Here’s something that most marketers will NOT tell you – online marketing is a time-consuming process. Contrary to popular belief, you can’t make money in minutes unless you have a list that’s responsive.
You cannot make money while you sleep unless you have systems in place that work round the clock – and these systems take months to build when you’re starting out online.
There’s just no avoiding the fact that building an online business requires time and effort. It’s even tougher for seniors because while they may have time, they may have less energy.
Working in front of the computer for hours can be physically and mentally draining. Seniors may also have medical appointments to go to, or they may need to take medication that makes them feel drowsy.
All these are very real issues that thousands of seniors face. Therefore, it’s imperative that they have good time management so that they can get the most work done in the least time.
This article will highlight five time management tips to get you started. Apply them and you’ll make good progress in your online business even if you only spend an hour or two in front of the computer every day. It’s all about being productive instead of being busy.
Batch your tasks
This is an easy point to follow and it will save you a lot of time. Very often, you’ll discover that some tasks are repetitive… and you could do them all at one go. For example, if you’re writing blog posts, you could write 2 or 3 on one day.
The following day, you could look for images for these posts and upload them. On the third day, you could schedule all the posts to go out. In this way, you’ll get more done in a shorter time because you’re not going back and forth doing different tasks.
Focus on income generating activities
If you want to earn money online, at least 90 percent of your efforts should be directed towards income generating activities. Designing a beautiful header for your blog may make it look good, but marketing your product is what’s going to make you money.
Reading comments on forums may be interesting and educational but posting videos on YouTube that drive traffic to your offers is what’s going to get you the sales.
Always focus on getting the sales and increasing your profits. The tasks that directly lead to higher earnings should be the focus of your efforts. Dedicate your time wisely to what matters.
Outsource
If you’re not good at a certain task and it takes you too long to do it, you should outsource it. Do not struggle for 3 hours to create a book cover that looks like something a toddler cobbled together.
You’re better off going on Fiverr.com and paying someone $5 to design a beautiful cover for you. It will save you time… and that’s the time that you can dedicate to… yup! Income generating activities! Good to see that you’re on the same page.
Do NOT multitask
Multitasking is something that many people are proud of being able to do. In reality, it’s better to focus on one task at a time. If you’re going to write, write. If you’re going to record a video, record it.
Don’t write a blog post and check your email and check your Facebook notifications and record the intro for a video, etc. etc. etc. within a 3-minute span. You’ll just get confused and your scattered efforts will not only result in poorer quality work, but multitasking will create a habit in your mind that prevents you from concentrating on just one thing at a time for extended periods.
Have a to-do list
Always have a to-do list so that you can stay on track. Write all the important tasks down and complete the most important ones first. Many people make the mistake of trying to finish up the smaller and easier tasks first.
The end result is that they never complete what really matters because new menial tasks always pop up to replace the ones just cleared. So, focus on the bigger and more crucial tasks, and once those are complete you’ll feel a rush of energy from your accomplishment and complete the smaller tasks in no time at all.
Watch the time-stealers
The internet is filled with time-stealers. Reading comments on Facebook, reading comments on YouTube, watching news clips online, etc. can rob you of precious time.
You’ll be amazed at how fast you’re drawn into these distractions and next thing you know, an hour has passed and you’re exhausted from all the stimulation online and you’ve still not gotten anything done.
So, do not feed the distractions until your work for the day is done… and try and get your tasks done as soon as you can so that you can go about the rest of the day without work being at the back of your mind.
That sums up the six tips in this article. Always remember that time management is life management.
