Showing posts with label productivity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label productivity. Show all posts

Featured Productivity Tool: Self Care


You probably don't consider self-care as a productivity tool, but think about it. You are way more productive when you are rested, refreshed, and living in balance.

Last month, health and wellness coach Angela Miller Barton, spiritual intuitive life and business coach Erin MacCoy, and mindset answer man Cliff Ravenscraft joined my #GoalChatLive conversation on the topic. Angela talked about how many people consider self-care as being selfish. In actuality, a lot of people confuse self-care with after-care. When you are so depleted, you have no choice but to recover. 

According to my guests, self-care is "genuinely putting yourself first," says Cliff. Erin adds it's, "The cornerstone for success." "It's setting the guard rails on ourselves," says Angela.
 
Angela, Erin, and Cliff shared their own self-care journeys, as well as their thoughts on the value of self-care, how to get better at it, self-care during the holidays, and more.

Watch our conversation: 


Goals for Self Care

  • Cliff: Meditate … in whatever form that makes sense for you. Start by meditating for one minute a day 
  • Erin: Change your energy by changing your perspective. Go outside and take a deep breath 
  • Angela: Become friends with yourself 
  • Deb: Keep a win list

Final Thoughts 

When you take care of yourself - during the holidays, but really any time of year - you are in a better position to do all that you want and need to do. 


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For more inspiration and motivation, follow @TheDEBMethod on Facebook, Instagram, and Linkedin! 

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What's your best tip for self care? Please share in the comments. 

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Debra Eckerling is the award-winning author of Your Goal Guide: A Roadmap for Setting, Planning and Achieving Your Goals and founder of the D*E*B METHOD, which is her system for goal-setting simplified. A goal-strategist, corporate consultant, and project catalyst, Debra offers personal and professional planning, event strategy, and team building for individuals, businesses, and teams. She is also the author of Write On Blogging and Purple Pencil Adventures; founder of Write On Online; host of the #GoalChat Twitter Chat, #GoalChatLive on Facebook and LinkedIn, and The DEB Show podcast. She speaks on the subjects of writing, networking, goal-setting, and social media.


Featured Productivity Tool: Virtual Meetings


While many people love connecting face-to-face, there's a lot to be said about the power of virtual meetings. Networking events are great ways to meet new people, while saving time, energy, and money. Think of all the things you can do in lieu of traveling to in-person events. For instance, you can attend more virtual meetings!

I recently spoke with Innovation Women founder Bobbie Carlton; John Chen, CEO, Engaging Virtual Meetings; and virtual event designer Robbie Samuels about their love of virtual events and how to be better attendees. 

When in a virtual meeting, turn on your camera, Robbie says. And don't be backlit; let people see you. Bobbie recommends being aware of your surroundings ... and the amount of time you spend speaking. John says, if you are hosting, don't wait for everyone to arrive to start the program. Reward those who are early and on time. 

We all agree that using the Zoom chat to engage is a wonderful way to stand out.

John suggests finding ways to start or keep the conversation going. For instance, ask questions. That will get you noticed by the host, speakers, and other attendees. Bobbie says to be a "volunteer scribe." When someone says something interesting, type it in the chat. Adds Robbie, When a resource is mentioned, find the link and share it.

For more tips ... 

Watch our conversation: 


Goals for Virtual Meetings

  • Robbie: Meeting hosts, figure out your Zoom settings. Get Robbie’s checklist 
  • Bobbie: Get comfortable with public speaking. If you are in the audience, take a step for getting comfortable: ask a question on camera 
  • John: Read the first three chapters of his book: Engaging Virtual Meetings. Also, engage in the way that works for you! 

Final Thoughts 

Whether you are attending virtual events to further your writing, marketing, or your business goals, approach them the same way attend live ones. Prepare ahead of time: make sure your online presence matches the way you introduce yourself and that your profile pic looks like you. Be present and attentive. And follow up with new connections in a timely manner. It'll be a win for everyone involved!


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For more inspiration and motivation, follow @TheDEBMethod on Twitter, Facebook, and Linkedin! 

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What's your best tip for virtual meetings? Please share in the comments. 

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Debra Eckerling is the award-winning author of Your Goal Guide: A Roadmap for Setting, Planning and Achieving Your Goals and founder of the D*E*B METHOD, which is her system for goal-setting simplified. A goal-strategist, corporate consultant, and project catalyst, Debra offers personal and professional planning, event strategy, and team building for individuals, businesses, and teams. She is also the author of Write On Blogging and Purple Pencil Adventures; founder of Write On Online; host of the #GoalChat Twitter Chat, #GoalChatLive on Facebook and LinkedIn, and The DEB Show podcast. She speaks on the subjects of writing, networking, goal-setting, and social media.


Featured Productivity Tool: Getting Interviewed




Whether it’s for podcasts, live shows, or other media, getting interviewed is a productive way to share your work as a writer, as well as what you do and how you help in your business. 
 
I recently gathered tips on getting interviewed from Julie Fry, Your Guest Expert; Anastasia Lipske, Access Speakers; and Liz H Kelly, Goody PR, on #GoalChatLive. Julie, Liz, and Anastasia share the value of getting interviewed, tips for preparing and making a good impression, and their favorite interview questions. 

To prepare for an interview, Julie said, "Listen to the show, have an idea of what you are going to talk about, have sticky notes with talking points … and the host’s name … on your monitor, and be ready with a good call to action at the end of the interview." 

"Create a pre-interview checklist," suggested Anastasia. These are things you need to do before you go on the air. "If you need to, hang a sign on your door, so you are not disturbed." 

"Research the host to find common ground, " added Liz.
 
Watch our conversation: 


Goals for Getting Interviewed

  • Liz: Go on a walk and think about your wow story. What can you talk about that will help other people? Write down 3-5 talking points 
  • Anastasia: Develop a relationship on LinkedIn with a host you would like to interview you 
  • Anastasia’s bonus goal: Write a LinkedIn rec for the host and ask them to do the same for you 
  • Julie: Make a list of everyone you know who has a podcast. Then send them a short, clear email, saying that you are looking for guest opportunities, what you speak on, and what is your audience. Do they have any referrals or recommendations?

Final Thoughts 

Getting interviewed is a great way to increase your visibility, as well as your audience. Take the time to prep, and you'll be all set for a productive interview ... and the results that follow.


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For more inspiration and motivation, follow @TheDEBMethod on Twitter, Facebook, and Linkedin! 

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What's your best interview tip? Please share in the comments. 

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Debra Eckerling is the award-winning author of Your Goal Guide: A Roadmap for Setting, Planning and Achieving Your Goals and founder of the D*E*B METHOD, which is her system for goal-setting simplified. A goal-strategist, corporate consultant, and project catalyst, Debra offers personal and professional planning, event strategy, and team building for individuals, businesses, and teams. She is also the author of Write On Blogging and Purple Pencil Adventures; founder of Write On Online; host of the #GoalChat Twitter Chat, #GoalChatLive on Facebook and LinkedIn, and The DEB Show podcast. She speaks on the subjects of writing, networking, goal-setting, and social media.


Featured Productivity Tool: Break the Rules




What does breaking the rules have to do with writing and productivity? Everything!

Thinking out of the box - and getting creative with your ideas, solutions, etc. - gets you inspired. Inspiration leads to motivation which results in productivity! 
 
In August, I invited John Chen of Engaging Virtual Meetings, Jennie Mustafa-Julock aka Coach Jennie, and Deanna Seymour, host of the “Eff That: Breaking the Rules of Online Business Podcast,” to talk about breaking the rules on #GoalChatLive. 

John believes that when you break stuff, you learn more than everyone else. "A lot of the time the world breaks you; there’s something empowering about choosing to break."
 
Jennie suggests breaking the mold of being around like-minded people. "It’s better to be around diverse-minded people." 

Deanna says breaking the rules is all about innovation. 

Watch our conversation: 


Goals for Breaking the Rules

  • Jennie: Don't wait for things to be perfect. Do the things!
  • Deanna: Be brave. Ask for something every day this week
  • John: Give something away. Share your gifts and talents

Final Thoughts 

If you think about it, writing is not just about breaking the rules, it's about creating your own rules: worlds, processes, characters - and then sharing them with the world.


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For more inspiration and motivation, follow @TheDEBMethod on Twitter, Facebook, and Linkedin! 

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How do you break the rules? Please share in the comments. 

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Debra Eckerling is the award-winning author of Your Goal Guide: A Roadmap for Setting, Planning and Achieving Your Goals and founder of the D*E*B METHOD, which is her system for goal-setting simplified. A goal-strategist, corporate consultant, and project catalyst, Debra offers personal and professional planning, event strategy, and team building for individuals, businesses, and teams. She is also the author of Write On Blogging and Purple Pencil Adventures; founder of Write On Online; host of the #GoalChat Twitter Chat, #GoalChatLive on Facebook and LinkedIn, and The DEB Show podcast. She speaks on the subjects of writing, networking, goal-setting, and social media.


Featured Productivity Tool: Get Organized


Want to be productive? First, get organized!
 
When you are organized, you spend less time looking for things and more time writing, working, or making progress on one of your numerous passion projects.
  
Last month, I talked about getting organized on #GoalChatLive with Molly Beran, Projects By Molly, LLC; Deborah Thomas-Nininger, DTN Productions International; and Stacey Soleil, Follow Up Boss. We had a rapid-fire, advice-packed conversation. Molly, Deborah, and Stacey share why they love being organized and how they do it, as well as why people find being organized a challenge, organization tips, and much more. 


Goals for Getting Organized

To be better organized, start by setting goals. I say, set appointments for all your activities, including the time you spend getting organized time. Also, categorize your projects and put them in separate folders (electronic or actual).  

Also:
  • Molly: Make a todo list on a post-it note. It’s small, so just enough room for things you can do; this helps you build momentum
  • Deborah: Prepare on Friday for the following week
  • Stacey: Start your day before looking at your phone

Final Thoughts 

Everyone does "organizing" differently. See what's out there. Do more of what works for you and stop doing what doesn't.

Also:
  • Stacey: Start where you shine!
  • Molly: Use Trello for home projects
  • Deborah: Put personal tasks on your todo list

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For more inspiration and motivation, follow @TheDEBMethod on Twitter, Facebook, and Linkedin! 

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What's your best tip for getting organized? Please share in the comments. 

* * *

Debra Eckerling is the award-winning author of Your Goal Guide: A Roadmap for Setting, Planning and Achieving Your Goals and founder of the D*E*B METHOD, which is her system for goal-setting simplified. A goal-strategist, corporate consultant, and project catalyst, Debra offers personal and professional planning, event strategy, and team building for individuals, businesses, and teams. She is also the author of Write On Blogging and Purple Pencil Adventures; founder of Write On Online; Vice President of the Los Angeles Chapter of the Women's National Book Association; host of the #GoalChat Twitter Chat, #GoalChatLive on Facebook and LinkedIn, and The DEB Show podcast. She speaks on the subjects of writing, networking, goal-setting, and social media.


Featured Productivity Tool: The 5 of 7 Rule


A lot of productivity experts say, "Don't break the chain. Work on your projects every day. 

I say: Think about your projects every day. And only schedule time you can commit to for working on them. Granted, if all you are doing is thinking, that's cheating, so you do need to put in some time. The goal is to set you and your projects up for success. 

My 5 of 7 Rule serves to help you take the pressure off yourself, as you work toward achieving your goals, while continuing to juggle everything else going on in your life. As a result, you will be less stressed and more productive. 

The 5 of 7 Rule is exactly how it sounds: 
• Work toward your goals 5 out of every 7 days each week. (Or however many days you can commit to.)  
 • This enables you to keep your objective top-of-mind, while giving you ample downtime. 
• It eliminates the fluster you feel when life happens and you need to skip a day or two.
 

For Example

Let’s say you’re going to work 15 minutes a day on your project, which is a reasonable amount of time. 

If you miss a day, you decide to do 30 minutes the next day. You miss that one too, and you’re up to 45. Well, if you can’t manage 15 minutes, you’ll really have challenges finding 30 or 45. 

My point is this: If you miss a day, just skip it and do 15 minutes the following day. 

Final Thoughts 

Don’t get me wrong. If working toward your goals every day is feasible, go right ahead. However, when you really need it, allow yourself a day or two off, guilt-free.  

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For more inspiration and motivation, follow @TheDEBMethod on Twitter, Facebook, and Linkedin! 

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What's your favorite productivity tip or tool? Please share in the comments. 

* * *

Debra Eckerling is the award-winning author of Your Goal Guide: A Roadmap for Setting, Planning and Achieving Your Goals and founder of the D*E*B METHOD, which is her system for goal-setting simplified. A goal-strategist, corporate consultant, and project catalyst, Debra offers personal and professional planning, event strategy, and team building for individuals, businesses, and teams. She is also the author of Write On Blogging and Purple Pencil Adventures; founder of Write On Online; Vice President of the Los Angeles Chapter of the Women's National Book Association; host of the #GoalChat Twitter Chat, #GoalChatLive on Facebook and LinkedIn, and The DEB Show podcast. She speaks on the subjects of writing, networking, goal-setting, and social media.


Featured Productivity Tool: Write Your Win List


Want a sure-fire to stay motivated ... and productive? Start tracking your wins.  

As writers, we constantly have multiple projects at various stages of development. Things take a long time to go from idea to published work. It's easy to lose steam ... and lose faith. 

Stop waiting to write "The End" before noting an accomplishment. Track all of your wins. And start celebrating ALL of your accomplishments. 

How and Where to Track Wins

One easy way to track your wins is via your electronic calendar. Whenever you have a writing appointment, include the time - and the activity - in your calendar. Then, at the end of the month, if you don't feel like you've done enough, you can easily prove yourself wrong. All your progress at a glance. 

You can also track progress by creating a Win List. You can do this in an actual notebook, on a Google or Word doc - whatever makes the most sense for you. Then, at the end of every day, put the date at the top and write out one to three wins. At the end of the week, review your list and celebrate your wins. You can also do this whenever you need a pick me up!

Win Starters

Are you having trouble claiming wins? Here is a fill-in-the-blank list to get you started. Hint: Anything and everything can be considered a win. It just needs to be meaningful to you.
  • I journaled ## days/week 
  • I wrote/created/published /launched/released [this] 
  • I queried X agents/magazines/publishers
  • I did [this nice thing] that helped [this person/community] 
  • I did not complain about my neighbors
  • I learned [this] 
  • I read [that] 
  • I reconnected with [this person] 
  • I worked out ## days most weeks 
  • I cooked/baked/gardened 
  • I filled someone's expired parking meter
  • I pursued information on [something] that has always interested me 
  • I tried eating/drinking/watching something new
  • I survived 

Final Thoughts 

Motivation and productivity go hand in hand. The more productive you are, the more motivated you are to keep going. Keep an eye on your goals, and celebrate every step along the way. Remember, you can do it!

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For more inspiration and motivation, follow @TheDEBMethod on Twitter and Linkedin! 

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What's your biggest win this week? This month? Please share in the comments, so we can help celebrate you. 

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Debra Eckerling is the award-winning author of Your Goal Guide: A Roadmap for Setting, Planning and Achieving Your Goals and founder of the D*E*B METHOD, which is her system for goal-setting simplified. A writer, editor, and project catalyst, Deb works with entrepreneurs, executives, and creatives to set goals and manage their projects through one-on-one coaching, workshops, and online support. She is also the author of Write On Blogging and Purple Pencil Adventures; founder of Write On Online; Vice President of the Los Angeles Chapter of the Women's National Book Association; host of the #GoalChat Twitter Chat, #GoalChatLive on Facebook and LinkedIn, and The DEB Show podcast. She speaks on the subjects of writing, networking, goal-setting, and social media.


Featured Productivity Tool: How to Use a Journal for Clarity & Decision-Making


For writers, a journal is your Swiss-army knife. It can be used for just about everything, While journaling is traditionally used for jotting down what’s going on in your life – tracking your actions, activities, and emotions, one of my favorite ways to use a journal is for clarity and decision-making. 

Whether you’re pondering your next writing project or dealing with a personal matter, you may find yourself mulling it over constantly … and sometimes to no avail. However, when you take pen to paper – or fingers to keyboard – you are much more likely to come up with an effective solution.

To gain clarity for about just about anything, try my directed journaling technique. Directed journaling is stream-of-consciousness writing spurts, focused on a specific theme, issue, or problem. 


Here’s how Directed Journaling works:

  • In your electronic calendar, schedule between three and five 15-minute sessions over a few days. Be sure to set a reminder. 
  • When you get the alert for your appointment, set a timer for 15 minutes, and start writing. Note: While there are numerous benefits to writing by hand, if you are more likely to complete the process by typing on a computer, go for it! 
  • During each journaling session, ask yourself pointed questions. 

For a writing project: 
  • What’s the genre? The format? Novel, screenplay, story...
  • Who is the main character?
  • What's the motivation?
  • What's the theme? How do the characters reflect the theme? 
  • How does the story begin? End?

For something personal:
  • What's the issue? 
  • How can I resolve it? 
  • What are all the possible solutions?
  • What are the pros? The cons?
  • What are my other options? 

When you do your journaling, think outside the box. Be as logical - and as extreme - as possible. Your journal rants are for your eyes only. And don’t worry about repeating yourself. The idea is to get everything out of your head and onto the page.


Here’s the Trick

  • Do not read any of these journal entries until you have done the process several times.
  • Once you have exhausted your thoughts on the subject, then you may read the journal entries. 
  • As you go through them, note the ideas you repeat – those are what you are most drawn to. You may also come up with solutions that seem to come from left-field. That’s what happens when you allow yourself to babble on paper. 


Final Thoughts 

When you open yourself to all possibilities and look at them objectively, you are more likely to come up with a successful solution or comfortable decision, along with a feasible plan. And when you have a plan in place, it’s much easier to face and embrace change!

Good luck. The power is literally in your hands.  

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For more inspiration and motivation, follow @TheDEBMethod on Twitter and Linkedin! 

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How has journaling helped you? What is your journaling style? Do you use pen and paper? Or do you type your thoughts? Please share in the comments. 

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Debra Eckerling is the award-winning author of Your Goal Guide: A Roadmap for Setting, Planning and Achieving Your Goals and founder of the D*E*B METHOD, which is her system for goal-setting simplified. A writer, editor, and project catalyst, Deb works with entrepreneurs, executives, and creatives to set goals and manage their projects through one-on-one coaching, workshops, and online support. She is also the author of Write On Blogging and Purple Pencil Adventures; founder of Write On Online; Vice President of the Los Angeles Chapter of the Women's National Book Association; host of the #GoalChat Twitter Chat, #GoalChatLive on Facebook and LinkedIn, and The DEB Show podcast. She speaks on the subjects of writing, networking, goal-setting, and social media.


Featured Productivity Tool: To-Do Lists Are Your Friend



As a writer, you are constantly juggling multiple projects at various stages of development. Between your client projects, possible a day job, and your own work (writing, speaking, marketing), how on earth do you keep track of everything? Simply, To-Do Lists.

Keeping a list of tasks and action items is essential for productivity. When you write down the things you need to do and keep them in a central location, you don’t need to spend brainpower trying to remember everything. It’s a huge time saver. 

What's On Your Lists?


The trick with lists is to throw anything and everything on them. This includes meetings, assignments, and deadlines, as well as professional tasks and personal errands. 

I divide my list into my projects (writing, speaking, spec articles), client work (tasks, meetings, assignments), biz dev (networking, calls) and freelancing. I also keep a list of planned weekly blog and social media posts, website updates, and outreach tasks (pitches and follow-ups), upcoming events, and personal projects. 

I know what you're thing ... that's a lot of stuff. That's the point. When you get  everything out of your head, you are in a better position to divide and conquer.

Where to Keep your Lists 


Paper Lists: Keep a dedicated notebook only for your ToDos. At the start of every week, write your master list. Then, as each day passes, add any other items and check things off as you do them. And if you do something that’s not on the list, add it and check it off so you get that burst of satisfaction. The reason I say check things off, rather than cross them out, is that way you can track your accomplishments throughout the week. 

Digital Lists: Use the same concept as the paper lists. Just use a dedicated word-processing document - or Google doc - rather than a central notebook. I like the simplicity of this method, although you can also use an online task management tool such as Trello. 

Calendar Lists: This is the method I use. Every week (on Sunday night) I make an appointment in my electronic (Google) calendar with my ToDo list for the week, which includes a section for ongoing tasks. Throughout the week, as I set appointments or get new assignments, I add them to the list. Also, instead of deleting completed tasks, I write DONE in all caps as I accomplish them. At the end of the week I copy the list and paste it into next week’s appointment. Then I delete the DONEs, and add any new items for the week. 

Final Thoughts 


ToDo lists are great. They are a tremendous tool to keep you organized and on track with your projects and deadlines. Just remember one thing. Lists only work if you read them. 

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For more inspiration and motivation, follow @TheDEBMethod on Twitter and Linkedin for your #Start2022Now Goal of the day! 

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How do you use lists? Do you do paper, digital, or hybrid? Please share in the comments.

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Debra Eckerling is the award-winning author of Your Goal Guide: A Roadmap for Setting, Planning and Achieving Your Goals and founder of the D*E*B METHOD, which is her system for goal-setting simplified. A writer, editor, and project catalyst, Deb works with entrepreneurs, executives, and creatives to set goals and manage their projects through one-on-one coaching, workshops, and online support. She is also the author of Write On Blogging and Purple Pencil Adventures; founder of Write On Online; Vice President of the Los Angeles Chapter of the Women's National Book Association; host of the #GoalChat Twitter Chat, #GoalChatLive on Facebook and LinkedIn, and The DEB Show podcast. She speaks on the subjects of writing, networking, goal-setting, and social media.


Featured Productivity Tool: 5 Ways to Use a Timer for Success


It's a brand new year. And you are determined to start - or finish - one (or more) of your writing projects. Success is top-of-mind. But how do you set yourself up for success? 

To help you start your year off right, I am sharing one of my favorite productivity tools, as well as some of the best ways to use it: A Timer!

You can get a lot done in focused blocks of time. That's the beauty of setting a timer ... you don’t even need to keep an eye on the clock. Concentrate fully on your work. Then, when your timer goes off, finish what you’re doing, and move on to the next thing. 

Here are Five Ways to Use a Timer to Increase your Productivity 


1. Block Time. Look at your calendar and block time to creative or project-time in the form of appointments. This is especially helpful when you have a book or article deadline. But it's also great for prioritizing ongoing commitments. During time blocks, close out your social media, silence your email, put your phone on Do Not Disturb. Then, set a timer so you can give the project at hand your full attention. 

2. Avoid Social Media Tangents. Let’s face it, although important for marketing your business, social media tends to be a time-suck. You log on in the morning to do a couple of things, you get distracted, and the next thing you know, it’s almost noon. Set a timer for your 15-minute social media appointments, so you receive a reminder to not fall into the social media abyss. 

3. Force Inspiration. Every so often you encounter a project that you can’t quite get into. So instead of spending a bit of time to get it started, you avoid it. This results in stress, not to mention a potential failed project. Set a timer for 15 minutes and force yourself to concentrate on what is perplexing you. Then, when the timer goes off, if you’ve figured it out, start your project. If not, take a breath, move on to something else, and try again the following day. At least the project will be in your head, which will make it easier to tackle when you try again. 

4. Take a Break. It’s important to take breaks throughout the day, whether it’s for a walk, a bite to eat, or an online conversation. However, if you are spending your downtime checking your watch or the clock on your smartphone, you are not actually disengaging from work. 

5. Limit Time-Consuming Tasks. This trick works well for emails and phone calls. Set a specific amount of time for something where time can spiral out of control. When the timer goes off, it’s time to wrap it up and move on. 

Final Thoughts 


In the age of technology, everyone has a timer at their fingertips, because their mobile phone is usually no further than an arm’s length away. 

Ready to get things done? Put your phone on silent, turn off your notifications, hit the start button, and you are ready to go. You'll be pleasantly surprised at how much you accomplish in short bursts of time. 

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For more inspiration and motivation, follow @TheDEBMethod on Twitter and Linkedin for your #Start2022Now Goal of the day! 

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How do you use a timer? What's your favorite productivity tool? Please share in the comments.

* * *

Debra Eckerling is the award-winning author of Your Goal Guide: A Roadmap for Setting, Planning and Achieving Your Goals and founder of the D*E*B METHOD, which is her system for goal-setting simplified. A writer, editor, and project catalyst, Deb works with entrepreneurs, executives, and creatives to set goals and manage their projects through one-on-one coaching, workshops, and online support. She is also the author of Write On Blogging and Purple Pencil Adventures; founder of Write On Online; Vice President of the Los Angeles Chapter of the Women's National Book Association; host of the #GoalChat Twitter Chat, #GoalChatLive on Facebook and LinkedIn, and The DEB Show podcast. She speaks on the subjects of writing, networking, goal-setting, and social media.

Celebrate Your Wins and Start Making New Plans: It's DEBcember!


When do you set new goals and make new plans? Every week? Every month? Every year? All of the above? I do, too!

While many wait for January for their fresh start, I like to begin the new year in DEBcember! Approaching the next calendar year with a running start is the perfect way to set yourself up for success.  

While everyone is winding down 2021, you can start achieving your 2022 goals before January 1st!

Celebrate Wins

Before new year planning can begin, take an inventory of the last 12 months ... and celebrate all of your accomplishments.

How did you do on the goals you set last year?

What was your biggest win each month? Each season?   

Also, consider the challenges you faced and how you dealt with them. 

Don't forget your personal achievements. Did you survive teaching your kids through Zoom school? Did you learn a new language, start a new hobby, or start a new writing project? Did you lose 20 lbs, even though you were aiming for 30? 

ALL WINS COUNT!

Note: If you had trouble remembering your wins, making the decision to track them in the new year is a great goal! At the end of each day - or week - write down one to three wins. Keep a dedicated notebook or computer document, so all of your wins are in one place ... and ready for you to look at when you need a boost!

Make Plans for 2022

Now, start planning for 2022. This time next year, what do you want to celebrate? Writing a new book? Getting an agent? Being published in a national magazine or three?

Write down your monster list of goals for 2022. These can be big goals, small goals, dream goals, easy goals, tasks, activities, projects. Include personal and professional goals. And also review - or rewrite - your mission and motto to make sure your action items and aspirations are in line with your big picture vision for your future.

Now, divide and conquer. Categorize all of your like goals and get organized. Look at your schedule and assign time each week (whatever is feasible with your busy schedule) to work toward your goals. Slow and steady gets things done. 

Final Thoughts

We have had so many changes over the last two years. Isn’t it time everyone gets a break? Get a running start to the new year. And, remember, you can do it!

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For more inspiration and motivation, follow @TheDEBMethod on Twitter and Linkedin for your #Start2022Now Goal of the day!

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What's your greatest win from 2021? What's your big goal for 2022? Please share in the comments.

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Debra Eckerling is the award-winning author of Your Goal Guide: A Roadmap for Setting, Planning and Achieving Your Goals and founder of the D*E*B METHOD, which is her system for goal-setting simplified. A writer, editor, and project catalyst, Deb works with entrepreneurs, executives, and creatives to set goals and manage their projects through one-on-one coaching, workshops, and online support. She is also the author of Write On Blogging and Purple Pencil Adventures; founder of Write On Online; Vice President of the Los Angeles Chapter of the Women's National Book Association; host of the #GoalChat Twitter Chat, #GoalChatLive on Facebook and LinkedIn, and The DEB Show podcast. She speaks on the subjects of writing, networking, goal-setting, and social media.

Time Swapping


Does this sound familiar?

"Some day, I am going to write my memoir ..."

"Oooh, next week, I am finally going to start that blog. Maybe ... "

"I really want to launch a podcast to promote my writing, but who has the time?"

The answer to that last question is, "Everyone!" With COVID rules, most people are working from home these days, which enables them to use time-swapping to increase their productivity!

Time-Swapping


Tell me, how long was your commute to work? Was it 20 minutes? An hour? And what are you doing with the time you used to spend walking, riding the bus, or driving to work? 

Use only a fraction of your weekly commute time for a passion project, side hustle, or even networking, and you will still make a dent in those often ignored back-burner goals. 
 
Here are 4 more ways to find time to work on your great American novel, screenplay, or passion project:

1. Driving Time. Even if you worked from home pre-COVID, you still had plenty of places to go each week from lunch meetings to the gym. Thanks to Zoom calls and video workouts, a lot of in-person events are now virtual. No more driving ... or even parking. With the time you save you can actually attend twice as many events each week.

2. Netflix Time. We all love our Netflix ... or Hulu ... or whatever our preferred platform for binge-watching after a long day. I'm not saying to get rid of binge-time, just shorten it. Binge one less episode a night, a few times a week, and see what you can accomplish during that found time. 

3. Your Prime Time. When is your prime writing-time? In the morning? Late at night? With family at home, you may be struggling for personal time. By extending your day - getting up 15 to 30-minutes earlier or staying up a little later - you can sneak in some productivity. Not sure which is your prime time? Try them both, and see what works best for you. 

4. Cooking Time. Whether you are a natural-cook or someone who took up cooking as a COVID-hobby, chances are you are eating out a lot less. One of the best ways to do food prep is to batch your cooking time. Pick one day a week to make multiple meals. You can easily freeze things like soup, spaghetti sauce, and casseroles, and pull them out later. I also love the Instant Pot as a productivity hack

To find time for those back-burner projects, you don't have to make sacrifices. You just need to be creative with how you spend and/or swap your time.


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So, where do you find found time? And how do you use it? Please share your thoughts and experience in the comments.



Debra Eckerling is the author of Your Goal Guide: A Roadmap for Setting, Planning and Achieving Your Goals. A writer, editor and project catalyst, as well as founder of the D*E*B METHOD and Write On Online, Deb works with individuals and businesses to set goals and manage their projects through one-on-one coaching, workshops, and online support. She is also the author of Write On Blogging: 51 Tips to Create, Write & Promote Your Blog and Purple Pencil Adventures: Writing Prompts for Kids of All Ages, host of the #GoalChat Twitter Chat and #GoalChatLive on Facebook, and a speaker/moderator on the subjects of writing, networking, goal-setting, and social media.

How to Use a Timer to be More Productive


Want to be more productive? Use a timer.

When you use a timer to keep track of blocked time, you get rid of any and all distractions ... including the need to look at the clock. You'll be amazed at what you can accomplish.

Here are five ways to use a timer to increase your productivity.

1. Force Inspiration. Every so often you encounter a project that you can’t quite get into. So instead of spending a bit of time to get it started, you avoid it. This results in stress, not to mention a potential failed project. Set a timer for 15 minutes and force yourself to concentrate on what is perplexing you. Then, when the timer goes off, if you’ve figured it out, start your project. If not, take a breath, move onto something else, and try again the following day. At least the project will be in your head, which will make it easier to tackle when you try again.

2. Avoid Social Media Tangents. Let’s face it. Social media is essential for marketing your business. Yet, it's still a time-suck. You log on in the morning to do a couple of things, you get distracted, and the next thing you know, it’s almost noon. Set a timer for your 15-minute social media appointments, so you receive a reminder to not fall into the social media abyss.

3. Take a Break. It’s important to take breaks throughout the day, whether it’s for a walk, a bite to eat, or a water-cooler or online conversation. However, if you are spending your down time checking your watch or the clock on your smartphone, are you actually disengaging from work?

4. Limit Time-Consuming Tasks. This trick works well for emails and phone calls. Set a specific amount of time for something where time can spiral out of control. When the timer goes off, it’s time to wrap it up and move on.

5. Work on Something Fun! Yes, you can also use a timer to give yourself a creative treat. Let's say you have a great idea for a new story or article, but you really don't have that much spare time to put into it. As a reward for completing an important task or action items, instead of taking a physical break, take a 15-minute creative one. And you'll be amazed at how the little bits of time you put into a bigger project add up!

In the age of technology, just about everyone has a timer at their fingertips, because their mobile phone is usually no further than an arm’s length away. Put your phone on silent, turn off your notifications, hit the start button, and you are ready to go.

What is your favorite productivity tool? How do you use your timer? Please share in the comments.

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Debra Eckerling is a writer, editor and project catalyst, as well as founder of The D*E*B Method: Goal Setting Simplified and Write On Online, a live and online writers’ support group. Like the Write On Online Facebook Page and join the Facebook Group.  She is author of Write On Blogging: 51 Tips to Create, Write & Promote Your Blog and Purple Pencil Adventures: Writing Prompts for Kids of All Ages, and host of the #GoalChat Twitter Chat. Debra is an editor at Social Media Examiner and a speaker/moderator on the subjects of writing, networking, goal-setting, and social media.

4 Social Media Marketing Tips To Being More Productive

By Karen Cioffi

There are certain strategies that social media marketers use to make their efforts effective. It’s not enough to simply publish your blog posts to the social channels. You need to have a plan. You need to work the system.

1. Number one is a give-in: you need to know your audience and cater to them.

This goes for any form of marketing – you need to know who your audience is and what they need or want.

It’s pointless to send messages to the technology industry when your platform is on health writing.

It’s pointless to send in-depth SEO marketing posts to an audience that’s just getting their feet wet in the marketing arena.

It’s pointless to send ‘how to find a mate’ posts to an audience who wants to learn marketing strategies.

You get the idea.

Your platform needs to be focused on what your target audience wants.

Along with this, the Social Media Examiner post points out that your audience’s needs may change. You need to keep current on all things pertaining to your industry / niche and with the changing needs of your audience. Keep ahead of the game and help your audience do the same.

Let your audience know you’re the ‘go to’ person in your niche.

I do lots of research to come up with helpful posts for my readers. I also share helpful posts I come across in that research. If you think an article you’re reading will benefit your audience, share it.

2. Build relationships.

Marketing on social networks isn’t just about ‘hit and runs.’ You shouldn’t just post your content and run. You need to build ‘meaningful’ relationships with customers, other businesses, and anyone else within your business realm.

To build these relationships, you’ll need to offer helpful information that is actually useable. You want to inform, teach, and help those in your network.

Along with this, you need to engage with other users. Share the posts of others. Help promote a product or service you know to be helpful. Take the initiative to help others in your networks.

I spend around 30 minutes each day to schedule my posts, share the posts of others, and to engage with others in my social network sphere.

Social Media Examiner says to, “be a giver as you interact” with your audience. “Offer your time, resources, knowledge, encouragement or support.”

This helps build relationships.

3. Making money also needs to be a factor.

While you should earnestly want to help those in your audience, it’s also important to spend your time fruitfully.

Not many can selflessly spend time helping others. Businesses need to make money to survive. 

To keep this in the forefront of your social media marketing strategy, promote what you’re selling. Whether it’s a product, a service, a workshop, a presentation, include it in your social media postings.

Now, to do this, you need to upload lots more helpful information compared to promotional content. A standard ratio is 85% useable content to 15% promotion. You might even lean more toward 90/10.

You don’t want your audience to feel you’re using them for your own gains. Give lots and lots of quality information. Be helpful.

At one point, I posted around 12  to 15 posts of my own posts to Twitter each day. I also share posts of others that I come across in research. In addition, I Retweet and Favorite other users’ Tweets.

I would share 10 to 15 posts of others each day in addition to my own. This is being active and engaging. My connections know I offer valuable information on a regular basis.

This allows me to promote what I’m offering without seeming overly promotional.

Due to a very heavy work load, I’ve had to reduce the number of posts per day, but I am still consistant.

4. Monitor your results.

This is a must for all your marketing strategies. If you don’t monitor what you’re doing, you’ll never know what’s working and what’s not.

Monitoring your results is time well spent. Don’t forego this step.

Even if you don’t want to spend hours on analytics, you can simple monitor your website traffic and its sources. And, you can easily see if you’re getting sales from your efforts.

If you’re not seeing the results you need, change course. Try another strategy.

To read the article at Social Media Examiner, click the link:
6 Habits of Social Media Marketers

Karen Cioffi is an award-winning author, ghostwriter, and author/writer online platform instructor. Get must-know writing and marketing tips at http://thewritingworld.com.

And, check out Karen’s e-classes through WOW! Women on Writing:
http://www.articlewritingdoctor.com/content-marketing-tools/ 

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