Work at Home Productivity Tips –

Planning is everything.

We hear that all the time.

But WHY is it everything?

The usual things come immediately to mind… planning keeps us organized, planning helps us to keep things under control, planning gives us… a plan to follow, no more searching in the dark.

We know this without thinking too much about it, but how about if we go a little deeper.

I have found a lot of value in planning my schedule and playing with various methods over the years to find what works best for me to get things done.

But what I haven't been doing and have recently begun focusing on is planning with more detail, my day to day activities – in advance.

Making a cohesive plan as to WHAT to do with a larger picture in mind.

Thinking bigger. 

Your basic planning method is the large rocks and the details are the pebbles and sand that you put in the jar last to fill up the spaces.

The big rocks provide structure for the pebbles and sand. 

PULLING IT ALL TOGETHER – SIMPLY AMAZING

I can't tell you how impressed and amazed I am at the process.

I have been working on a content plan. 

As a rule, I like to write and post what I am passionate about at the moment.

I never am at a loss of words, my problem is only that I don't have time to say it all.

So I didn't see the need for a larger outlook concerning content.

Caroline Middlebrook has just written a blog post that really says it all about the benefits of writing 'in the flow'.

The good news is that I truly believe that you can plan, and write in the flow.

The trick is exactly as she says, write it while you are inspired, even if it means blocking bigger amounts of time to do it.

I've had the same experience, writing down a really good blog post idea that I could have hammered out in a few minutes, only to have no idea what I was talking about when looking at it later :0) 

The problem with writing all the time with no plan about the finer points as to what you are doing, is that other things fall by the wayside.

It becomes impossible to create marketing plans, to synchronize your newsletters to your content etc.

It's all left to chance and the whim of the day. 

After making a cohesive plan for content, I could see right away the error of my ways, and how planning, and meshing the cogs together, like a well oiled wheel could bring everything together in a way that I only dreamed of.

I really think it could be the missing link, the thing that the successful people do. The ones who you wonder why they seem so pulled together?

It's because they are.

And this is one way that they do it. 

Mary Kate and Ashly were on Oprah the other day talking about their fashion design business success, their schedules are booked 3 months in advance.

WHAT IF I LIKE TO BE SPONTANEOUS 

And it doesn't mean that you no longer can be spontaneous.

If anything, the process opens up even more creativity.

Ideas flow like water once you have focus and get started.

Instead of limiting myself and sitting down to write one blog post for example, since I have in mind to do a few, one seems to come from the other. 

And once again, I have to thank Alice Seba for the epiphany and her free Internet Sweetie planning package.

You may want to pick up her Sweetie Saturday Report as well, this month is all about Content Distribution – what to do with all that great content so that it get's seen and a lot more good stuff.

This month you get a bonus report as well – Online Marketing in Tough Economic Times: 148 Free and Nearly Free Strategies to Promote Your Online Business.

Who can't use that right now!

And if you'd like more information on plugging it all in, check out my 1,000 Hours Project.

You can sign up for some free resources that will help you to lay the foundation and stick to your plans.

IN A NUTSHELL 

Creating a plan – big picture and down to the finer details will give a focus to your business that you have never seen before.

It almost magically transforms what was once a scattered unknown into a solid mass of unbreakable momentum.

It's incredible.

If you aren't doing this right now, I can't tell you enough, give it a try.

Take a big step up today and give it a try.

And let me know how it goes, I would love to hear from you.