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Work Smart — I mean SMRT.

Archived in Business, Free, Time, Managing | No Comments

I stumbled onto an interesting site that has been helping me keep organized on a day by day basis. The creators of this relatively simple system have made available a set of download-ready cards for you to print and use in your office, BUSINESS, or freelancing work-a-day world.

The tool is call the SMRT Card System (click for a link) and makes use of a simple four-goal approach to TIME management. SMRT.

S stands for SOONER IS BETTER which means, simply, this is my top priority for the day. If nothing else on the list gets done today, this is a must. It could be something as simple as a returned email or phone call — or it could be filing that report. But whatever it is, it’s a priority.

M stands for MEDIUM TERM GOALS or those things that should get going soon. I usually note something here that needs to get started, a small project that I need to kick off, a list I need to tackle, or a meeting I need to set up. Make it something too big and you’ll get discouraged.

R stands for RISKING SOMETHING and is one of my favorites. Third on the list it’s both a reward and a motivator. If I get to this point in the day I’ve virtually given myself permission to take a RISK. What does that mean? It could mean sketching out a new idea, following up on a lead that might not make 100% sense, or going out on a limb. The key is RISK — not too much, but just enough to try open new horizons.

T is for TOMORROW TODAY and is where I tend to get a kick start on things I might have otherwise put off. This item is the opposite of procrastination, and being the evil guy I am, my ‘morning self’ usually tortures my ‘evening self’ by listing something that we’d both rather put off. But it’s on the list — so it get’s done.

The advantages to this, that I can see from using it myself:

1) Anyone can tackle four objectives in one day, provided they are basic and managable.
2) Keeping score is a motivator.
3) Accomplishment, no matter how small, can be a drug for people like you and me.

The system revolves around the idea that setting out four tasks for your day is a simple, early morning activity. It means sitting, as you are drinking your coffee or munching down a slice of lightly buttered toast, and sketching out four places you need to be by the end of the day. Check it out. IT’S FREE, too.

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Blogging for Fun and Profit — Part 1

Archived in Business, Blogging | 1 Comment

What better way to make a few bucks on the side than by writing about your passions. Sure, you could sign up for a penny-per-paragraph freelance writing site, but who has TIME for all the edits and re-edits that go along with that?

What you really need is a highly topical blog: no, that’s not a chronicle of your life, bland stories about your kids or your PETS (unless that’s your focus), or a pointless collection of LINKS. I’m referring to — very specifically — an eclectic set of knowledge about a very specific topic.

You Require:

- A cheap hosting package. I recommend a company such as 1&1 who offer high-quality hosting at bulk prices. Sign up for a beginner package and you get a FREE domain name, and more space and bandwidth than you’ll need for a long TIME.

- Blogging software. We use Wordpress and we love it. It is simple enough to install yourself, and highly adaptable to your needs with loads of plugins waiting to be discovered. If you don’t know how to install software on a server, learn, or quit reading this now. There are no shortcuts, sorry.

- A topic. You may already know what that is. If not, carry a scrap of paper around for a day or two and make a note of your habits and hobbies, favorite shows, books, programs, or people. Then start writing.

- Google Adsense. Google it, or click one of the referral LINKS in this blog for more information on how to sign up. (We’d appreciate it!)

- Just a few minutes a day. Write. Just write what comes to you. But stay on topic. Be concise and clear. And check your spelling. (The keyword searchers usually spell correctly enough to avoid sites with incorrect spelling.) Firefox has a spell checker built right in. Use that instead of Internet Explorer.

In our next installment we’ll talk a little bit about how to dive deep into a topic, and flesh out articles that will drive traffic to your site.

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