Here’s a problem that I wrestle with on an (almost) daily basis:
Ideas > Time > Focus
I have more ideas than time, but more time than focus. There’s lots of things I want to do.
- Redesign our Help Desk.
- Create more and find a better place to store our Help Desk video tutorials. I like the new Video Child Theme from @Nick_theGeek.
- Write a monthly “How To” ebook on a specific subject.
- Host larger monthly webinars featuring a guest expert.
- I want to do something with a new domain I purchased: websitemakeoverclinic.com (you gotta admit, it’s a pretty sweet domain name).
- I’m redesigning Real Estate Blog Topics on my own time (nights and weekends).
The problem: More ideas than time and more time than focus.
We all have the same 24 hours in the day but some people are more productive than others. If you have more time than focus, it simply means you’re wasting time.
Focus, you can control. The more focus you have, the more ideas you can execute.
Apps I’m Using (To Try & Stay Focused):
- Do! This is a simple To Do List app for the iPhone. I write down what I need to get done tomorrow and the app renders a notification alert until I cross that To Do item off my list. Frankly, I find the alert annoying so it actually motivates me to scratch the To Do item of my list faster.
- Wunderkit – I’m using Wunderkit to jot down post ideas, website To Do’s and other content ideas for my upcoming launch. It has way more features than most people would like in a To Do app, but it works for me (it’s perfect).
- Repeat Timer Pro – This is a simple timer app with an interval timer and repeat function. I like to use a simple kitchen timer when I’m writing (it helps me focus). With the timer app, I now have a timer I can use on the go.
What I’m trying to find is my daily routine and to come up with a daily quota (a list of things that need to get done every day).
Some days are good. Other days, I’m all over the place.
Time is the one thing we can’t control. So it’s more focus I’m after.
What do you do to try and stay focused? Any apps or techniques you use to get through the day?
My key to remaining focussed is to have a “someday” list. In my case it’s actually a tag in Evernote and 1 note per task/idea so I have plenty of space to work on my ideas, write random notes and so on. Then I have about 20 minutes or more a day devoted to just working on those ideas.
These ideas are of course the “not very important at the moment” ideas. For example I have a ton of ideas on what to write my next novels on, and I love working on the outlines, characters, etc. But I haven’t even done the first edit of my first novel yet! I have to write the ideas and notes down otherwies I forget them, but I’ve learnt to recognise what I ought to put off until later.
I like that idea – having a “someday” list.
Most of my stuff goes into my moleskine or now, Wunderkit – a new iPhone app that I’m using. I’ve tried Evernote for that sort of thing, but I guess I haven’t quite figured it out yet (Evernote I mean).
It’s nice to have a place where you have all of those ideas stored so that you can easily reference them later when creativity strikes!
Kitchen timer for blog posts? That’s an interesting idea that I’ve never heard before. I’m not sure I’d enjoy the extra pressure though. It’s like taking the SAT everyday. How long do you give yourself?
I use a simple kitchen timer (it’s a Taylor Timer that I picked up from Target) when I’m at the office and I just started using “Repeat Timer Pro” for the iPhone. It’s a pretty cool app!
I set it for 12 minute intervals. I break for 2 minutes then start again at 12. I repeat that three times. So it’s (12 then 2, 12 then 2, 12 then 2). Or at other times I’ll set it to 15 minutes.
It’s basically my version of the Pomodoro Technique: http://www.pomodorotechnique.com. So far, that works for me.