Work at Home Productivity Tips –

– Jan Ferrante

Over the years working my own online businesses, I have found one thing to be true.

You MUST have a system in order to remain consistent in the tasks that bring you success, and to retain your sanity as well. That's always a perk!

If you are a work at home mom or dad, you will want to create a system for both your home and business, you can “pocket” your home system inside of your business system if you like, but don't intermingle the individual tasks or you will never have the focus that you need for either one.

TOP ONLINE BUSINESS SYSTEM DAILY TO DO'S

PHASE ONE – Create a Regular Time Pocket for Each of these Activities.

After awhile, it will become natural for you to do these in sequence.

Until then, create an excel spreadsheet that you can use to check them off as they are finished. I put mine in a plastic sheet protector and check them off with a washable marker, so I can reuse it each week.

I put a $ sign in each box to keep me motivated :0)

If you make a weekly format, you can see your weekly progress and reward yourself at the end of your productive week.

You may want to adjust according to your preferences. The first few hours at the computer for me can be my most productive in terms of writing so I try to hop on and do some blog posts or replies/blog comments/forums first thing as a rule. You can schedule your time pockets according to the task and the brain power you plan to have at that time of the day.

• Write articles or blog posts for your website to keep your traffic rising, an online business with no traffic is a dead duck. It also establishes credibility, your customers want to know what you know.

• Market your article or blog post using a checklist of all the places you need to put your links, contribute to etc.

• Product creation, do at least a little every day.

• Work on any courses you may be taking.

These boil down to what I call the big three – three things that if done consistently will improve your online business. Phase One will include projects of this nature.

1. Content – on your website, blog, newsletter, autoresponder etc. Writing articles.

2. Product – either online or hard goods development. This can include maintaining your shopping cart etc as well, but product development needs to be in the forefront. 

3. Marketing – this is anything that you can regularly do to be seen. Interacting and contributing to forums and other blogs. Joint venture correspondence. Submitting articles etc.

PHASE TWO – Daily Must Do's  

These are best done in your off hours, the hours that are not your most productive.

If you have your best ideas – flow time – first thing, don't do these at that time, save them until you have some brain drain and need a new task.

Just be sure to adjust your time pockets to allow you enough time to finish your must do's to avoid backlogs and customer service problems.

Depending what you do, you may need to create a few time pocket templates to use depending on your workload. I find the need to do this myself.

The time pocket activities must remain a priority on a regular basis though, if you find it difficult, you need to get some help with your workload. 

Do a list of the must do items for the day in priority sequence.

• Return or send out emails.

• Return or make phone calls.

• VA correspondence.

• Take care of orders, packing, regular must do business tasks.

PHASE THREE – End of Day Tasks

It is nice to do it at the end of the day so your mind and work area is clear at the end of each day, rather than facing the mess first thing.

And doing it at the end of the day also removes the danger of getting sidetracked on them and cutting into your “real” work time.

• Clear your desk. 5 minutes. (done daily, it won't take too long)

• Clear your email. 10 minutes.Write your to do for the next day at the end of this one while it's fresh. This allows you to catch any small tasks that may slow you down if you wait to do them until tomorrow.

• Organize and record your invoices. (this will save you a LOT of angst)

•  Prepare your projects for tomorrow. Have a file folder or bin for each one, put any notes or files that you will need in the morning. This will allow you to jump right in and use your flow power when you are at your peak and get good, solid work time in during your alloted time pocket.

If you follow this plan to create your own online business system, you will see a noticeable difference in your output, and your stress level right away.

Here is a website where people have listed their own desired daily routines, it's very interesting!

107 People Want To Have a Daily Routine.