This may not sound like a big deal. But it's amazing how completing one extra task each day can quickly add up and make a difference.
Here's how it works for me...
Each day I look at my 'Today's Things To Do List'.
Oh yes, I have a list. Without it I would be lost. I schedule upcoming work. I list deadlines. I make notes of the people I should be calling or emailing. I look for the spare moments when I can write an article or two. I list all my personal and family commitments too.
>> And then I add one thing more
In addition to my daily list of things to do, I also have a general 'Needs to be Done' list. These are items that don't really have delivery dates or deadlines, but should get done.
Examples? Maybe a follow-up email to a company I worked for a while ago but haven't heard from since. Maybe a note to myself to get back to a happy customer and ask for a testimonial. Perhaps a reminder to myself to check out a particular website or new service. That kind of thing.
These are all things that are important, but not urgent.
>> Important, but not urgent
This is worth dwelling on for a moment. For many of us freelancers, our days and sometimes nights are filled with completing tasks that are urgent.
We have deadlines to meet. We have to get the work done.
And for most of us, we have only ourselves. No assistants or office managers to take care of the paperwork, administration and bookkeeping.
So we rush, rush, rush and feel that our day is complete once we have completed all of the urgent tasks.
>> Time for one more thing
But before you close down your computer, do that one extra thing. It's important.
Often that one final task will take just a few minutes. I'm not talking about spending another hour or two at your desk. I'm talking about tackling a non-urgent, but important task.
>> Will it make a difference?
Yes, it will. At the end of the month you will have completed 20-30 important things that otherwise would never have been done.
Perhaps just one of those things will lead to an extra contract.
Now keep this habit going month by month, year after year. If just one in fifty of these extra tasks completed leads to a new client or job, think of what that means in new income over the next few years.
>> Concluding thoughts...
There is no magic about doing one thing extra each day. It's just a simple, useful discipline and habit that could end up making a big difference to your future income.
Try it.
Nick Usborne is a copywriter, author and speaker. You'll find more articles and resources on how to make money as a freelance writer at http://www.freelancewritingsuccess.com
emergency cleaning services Glencoe ..If you operate any kind of home business, you must... Read More
It's easy to waste time on things that seem urgent... Read More
All too often we can feel overwhelmed by the amount... Read More
"There is never enough time, unless you're serving it." -Malcolm... Read More
What would you say to me if I told you... Read More
We don't realize many things we do until we draw... Read More
I am an ordinary man - A middle class high... Read More
In working with and coaching people across the country, one... Read More
Any habit of mind or body that interferes with taking... Read More
Perhaps it is merely semantics, but an underlying problem I... Read More
"At my back I always hear time's winged chariot hurrying... Read More
Many people want to be coached to manage their time... Read More
As each day passes, and more and more things need... Read More
One of the biggest problems most people have when it... Read More
How much time do you spend on Mastering Your Time?... Read More
Balancing Your Work, Family and Social Life... Read More
Do you wish you could work less and play more?... Read More
There are the golden rules that apply to time. If... Read More
"The bad news is time flies. The good news is... Read More
"Can you find four extra hours in your day?" a... Read More
"Time is what we need the most and what we... Read More
Your productivity depends on good tools and effective environments, and... Read More
Are you drowning in a sea of unread papers? Do... Read More
How you spend the first sixty minutes of your day... Read More
If you're like most people, you want to get better... Read More
trusted cleaning company Wilmette ..Once you have completed your day you can boost your... Read More
As the song goes, this is the time to relax,... Read More
If you operate any kind of home business, you must... Read More
Benjamin Franklin wrote: "If you want to enjoy one of... Read More
Q. I have several projects going at once -- but... Read More
Time is our greatest and most precious asset. Time is... Read More
At Home? Keep related items together, for example the coffee... Read More
When a good friend asked me to contribute a little... Read More
According to a Miller Heiman 2003 Sales Effectiveness Study, over... Read More
There is an old way of goal setting and a... Read More
?busy, busy, busy, busy, busy?busy, busy, bus? OK, slap me... Read More
Are you obsessed with getting everything just right? Do you... Read More
Any habit of mind or body that interferes with taking... Read More
How often have you tried to manage your time in... Read More
"Time management" is a myth. Time ticks by, whether you... Read More
People always seem to be in such a hurry, everywhere... Read More
Let's say that you have a software project that's under... Read More
We are constantly inundated with routine (often boring!) tasks around... Read More
Get a grip. Is it possible to manage time? Can... Read More
How many times have you remarked to someone that there... Read More
One of the most challenging aspect in life is time... Read More
We all get overwhelmed from time to time, and sometimes... Read More
How do you manage your time? Or is the more... Read More
Here's a smart system for doubling or tripling your daily... Read More
Does it ever feel like there is never enough time... Read More
Time Management |