When I first started blogging, I didn’t have a plan.
Like zero plan let’s just see what this button does type thinking. This is so, so, SO wrong.
Yes, inspiration can strike at any time and by all means, girl, don’t ever ignore it, but if you want to create consistency in your branding and your message you’ve got to plan stuff out.
It can be tedious.
It can seem stupid.
It can seem counter creative.
But it is vital.
Truthfully, creating consistency is all about developing habits. Good habits. These can be easy to put in place by using a checklist to create a workflow.
This can ensure you create consistency in not only your posting schedule, but in your social media and other content as well. You want to constantly be in front of your readers where they begin to start looking for your posts at a certain time. They’ve been conditioned for it and want more right then!
(Consistency is key, people!)
Having an effective workflow is one of the most important things you can do for your blog and business.
I love using Asana for this! It’s super easy to use. You can make it pretty with color coding and it’s also like a virtual checklist.
The other great thing about it is that you can put the workflow into your batching schedule to make it even more effective for your productivity. With it being on your calendar, you can intentionally plan all of your content.
You can see what you need and what you don’t need, move things around and generally keep moving forward.
Here are three reasons why you need a digital workflow created and in your life.
1. YOU BECOME HYPER FOCUSED ON THE TASK AT HAND.
There is nothing worse than being all over the place when trying to create for your business and get the regular operating tasks done, but you seem to just be chasing your tail. An effective workflow is basically the blueprint you need to create for yourself to get it all done and done well. If you lay out exactly what you need to do and when you need to do it, you’ll never forget to add that click to tweet before hitting publish ever again.
2. YOU NEVER MISS ANOTHER CRITICAL COMPONENT OF YOUR POST.
You have a bomb post, and you realize your forgot to share it somewhere or you forgot to create something REALLY important. A checklist is the best thing that can ever happen to you. And with it being digital, it automatically refreshes itself for the next week. Who doesn’t love things being on auto-pilot?! You don’t want to be sitting there scratching your head wondering what you’ve forgotten. Time is precious, especially when you’re hustling on the side while still working your day job. Save your sanity and take 15 minutes to create a workflow for yourself. It will be the best 15 minutes you spend on your business with some really great long term effects.
3. YOU START GETTING FASTER.
The more you do stuff the same way every time, the faster you become. Eventually, your admin tasks become second nature to you and the checklist just becomes a way for you to keep yourself honest. Another great thing is that when you are ready to outsource, onboarding your VA will become SO much easier. Especially if you are using Asana because you can just assign the task from you to them. Piece of cake! Having everything written down and all in one place will also help you to modify as needed or as you think of more efficient ways of doing things. This can make trying someone coming into help you way better for not only you, but them. It will cut down on the “what do I do next” questions. This way, when you are ready to outsource, the pace at which you keep gaining speed just grows by leaps and bounds. Which is what we all want, right?
Workflows are probably one of the most over looked components in a blogging routine. People sometimes don’t realize that the simplest things create the most clarity for themselves.
Taking the time to really plan out what needs to be done when will also help you when it comes time to figure out what tasks you can batch together to really ramp up your productivity!
Hop over here for a step by step tutorial on how to build your own workflow in Asana.
I hope you found this helpful. I know that creating one for myself has made all the difference in the world for my productivity and for my planning. I am able to get more done in less time which is great. I feel like I have my hands around everything that needs to be done to continuously move my business forward, which is a critical mindset to have. Now get out there and start creating that workflow that will make your life easier!
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