…although pretty much anyone will find these tips helpful.
3 posts on the theme of “Productivity” from copywriters who know what they’re talking about…
First up, Michel Fortin…
“Get More Done Faster With These 6 Tips”
KEY IDEA: The power of deadlines.
Next, Dean Rieck…
“7 easy time management tips for copywriters”
KEY IDEA: Daily “To-Do” list.
Finally, from Pete Godfrey…
“How To Regain Control Of Your Life And Replace Distractions With Focused Concentration”
KEY IDEA: Title says it all…FOCUS.
All three of these articles will repay your modest time investment handsomely.
Here’s my 2 cents on the topic, simply expressing the ideas in a slightly different fashion.
First up, get CLEAR about what’s most important to you. If you’re a freelancer, I’d suggest that your top priorities are…
1. Booking new business; and
2. Banking fees from current business as fast as possible, subject to producing top-quality work
Any activity that doesn’t contribute to those activities is not a priority.
Copywriting greats Gary Halbert and John Carlton talk about “Operation Moneysuck”…
…which I think sums it up nicely.
Next, create a “To-Do” list every day, prioritise, then tackle the most important task. When that’s done, move on to the next and so on.
Finally, block out and allocate a set amount of time to achieve specific tasks.
Given your income objectives, you need to know how much your time is worth. Let me be clear, I’m not suggesting you charge by the hour for your services.
But you need to be acutely aware of the value of your time. If the fee on a piece of work is $100, then spending a whole day on the task is not likely to be a sensible use of your time.
Look, I confess I’m terrible at this and tend to spend w-a-a-y too much time on some projects (usually small pieces of work).
Yes, you should always do good work for clients…but there is always the point where extra effort produces diminishing returns.
As Dan Kennedy says, there’s a point where “Good enough is good enough”.
Talking of Dan Kennedy…
…I would be remiss not to mention his “No B.S. Time Management For Entrepreneurs”.
Here are his “Ten Time Management Techniques Really Worth Using”…
1. Tame The Phone
2. Minimize Meetings
3. Practice Absolute Punctuality
4. Make And Use Lists
5. Fight To Link Everything To Your Goals
6. Tickle The Memory With Tickler Files
7. Block Your Time
8. Minimize Unplanned Activity
9. Profit From “Odd Lot” Time
10. Live Off Peak
If all else fails, simply remember “Time is money”! That ought to make you think if you really should be spending time on a particular activity.