Five Questions to Beat Inertia and Gain Momentum

photo credit: bwd8010

There will be no Trip Around the Blogosphere this week. Not because there hasn’t been anything worth linking to, but because I honestly haven’t had time to read much, let alone write about it. Instead, this Sunday I want to talk about a new system I have been using to maximize the time I have to work online.

On the drive home Friday, I was scrolling through all the tasks I wanted to get done this weekend. It got to the point where I started to stress myself out a bit. Negative thoughts are something I try my best to avoid at all times so when I catch myself thinking them I really focus and put a positive spin on things. In this case, I realized that all the tasks I had to do were self-appointed and the reason why I was doing them was because I am thoroughly passionate about my online work. Now what could be bad about that?

Once I had that straightened out, it was just a matter of figuring out what I was most interested in doing. Awhile ago, I came up with a series of questions that helps me determine where to start when my to-do list becomes overwhelming. Putting this list into play is a great way to avoid inertia and gain momentum in a productive direction. Since the list has helped me so often, I thought I would share it here.

• Do I Have Any Deadlines?

  We don’t always have the luxury of doing what we want when we want to. Sometimes there are clients waiting or doors closing soon and we just have to buckle-down and get things done. I’m not even sure this should be on this list because when we have deadlines, our time isn’t really our own to plan. I mean, sure, you could choose to miss the deadline, but that’s just shooting yourself in the foot. If you have a looming deadline, get that task done first. That way, you really can be free to choose.

• What Will Make Me Money?

  For some of you, this will always be the first question. With my 9 to 5, I don’t have to always ask myself this question. However, it is still near the top when I am trying to figure out where to start. If you are looking at a long to-do list and you just don’t know where to begin, ask yourself which of the activities is most likely to make you some money.
  
  It doesn’t matter if it’s short-term or long-term profit. If you are choosing between writing a review of a new social network or writing a review of software you use for which you are an affiliate, go with the software. It’s a simple way to narrow down your tasks if you are the only one counting on you to get things done.

• Do I Feel Creative

  I always have at least a few things to do that require a bit of creativity. Whether it is a blog post that requires more than just the facts or a header for a new site, I am not always at my best for getting these types of things done. So when I do feel creative, I take advantage of it.
  
  The only drawback - if you want to consider it that - with this question is that sometimes a creative mood will take me away from work altogether. When I am feeling especially creative, sometimes I’d rather devote my time to drawing, painting or playing guitar. Unless I am under deadline, I welcome the change of pace and just go with it. As with the money question, my 9 to 5 often gives me the freedom to do what I want in my “free” time. It’s very strange to think of my 9 to 5 as freeing, though, because most of the time I consider it the most restraining thing in my life. Hmmm…

• How is my Attention Span?

  Some tasks take 100% of your attention and others don’t. It seems like an obvious statement, but we can’t always force ourselves to focus. when I need to read to learn, watch a how-to video or write a blog post, it is very hard to do if my attention span isn’t with me. So if I know I’m not at the top of my game focus-wise then I will do something a little less intense.
  
  
  This question is especially helpful when I have just come home from a particularly hectic day at my 9 to 5. Those type of days tend to put me in multi-task mode, not a great state for activities that require all my attention for a length of time. I like to use this time to read interesting blog posts, write links posts or jump around on forums. Once I start working, I usually find my interest sparked and eventually I end up focused on something.

• Do I Just Need a Break

  
  
  I’m not always great at checking in with myself when it comes to physical or emotional well-being. I am the type of person who will ignore or hold everything in until I reach the tipping point and explode. Boy, that was a nice mixed-metaphor wasn’t it? Yikes. Anyway, sometimes when my to-do list seems overwhelming it is simply because my brain needs a break. Between my often-brain-busting 9 to 5 and my always-bustling work online, I often find myself burning the candle at both ends. This would be okay, except that eventually my work (in both places) starts to suffer and sometimes I just plain shut down.
  
  When I start to feel overwhelmed to the point of inertia, I remove myself from my home office. Sometimes I need a full day away from my PC and sometimes a couple hours will do the trick, but I have gotten better at knowing when it is time to paint, nap or hang out with my friends. By including this question on my regular prioritizing list, I force myself to check in and can catch my burn-out before it reaches that always-explosive tipping point. Heh.

And there you have it. The five questions I ask myself when I’m just not sure where to start. So readers, tell me how you prioritize? How do you know when it’s time to take a break? Is it always about the money? Share with me.

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