make sure you spend the proper amount of time on the important things of life.
Okay – so in September I had a few broad campaigns – some freelance work I was doing online, building my Squidoo account to 50 lenses for my niche. I finished that. Now I am on a “site building” phase where I am overhauling and building up on a few of my niche sites which are all in the same family.
I force myself to focus on those – when new ideas or opportunities come up, or when I remember something I needed to do on one of my other campaigns, I write it down on the appropriate list and keep going! Then, once in a while, I attend to those lists too.
I think that should give you a good idea of what I do.
Oh – another thing. When something new comes up, I think to myself, “does this benefit my current campaign?” If not, I usually save it for later. I wound up with a ton of free software recently. I learned how to use and installed the ones that benefited my current main campaigns, and saved the rest for later.
The same goes for eBooks, learning about new marketing methods, etc. Anything which can benefit my current campaign takes priority, the rest goes on hold until later.
Checkout Annas last blog post..Royalty Free Images for Use on Websites | Web Media
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Normal Joe (2116 comments) Reply:
October 7th, 2008 at 3:21 pm
I’m convinced you are a robot…there’s no question about it! No, I appreciate the detailed response, and I know about the work you put in, but it pays off…so that’s what matters. I like your “file system” it’s nice and I do a few similar things myself.
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October 7th, 2008 at 12:44 pm
Joe, I don’t have a real schedule, but I have a generic one. I wake up and start commenting and reading the blogs for the day. Then I spend some time on entrecard, then I start working on my next post. After that it is just checking back with comments and ims and emails. I write down all of my post ideas or anything I want to get back to because writing is retention but I just don’t schedule much.
Checkout Adam – Creadiv.coms last blog post..I Choose Darren Rowse.
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Normal Joe (2116 comments) Reply:
October 7th, 2008 at 3:20 pm
Nothing wrong with that, you have a plan, that’s all that matters dude!
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October 7th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
Joe! Man, you are doing yourself a HUGE favor by showering and getting dressed before you work. I started that a long while back, and also noticed a tremendous difference. When you’re in your “jammies”, you’re still in “bed mode”. You have to treat your business with “respect” and show up fresh!
I’m currently reading 4 hour workweek which is opening my eyes to new thinking on what’s going on in my work day, so like you, I’m also in the midst of trying serious changes.
I’m online 24/7 but I’m trying to stop that recently cause I’m getting a little burnt out. My scheduling is ok (I use iCal and also a killer GTD/task program called “Things” for Mac). The problem I have a lot of the time is not setting deadlines for my tasks (or getting comfortable with not meeting them).
Another thing is spending way too much time “working” on stuff that’s not actually the part of my business that’s making “money” or at least directly related (which is why you saw my Skype time drop lately lol).
I’m starting to realize that there’s an amount of time during my work day that I need to focus on 1 task at a time (the ones that bring $$). I’ve done that for 3 days, and during those periods, my productivity went up.
Is it possible that I actually get more work done when I “don’t multitask”? For me, I think it is. lol
Anyway, great post! This is always a good subject because I think we all struggle with productivity at some point (off and on).
Cheers!
Jay
Checkout SuiteJs last blog post..SuiteJ Vs Bryan Clark: Why The Blog Flipping Blueprint Review Didn’t Happen
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Normal Joe (2116 comments) Reply:
October 7th, 2008 at 3:19 pm
Hahaha, when I first read your comment I was like “this sum bee saying I stink!” hahahaha, yeah man, it’s changed my life dude lol. Crazy huh? It’s a mind/body thing man.
I knew you wanted to get that book, I haven’t finished it yet, but I will work it into my schedule man! I’m glad you’re getting it done man, you da man yo, and I know you got some goodies to share when you come up for air! Keep on that grind and make it hapn capn.
Oh yeah, multitasking SUCKS, seriously man, it’s not productive at all. Just makes you feel like you’re doing mad stuff.
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Adam - Creadiv.com (16 comments) Reply:
October 7th, 2008 at 3:30 pm
Joe you are doing us a huge favor by showering before you work. There is a soul here that wants to see “smelly funky joe” on camera.
Checkout Adam – Creadiv.coms last blog post..I Choose Darren Rowse.
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Normal Joe (2116 comments) Reply:
October 8th, 2008 at 4:18 pm
hahahaha, you know you want that rugged joe man!
October 7th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
Believe it or not, I do most of my work, um, at work. My day job leaves a lot of down time, but is packed with distractions.
However, I’ve noticed that because of a few weeks of extreme productivity, I seem to equate “being online” with “being productive”. So, starting last night, I’m unplugging for an hour or more every night when I get home and doing other things (Like, learn what hubby looks like these days, and how the exercise machine works). I need to retrain my brain to recognize the computer as “work time”, even if it’s social networking.
I think a schedule is an excellent idea. If I could just write two articles/posts for each of my projects every day, I could launch several next month while I’m out doing NaNoWriMo.
Checkout WordVixens last blog post..Funny, But True
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Normal Joe (2116 comments) Reply:
October 7th, 2008 at 3:17 pm
Nothing wrong with that! Sounds good. Glad you are taking a break to check in and see what the hubby looks like….not good to forget these things
Hey, it’s your first comment here! Welcome to the site lady!
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October 7th, 2008 at 2:05 pm
Alright, I know most of you are going to roll your eyes because you already know my schedule (or non-schedule) but you may be surprised to hear that once upon a time… I worked like a fiend to get my earnings going. Often working close to 20 hours a day.
(As I was telling SuiteJ yesterday, when my 1+ year old laptop died, I brought it in and the guy didn’t believe it was the same computer on the warranty because it was so worn.
)
When I was starting out, I cut off all social life completely and even most personal things (like spa time lol .) It took about 6 months to get well into the 4 digit earnings- then of course I took my first extended vacation (which apparently I have become famous for- Damn you, Joe!)
Now my schedule is something like…
3-6 hours of sleep. 6 is a stretch. Wake up, check my email, comment on blogs, comment on my soc nets, check my numbers (ad networks and aff progs.) Then I decide if today will be a work day or play day. If it’s a work day, I’m pretty much at my computer for the remainder of the day. If it’s a play day, I will sms-tweet all day (which to me counts as work
) and be off doing whatever.
I realize my “schedule” isn’t an option for everyone- nor is it even what some people want, but it works for me. I’m almost always traveling, I’m an insomniac, and I’m at a point in my blogging career that I can afford to take months off at a time. There isn’t a day that goes by that I’m not grateful to a little thing called… new media.
Checkout BrilliantJENI “Pineapple”s last blog post..Hello from San Francisco- and Hictu!
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Normal Joe (2116 comments) Reply:
October 7th, 2008 at 3:16 pm
I love it! It works for you…..and you’ve built it to what it’s become! Hooray! I think we all want some part of that…in a way, maybe not the whole thing, but at least a lil bit
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October 7th, 2008 at 5:02 pm
Dude – it aint even funny how aweful I am at time management – and I’m sure it has a lot to do with being a rookie with the whole WAH game…
I did buy a whiteboard though, which really helped with getting my blog established, but I haven’t been using it as much lately.
There’s also tons of software on the market, and little apps to help with time management. I know SuiteJ using a timer that sits on his desktop for completing tasks – I like the idea.
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Normal Joe (2116 comments) Reply:
October 8th, 2008 at 4:17 pm
A timer works man, if that’s what you need. I had one that would black out my screen when my time was up.
You’ll get it man…do ya thing…use that whiteboard man
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October 7th, 2008 at 6:05 pm
@Normal Joe – Thanks very much!
Trying to catch up, and I finally got a chance to make housecalls. So to speak….
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Normal Joe (2116 comments) Reply:
October 8th, 2008 at 4:16 pm
No problem! Glad you made it over.
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October 7th, 2008 at 6:27 pm
I don’t really have a schedule for the weekdays because I have school (and you know know what happens), but in the weekends, I TRY to set myself a schedule. With all the things I do (blogging, affiliate marketing, site flipping, domain flipping, blog promotion, etc.) I’m always getting lost and end up doing something else that I didn’t plan to do!
Maybe now is the perfect time for me to get a small whiteboard or notepad to make all my planning and scheduling.
Great post Joe.
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Normal Joe (2116 comments) Reply:
October 8th, 2008 at 4:16 pm
Yeah man….you still have a schedule, no matter if it’s on the weekend or not. You know what you want to do….I think I may get me a white board …..nice!
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October 7th, 2008 at 10:53 pm
@suitej are you seriously using a timer? Is this a pink timer? Is it shaped like a pineapple? Come on, you can tell us!
You know, I wanted to add that while I love my schedule, it’s certainly not the most productive. Since I have pretty much done nothing for the last 4 months, I really have gotten back to work since returning from all the expos and I must say it hasn’t been easy getting.
You all have given me some great ideas- not sure that I’ll be looking for a pineapple timer or such, but I might just try a version of Joe’s schedule. You’re such an inspiration Joe!
Checkout BrilliantJENI “Pineapple”s last blog post..Hello from San Francisco- and Hictu!
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Normal Joe (2116 comments) Reply:
October 8th, 2008 at 4:15 pm
I actually had a timer before as well, it works okay, but now that I actually plan out my time slots, it’s not needed. Let me know what you come up with, it would be interesting to see how a successful adsense queen maps out her day.
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October 8th, 2008 at 1:33 am
Well, I do have a schedule and since I’ve implemented, all works better for me. I don’t write time lines (meaning it’s not like optimize this for an hour), I usually write in my agenda (real life agenda-writing with a pen in it
) the things that need to be done in a particular day. I use a real agenda instead of a TO DO list on my phone because the writing down part helps me a lot more + I get a bigger satisfaction when I can cut the things I’ve done.
Anyways, so I write in the agenda and then prioritize. 1 is the highest. Meaning 1st I’m gonna do this, 2nd this, 3rd this and so on.
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Normal Joe (2116 comments) Reply:
October 8th, 2008 at 4:12 pm
Sounds like you got a good plan though man, as long as it works for you it’s all good!
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October 8th, 2008 at 5:15 pm
@Normal Joe – Yeah, multitaksing is overrated man. Outsourcing your tasks however…different story.
Cheers dude!
Jay
PS. Nah, you don’t stink. You’re funky fresh man!
Checkout SuiteJs last blog post..What’s On Your Desk… And What Does That Say About You?
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Normal Joe (2116 comments) Reply:
October 9th, 2008 at 3:06 am
hahaha, yeah….nothing wrong with outsourcing, but…that’s not multitasking lol.
lol@ funky fresh
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October 8th, 2008 at 5:49 pm
Excellent post Joe.
I don’t schedule much especially on weekdays because my routine is basically the same. Go to uni, come back home, do little revision, work online for few hours, eat, and sleep. but in the weekends, I try to set myself a schedule. With all the things I do.
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Sly from SlyVisions dot Com (29 comments) Reply:
October 8th, 2008 at 11:47 pm
Outsourcing is something I plan to take advantage of in the near future. Never really believed in it, but it saves me a LOT of time.
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Normal Joe (2116 comments) Reply:
October 9th, 2008 at 3:04 am
Yeah? I haven’t used it yet, but I know people that do. Depending on what it is, I can definitely see using it in the future.
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Sly from SlyVisions dot Com (29 comments) Reply:
October 9th, 2008 at 8:43 am
I’m going to start flipping blogs soon so it should come in handy.
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Normal Joe (2116 comments) Reply:
October 9th, 2008 at 5:15 pm
Cool, report back with your findings
Normal Joe (2116 comments) Reply:
October 9th, 2008 at 3:05 am
Sounds like even your non schedule is a schedule! It’s all good man, cool to see the different responses.
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October 8th, 2008 at 9:59 pm
Hey Joe,
Just found your blog and am really enjoying the info, your enthusiasm, and your character. Keep up the good work and I will keep reading.
God Bless,
Brett
Checkout Bretts last blog post..Link Building 101 Rap
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Normal Joe (2116 comments) Reply:
October 9th, 2008 at 3:04 am
Welcome to the site Brett! Glad you’re diggin it and I look forward to seeing you around.
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October 9th, 2008 at 3:47 am
Well yeh your actually right there “Go to uni, come back home, do little revision, work online for few hours, eat, and sleep.” is already a schedule.
Checkout Salwas last blog post..Why You’re Not Blogging – and Why You Should Start Today!
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Normal Joe (2116 comments) Reply:
October 9th, 2008 at 5:19 pm
Yep lol, you already got it going on.
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October 9th, 2008 at 3:49 am
Finger Lickin Good, Joe!!!!!
It is truly an inspiration to see posts like this. Taking the time to look at every last detail to improve your path to success and guiding others on what works for you. With comments from like likes of Pineapple as proof positve that, if you are prepared to knuckle down and make sacrifices, this can work.
As for my schedule, I go with the flow of the money. Since setting up Nota Bene, I have had a good amount of client work through – hence my blogging dropping off somewhat – so I am focussing on getting those jobs done right now. Too much of a regimented regime can lead to madness and I’m glad I get to do a real mixture of work. The one thing I am strict on is my lists!!
At the end of everyday, I start a list in my trusty notepad of all the things I need to do (no matter how small a task). I add any new jobs to the ones I have not comleted that day and so start with a fresh list every morning. That way I get to tick things off as I go (which helps with sense of achievement),I also number them in order of priority, meaining that I not only get things done, but I get them done in the right order! Nothing is better than when I am on a roll and checking more and more jobs off.
Checkout Nota Bene Consultings last blog post..Monetizing Your Blog
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Normal Joe (2116 comments) Reply:
October 9th, 2008 at 5:18 pm
You got it brotha! I love it man…that’s what it’s all about, optimization! Nice setup with the notepad and such.
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October 9th, 2008 at 11:55 am
Hey joe, just came across your blog man and i absolutely love it, i just about to create a blog and your site is full of great info, i have also subscribed to your rss feed. actually keithjameslock is creating my blog for me, he really seems to know his stuff. Keep up the good work, alan(dublin,ireland)
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Normal Joe (2116 comments) Reply:
October 9th, 2008 at 5:15 pm
Yo, keith is a great guy man, real cool. I look forward to what you guys have planned. Glad you like the site man, welcome!
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October 9th, 2008 at 4:29 pm
Yes!
Joe, you know what you’re talking about man!
Time management is key to success no matter what it is you do.
It can lead to better business, a better lived life, and better relationships. Time should be on your side, and learning how to manage it can help one achieve greatness.
However, if time management is ignored, you’ll find yourself doing nothing at times, and not getting any work done. Great post Joe!
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Normal Joe (2116 comments) Reply:
October 9th, 2008 at 5:08 pm
Dude…especially online! There is so much to do it aint even funny! You’ll spend all day reading blogs yo! And not even realize it…. justify it to yourself as “networking” SHUT UP….. lol get to work! Hahaha, not you, but…in general lol.
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October 9th, 2008 at 10:32 pm
I think you’re right. Internet could be a big trap if you don’t have focus in your activities. I urgent need to schedule myself too and want to do this as soon as I can! Great blog! Congratulations!
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Normal Joe (2116 comments) Reply:
October 10th, 2008 at 5:06 am
Welcome to the site Michael, yeah man schedules are the best! I look forward to seeing you around the site.
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October 10th, 2008 at 9:15 pm
The main problem starts day one with newbies. Everyone starts with the thinking that “work from home” means a constant vacation with a little work thrown in….boy do we learn fast!
Unfortunatelty it’s a tough one to break sometimes.
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Normal Joe (2116 comments) Reply:
October 13th, 2008 at 5:38 am
You hit it man! They believe all the ads man! ” work from the beach in your underwear while making millions” lol. It’s work, it’s rewarding work, and offers flexibility that many other careers don’t, but still…it’s work.
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October 11th, 2008 at 4:27 pm
Joe! Great stuff, man! I find it interesting that you’re talking about scheduling when I’m reading a book about time management and it’s big on scheduling!
I’m HORRIBLE at scheduling…and subsequently I am HORRIBLE at time management. But…I’m working on changing all that too. The part that I have a hard time with when it comes to scheduling is that I feel like it’s set in stone and I am a horrible failure if I don’t stick to that schedule. Obviously that’s not a reasonable way to look at scheduling, but I’m workin on fixin my point of view on that.
Go get yourself a fried chicken sammich, man…you deserve it!
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Normal Joe (2116 comments) Reply:
October 13th, 2008 at 5:37 am
Hahaha, yeah man! It happens…you don’t have to be rock solid, just having something to go by is great. My schedule changes, but I still have a basis for operation.
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October 12th, 2008 at 11:05 pm
I tried making a schedule many times.. but I fail.. When I look a good topic.. I go with it and waste my time(I shouldn’t say waste my time.. but.. my schedule is changed..)..
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Normal Joe (2116 comments) Reply:
October 13th, 2008 at 5:40 am
Welcome to the site!
Yeah man…it’s always hard to stay with stuff, but if you have something to fall back on, that’s great! The more you work it the more it will benefit you.
Look forward to seeing you around the site.
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October 13th, 2008 at 10:23 pm
A schedule?? Huh….that never even occurred to me. My grandson pretty much determines my schedule.
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Normal Joe (2116 comments) Reply:
October 15th, 2008 at 8:44 am
Yes, I understand that! It’s always a good idea to try it though, even if you only have an hour.
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October 13th, 2008 at 11:29 pm
More great articles from da man Joe!! I like the way you think man, I need to implement some of your scheduling tips into my day. I do have a somewhat mental schedule, and most of that flows around my full time job! I would love to be at home doing this kind of stuff all the time, but with a wife and a 13 year old boy, it’s hard at times to find time to blog, write articles, place ads, update Squidoo lenses and Hubpages. Guess I need some scheduling huh?
Good advice, my man Joe!
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Normal Joe (2116 comments) Reply:
October 15th, 2008 at 8:43 am
aaaaaaaaaah whatup man! Yeah dude, I know all about it man, most of my work gets done in the wee hours of the morning, before kids need to get up and sent off to school, and dad has to go to work! Scheduling helps out a bunch, but it’s always good to stay flexible as well.
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October 18th, 2008 at 1:40 pm
Using a schedule is mentioned by many, but I would assume that very few individuals have a schedule that they use regularly. It is not as exciting as remembering items in one’s mind, but it tends to be the case that less exciting procedures are the ones that are more beneficial.
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Normal Joe (2116 comments) Reply:
October 18th, 2008 at 6:25 pm
Having a schedule makes me much more productive than if I didn’t have one, it keeps me focused because being online has many distractions.
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November 8th, 2008 at 1:03 am
anna,
wow,
your daily list sounds painful.
I know how that is.
been there, done that.
schedules are important but people DO need to break out of their boredom.
I wrote a post about this comment luv will pick it up.
pay yourself too
keep morale and spirits high .
thanks and take care
Bry
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Normal Joe (2116 comments) Reply:
November 9th, 2008 at 2:22 pm
Anna is all over man! She is a robot, I am convinced of that!
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November 9th, 2008 at 3:32 pm
@ Bryan Bliss – Nah, its okay. Its only been like this for a few months while I use a window of opportunity to get my sites rolling, doing some freelancing too. I don’t get bored much these days, I actually really like working online and I have so much to do on my computer that when one thing gets to be too boring I do something else for a while. I think the only thing that get really boring for me is keeping up with my article submissions! And even that I’m streamlining. (Plus I pay monthly for some article submission services which means that I can’t put off submitting articles it off because then I would be wasting money.)
No, I’m having fun and learning a lot! Soon I will even be working on my Photography course again, thank god!
@Joe – I am a robot, am I? I will have to test that theory. How do I program myself to lose 5 pounds? Or is that a plugin …
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Normal Joe (2116 comments) Reply:
November 10th, 2008 at 8:38 am
Hahahaha, that may be n “upgrade” lol, hilarious.
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November 14th, 2008 at 12:08 pm
Hi Joe – great post and very true. I try to keep a daily schedule or else I’ll go nuts… take care.
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Normal Joe (2116 comments) Reply:
November 15th, 2008 at 4:43 pm
hello Art, welcome! yeah man…having a schedule really pays off.
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December 3rd, 2008 at 6:38 pm
Hey Joe, great post.
My biggest problem is that I have a hard time focusing on one project. Too many irons in the fire so to speak. I’ve been creating a written schedule like you suggested and it’s certainly helping me get more done in less time.
The biggest thing it’s doing for me is simply making me realize where to cut crap out. When you have “written” schedule it’s harder to delude yourself about the you time you’re wasting on tasks with no identifiable goal.
later mate
t
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Normal Joe (2116 comments) Reply:
December 3rd, 2008 at 7:25 pm
Sup big Todd! Yeah man…just writing stuff down will change a lot for you man, you’ll see how much you really get done and how much time you spend playin around lol.
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January 2nd, 2009 at 3:12 pm
Schedules are necessary, this I know, but implementing one is difficult. There is so much on the net to see and read that I am constantly finding myself distracted and going off at a tangent. I really am trying to stay focussed because I am a relative newbie and always conscious of how much I have to learn, but it is difficult. I mean to conquer the problem though, I must in 2009 concentrate more on the money making aspects and not so much skittering from one thing to another. This is my resolution so that I can achieve more.
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Normal Joe (2116 comments) Reply:
January 2nd, 2009 at 3:20 pm
Yeah man…it definitely takes work. But you can do it! Start small and continue until you are able to schedule out everything you need to do.
Welcome to the site as well! I hope to see you around more
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January 29th, 2009 at 5:43 pm
I’m always looking for ways I can improve my efficiency and this article and some of the comments have given me a few more ideas.
Worked off of list and such but now I’m trying to get a little more into the mind mapping mentality which from what I’ve read can really help organize your thinking as well as your focus on the tasks you need to accomplish.
But hey…I’ve got some more surfing to do…then I’ll follow my schedule.
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Normal Joe (2116 comments) Reply:
January 30th, 2009 at 11:12 am
I am a huge fan of mindmapping, it helps me out quite a bit. Once you start it’s hard to brainstorm or organize any other way lol.
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June 24th, 2009 at 12:22 am
i do no like to do schedule onl line. computer is just entertainment to me. im not professional online worker. but i like your tips anyway.
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Normal Joe (2116 comments) Reply:
June 27th, 2009 at 9:06 am
yeah I hear that, everyone has their own preferences!
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October 8th, 2008 at 10:57 pm
[...] I really couldnt help it but, I really missed blogging. I saw a post over at Joe’s blog that talked about schedules and I wonder what your schedule looks like. I know that my schedule is very erratic and just [...]