Can you work less and create better work?
Originally published on linemae.com which was rebranded to lizwhite.co.
Same content, same author, new brand, new website.
The idea that business owners need to work 24/7 in order to be successful is a myth.
When you’re in burnout mode and feeling the overwhelm, the best thing you can do is to work less, but better in order to create time for yourself.
NOW, LET ME BREAK DOWN WHAT WORKING LESS, BUT BETTER REALLY LOOKS LIKE.
Working less, but better requires us to:
ELIMINATE THE FLUFF.
What isn’t essential (aka, what doesn’t help you reach your goals or light a fire under your butt), BYE BYE BYE.
Okay, it might not be that easy. For me, eliminating the fluff means I won’t dedicate (working) time to things that don’t help me reach my business goals. These were the things I just started doing, to say and show I was doing something. Moodboard Mondays? Those didn’t really have a point. Weekend Wisdom? That was filler. When I reevaluated my blog and how I wanted to use it for my business in 2016, weekly posts that were just for show didn’t make the cut.
SET DEADLINES FOR OUR GOALS.
Working towards a goal is much more motivating when there is a set deadline. Instead of wishing for our goals to happen, make a plan. I like to break big goals up into lots of little ones, which makes them much more attainable. Here’s an example:
Main Goal: Blog more
Mini goal 1: Determine new direction of my blog (eliminate fluff)
Mini goal 2: Collect my blog ideas, break them up into specific categories
Mini goal 3: Create a blog editorial calendar and blog outline template
Mini goal 4: Create at least 4 blog posts a month: roughly one a week
BE INTENTIONALLY PRODUCTIVE.
How easy is it to turn a 15 minute task into an hour long ordeal? Too easy.
Working less means working without distractions and making sure I'm efficient with my time. I love watching YouTubers (my not-so-guilty, guilty pleasure) and I used to play videos in the background while working. But what ended up happening? I would just watch the video and not actually work! Now when I’m working the only thing I have on is Spotify or a podcast to listen to. I started using a site blocker app called SELF CONTROL to keep me accountable, by making all those distracting sites unavailable for me during the blocks of time I’m working. It’s a game changer.
By working less, but better, we will:
CREATE MORE TIME FOR WHAT IS ESSENTIAL.
Now that the fluff has been kicked to the curb, my focus is to produce real content that makes a difference for small biz owners and like-minded creatives. If what I post on my blog can help just ONE person, I’ll call it a success.
REACH OUR GOALS (EGO BOOST)!
Seeing progress is great motivation, and smaller goals are much easier to check off my to-do list. Actually making and organizing an editorial calendar was a huge step towards blogging more. There’s definitely a lot more I can learn about editorial calendar creation, but I felt so awesome when I put my plan in place.
COMPLETE MORE TASKS IN LESS TIME.
Things that should only take 15 minutes, only take 15 minutes. I can fit more work into an hour than I used to, simply because I limited my distraction. This means I finish things more quickly, so I have time to unwind without the guilt (—> YouTube and cuddle with my pup Max).