If you think you don’t have time to blog – then I recommend you purchase a pink egg timer. (I like pink and it’s what I send to blog clients I’m helping.)
It doesn’t really matter what color you purchase, just make sure you put the egg timer on your desk and starting out turn the timer to 15 minutes. Ok, go! You have 15 minutes to create a new blog post.
15 Minutes of Blogging Three Times A Week Helps You:
1. Create short, concise, snappy blog posts
2. Engender fantastic time management for your blogging
3. Focus on posts that are actionable and link to others
4. Keep your reader engaged
5. Maintain conversational blog posts – authentic and your style.
You don’t need to post “War and Peace,” length blog posts. You’ll still get plenty of search engine juice by using keywords on short posts and try to always employ an enticing headline!
Whatever you do, don’t let the fear of blogging taking too much time, derail you from using this amazing communication tool.
Go on, get the egg timer and start your blog cooking!
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Great post, Nettie! It is so wonderful to see the egg timer idea here! I have used this strategy for years and can vouch for how incredibly well it works. What happens is that when you set the egg timer for :15 or :30 minutes, it gives you permission to really get involved in your blogging–what whatever project you are working on–and before your time is up, you will find yourself racing against the timer to get as much done as possible! It’s brilliant. One key element though is that you must stop when the timer goes off and do something else. Otherwise, a part of yourself will think you’re lying in the future when you say you’re only going to work on a project for :15 minutes; it can become difficult to motivate yourself later on.
I learned about the egg timer idea from an author and psychologist by the name of Neil Fiore. He has a fabulous book called The Now Habit–A fantastic book filled with tips and tricks to get youself enjoying your projects rather than feeling too busy and overwhelmed by them. Good luck! Have fun with your creative endeavors!
Hi Joanne,
thanks for the comment and book recommendation. I’ll have to look for the book, another time-management book I’m a giant fan of is David Allen’s “Getting Things Done.”
I actually started using an egg timer for writing almost 20 years ago when I was writing a novel for part of my B.A. work at Goddard College. It was immensely helpful and kept me on task. I used it primarily for brainstorming around what characters might do and say in certain situations!
I still have an egg timer my great Aunt Florence gave to me after I won best “Tuna Casserole” recipe in the Texas State Fair back in my high school days. ( The secret for that recipe was crushed pretzels mixed with sharp cheddar on top of the casserole. )
it is said that this idea came from unix programmers who routinely found it difficult to concentrate on making scripts.
although their time limit was set at 12 minutes it is very similar to your post.
I increased my productivity exponentially when i used this “technique” a long time ago.
With a digital timer I set it to 12 minutes. Afterwards I get a three minute break to go to the bathroom scratch my back, check my mail, reply to instant messages, check my phone… etc…
it really works. You” be less stressed and more productive
Al!
I loved that you sent this. I did not know this and worked at IBM almost twenty years ago with programmers so shame on me.
I think your process is wonderful. thanks for reading the blog too!
Nettie