5 Steps to Reach Your Writing Goals in a Pinch

Met your article writing goals for the year? Congratulations! How did you do it?  Probably, by getting into a routine that you could handle easily no matter the circumstances you were in on any given day. But what if you haven’t reached those goals? Here’s a quick ‘cheat sheet’ on how to get into that frame of mind. First, these steps are meant for those in a time crunch or for those who have a fast approaching deadline. It’s always recommended that you develop a structured plan that helps you achieve your goals so you aren’t scrambling at the end to meet your goal. Next, use these steps to prioritize your tasks to make time for writing, budget your time effectively, and you will reach your target before you know it! 1. Identify Your Priorities – What tasks hold the greatest value (biggest ROI)? Make a list of everything you do in a given day and rank it starting with 1 as your highest priority. Delegate anything that is low priority. If delegation isn’t possible, let it go (deep breath) to make room for tasks that hold the greatest value to you. 2. Break it Down – Break down your tasks into actionable steps. For example, instead of “send tweet,” you might be break it down to “brainstorm tweet ideas,” “write tweets,” and “schedule/post tweet.” A more specific writing example would include “brainstorm article topics,” “outline article,” “draft article,” “edit article,” and “submit article.” 3. Increase Efficiency – Eliminate the following: Time sinks or activities that take up huge chunks of your time with little to no value. Self-induced or outside distractions that make you lose your focus Multi-tasking or not giving one task your full attention at any given time 4. Create a Plan – In the amount of time you have before your deadline, calculate how long it will take to perform a given task and schedule it at least a day in advance. To ‘amp up’ your writing efforts, take a day to write (or two or three – whatever you can). Clear your schedule and dedicate every resource you have to reaching your writing goal on that day. 5. Execute – Spring into action with every fiber of your being! Give every article an extra 10% of quality and originality to increase your ROI and exercise those article writing muscles. Start now! Make your plan and get everyone (friends, family, and peers) on board. Don’t end with a whimper simply because you didn’t make your goal. Be a success!