Productivity Tip: Assess, Focus, and Just Do It!
Today’s guest post on productivity comes from experienced freelance writer, Jeanne Dininni. Jeanne has a successful home based writing business.
Guest Post
By Jeanne Dininni
Often we face unpleasant tasks in the course of running our home businesses. As a freelance and contract writer, it’s very easy for me to become scattered and lose my focus, due to the number of options available for submitting my freelance work. It’s also easy to become bogged down or feel trapped by the incessant requirements and ongoing deadlines of contract writing.
Assess: Look at the Big Picture
During such times, I need to stop, take a deep breath, and look at the big picture. Then, I need to ask myself a few questions: What must I accomplish today to meet my commitments? What should I accomplish today to move my business forward? What do I want to accomplish today to satisfy my own creativity and give me a sense of fulfillment?
All three of the above areas—meeting commitments, seeking new opportunities to advance the business, and satisfying our own creativity—are important to a healthy home-based enterprise. But every home-based businessperson must decide for herself in which order to address them each day for the smoothest work flow and most productive outcome.
Focus, Then Do It: The Quest for Balance
To succeed in achieving a balance between the three areas, I focus my energies on just one thing at a time, and then do it. When it’s difficult to motivate myself to write an article, I just start anywhere—even if it’s just finding and listing a source. The key is to begin. Once I’ve done that, I’ve built momentum and can then progress to the place where I can enter into the subject matter of the piece and let my interest—as well as the challenge of writing a good article—motivate me and propel me forward.
I then try to do at least one thing—send out an article, seek a new market, network with other writers, generate a new article idea, or begin writing a new piece—to help my business progress.
And last but not least, I always try to take some time to do something creative that I enjoy (i.e., writing my blog, reading and commenting on other blogs, visiting new websites, googling topics that interest me, e-mailing a friend or family member to catch up, or just writing something that interests or moves me). This helps keep me inspired so I can continue to be productive day after day.
Your business may not be writing, but you can still take the three ideas above and adapt them to your own profession—and become more productive in the process.
Jeanne Dininni is an independent writer and blogger whose works appear in various online and print venues, including Work.com and Absolute Write. She also authors the Writer’s Notes blog, designed to inspire, encourage, and provide tools and resources for writers to help them succeed.
© Productivity image courtesy of Yvonne Russell at Grow Your Writing Business.com
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POSTED IN: Guest Posts, Productivity, Writing & Publishing
14 opinions for Productivity Tip: Assess, Focus, and Just Do It!
Lillie Ammann
Apr 22, 2008 at 1:14 am
Jeanne,
This is great advice on balance and prioritizing. Thanks.
Yvonne Russell
Apr 22, 2008 at 1:46 am
Hi Jeanne
Thanks for this great post. The taking action step is so important, and sometimes the hardest to actually do.
Yvonne Russell
Apr 22, 2008 at 1:47 am
Hi Lillie
Thanks for stopping by.
I agree that balance and prioritizing keep things ticking along nicely, and are sometimes not just good business sense, but sanity savers too.
Mary Emma Allen
Apr 22, 2008 at 7:34 pm
Great advice, Jeanne. And thank you, Lillie, for stopping by Home Biz Notes.
Jeanne Dininni
Apr 23, 2008 at 11:07 am
Lillie,
Some days it’s a challenge, but I keep my eyes on the goal!
Thanks so much for your comment!
Jeanne
Jeanne Dininni
Apr 23, 2008 at 11:18 am
Yvonne,
Thanks for giving me the opportunity to contribute at Home Biz Notes.
Taking action really is important, since we can’t accomplish anything until we overcome inertia. But it can be tough to do sometimes. That’s why I try not to give in to “paralysis by analysis,” which unfortunately comes very naturally to me. Instead, I make up my mind to get started now and ask questions later–and it really helps.
Thanks again,
Jeanne
Jeanne Dininni
Apr 23, 2008 at 11:24 am
Thanks, Mary Emma.
I’m honored to be able to contribute to a blog that provides so many practical tips and helpful suggestions to home-based businesspeople.
Take care,
Jeanne
Laura Spencer
Apr 24, 2008 at 6:03 am
Great guest post Jeanne!
These are great ideas that any businessperson should be able to adopt.
Jeanne Dininni
Apr 24, 2008 at 10:29 am
Thanks, Laura.
Hope these few tips help make life easier for every home-based businessperson–and anyone else–who reads them!
Thanks for dropping by!
Jeanne
Ryan Paules
Jun 24, 2008 at 9:48 pm
Jeanne: I would like to use an article you wrote about corporate gifting in an upcoming letter i plan to mail to our companies’ business clients. Please email or call to discuss. Thanks! -Ryan Paules
Jeanne Dininni
Jun 26, 2008 at 7:23 pm
Ryan,
Thanks so much for your comment, as well as your interest in my corporate gift-giving guide.
Regards,
Jeanne
Mary Emma Allen
Jun 27, 2008 at 6:16 am
Ryan, thanks for visiting Home Biz Notes. I’m pleased you found Jeanne’s guest article helpful.
Mary Emma Allen
Jun 27, 2008 at 6:21 am
Thanks, Jeanne, for stopping by again and for helping Ryan with his request.
Jeanne Dininni
Jun 27, 2008 at 12:43 pm
No problem, Mary Emma! Happy to have my work featured here!
Thanks for having me!
Jeanne
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