Use Your iPhone To Get Organized!

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The biggest challenge of any freelancer is to get organized: (1) there’s no boss for you to control your time; (2) there can be a lot of clients and you should learn to distribute your time among them and (3) there are plenty of distractors online. Therefore knowing your organization tools is so essential!

I love my iPhone. Not to sound like an Apple fanatic (I’m not, I promise), but I love everything about it. The speed, the design, the features, and especially the apps. The wide range of applications that are available in the iTunes store have changed my life in many ways. Or, more specifically, they have caused me to change many of my life habits with their help.

One big area that has changed for me is my productivity. I will be the first to admit that I have a bit of a problem remaining focused. By “a bit” I mean “Oh, look…curtains!” So it shouldn’t surprise you to know that I am not always so good at keeping my mind on a task and getting it done. This is a big problem as a freelancer, when my livelihood relies on how much work I complete.

Here are a few apps that will hopefully help you get organized! [Read more…]

Organize Your Blogging Business With A Blog Binder

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Since I began blogging, I’ve found my mind tends to get extremely cluttered with great ideas and good intentions. I find myself continuously thinking about new articles, ways to monetize, affiliates to join, shortcuts I discover, products I like, services I want to remember to praise, the list goes on and on. All of which I would think of, get excited about – then forget! Just like that!

I do have a notebook in nearly every room of my house and keep a clipboard next to my workstation where I make notes throughout the day. However, over time, I end up with lots of notes without organization.

Years ago, a close friend of mine, Julie Bonner introduced me to the idea of a Blog Binder.  I did create one. And I actually did use it for a while. As work decreased and real life shifted it’s gears up a notch, I forgot about that valuable organizational tool that was tucked away in a box when we made our move back in June of 2010.

Having been formally diagnosed with OCD, I have this overwhelming *need* to be and stay organized. Chaos is not my friend. While driving recently (the time when many bright ideas come to me and I can’t write them down), I remembered my binder and decided it was high time to dig that baby out, update it and put it to use again.

The way I have my binder organized is customized to my own projects, schedule and habits. You can take from the suggestions and improve on them to suit your own needs, which is exactly what I did with the suggestions Julie gave, way back when.

This is how I have my binder laid out

My Work Schedule:

At the front of my binder, I have a schedule written out. It’s not an hour by hour schedule, because we all know working from home has it’s interruptions throughout the day. What I have done however is write out descriptions of projects I wish to focus on daily. For example, Monday focuses on traffic, Tuesday I visit new blogs, Wednesday I explore new affiliate options, Thursday may be social networking and so on. I find that if I dedicate specific days to certain projects, I do get more done. If I happen to miss a day, just like a prescription medication – don’t double up on the dose, just get back on schedule the next day.

Keeping It Organized:

Since I do have multiple blogs, and a couple of contract gigs, I took Julie’s suggestion and created a tabbed divider labeled for each blog/gig. Behind that divider, I have placed blank sheets of paper where I keep track of post ideas, items that must be done, new blogs within my niche that I wish to revisit, links to or mention, etc. I don’t allow myself to be interrupted to really visit a blog if it’s not on the schedule. Stay focused!

Favorite Articles:

There are so many times I come across a great post that focuses on a topic that I need to pay a little more attention to and that I want to keep for reference for future projects. I’ve created a section in my binder that holds those articles. I simply print them out (because taking notes would take too much time) and write on the top in bright marker a single descriptive word so I can easily flip through and find the articles focusing on the topic of the day – when that day rolls around.

Creating a binder is really very simple and cost effective. Nothing more then a pack of paper, a 3-ring binder, a pack of dividers, and perhaps a 3-hole punch for those printed articles. A very small price to pay for getting that clutter out of your head and into a single, well organized location.

When you’re working toward building your online reputation, building your freelance business, kicking up your affiliate marketing a notch or simply writing because you have something important to say – this method will help keep the chaos at bay so you can get right to the valuable project at hand.

What are some of your favorite organizational habits or tips?

My Comment Commitment: If you leave a comment on any of my posts, I will visit your blog and “share it” in some way whether on StumbleUpon, Twitter or Facebook depending on if I can find a nice fit. This is my way of saying thank you!

Image source: stock.xchng

2011 Writing Prep: Editorial Calendar

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We are barely past the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday and here I am crashing through all the fun of the season by bringing up January. There’s no point sticking your head in the sand. The new year is coming and with it comes new responsibilities. To put a positive spin on it, it brings new opportunities to get organized and to create the cushy work environment of which you’ve always dreamed.

In my dreamland, all of my calendars – editorial, home, kid activity and husband, are perfectly synced and color coordinated. In reality, my editorial calendar clashes with the other calendars in a fight to the death, stomping over karate classes and movie nights with reckless abandon. It’s a mess. I somehow get everything done – well. But just imagine if I got them in harmony? I’d be completely unstoppable!

Evaluate.

I won’t go into the importance of having an editorial calendar, we’ve got plenty of posts on that here, here and here. Those that have one, take this time to evaluate it. What worked? What could you do better? Do you need a different style of calendar? A different system of tracking? Do you need to place it in a different position? Sometimes, depending on the amount of work you have, placing it right in your face can be overwhelming or depressing. Other times it can be a motivator. In that case, it’s not providing much motivation behind your bookcase.

How about too many calendars? Do you have one to carry, one at home, one on each floor, one on your desk and one or two online reminders? How’s that working for you? Pare down and keep organization tools simple and easy to use.

Don’t force it.

I have a great smart phone. It does all kinds of cool stuff, including keeping track of appointments and due dates. It cannot replace my pen and paper calendar. I know it is completely old school, but there is something about writing it down and mapping it out that works for me. I tried going completely electronic. I was lost and or late for a week. Find what works for you and stick with it. I know a writer who uses the Post-It method. It would drive me crazy, but hey…

Pen in days.

There are days that should be set in stone. Add them in now because if you don’t you’ll likely find every excuse not to set them – doctor’s appointments (you can’t meet a deadline if you’re dead); holidays, administrative days – days you clear up the books, straighten the files, etc. Penning in days is important because it gives you permission to have a life outside of writing.

Editorial calendars are essential tools when used effectively. Take this time to tweak yours.

Making changes to your calendar/methods? Tell us or share what works for you!

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