In my last post I talked about taking action. Nothing happens unless you move.

However action itself needs to be qualified.

You know all too well, you can be very busy, every day, and still find that at the end of a given period, you are no where closer to what you said you wanted to achieve – not daily, but big picture – what’s the goal?

What we CHOOSE to work on first on our list, is as important as having a list to choose from in the first place.

The method I’m about to share was inspired by this post from David Cain’s Raptitude blog.

If you don’t have a master task list, I suggest doing a brain dump. Just literally write all the things you need to get done, that’s swirling around in your head.

Next I would separate that list out into personal and business.

For the sake of this post, I am focusing from here on in on your business list.

I like to segment my list into the following blocks.

My non-negotiable blocks include:

• My morning gratitude block
• My goal review block
• My writing block
• My framework for posting block, once I’m done writing – that is, where will I share the information and how will I share it – will I share the article in its entirety or will I share a quote or a paragraph.
• My daily marketing block

Once the non-negotiables are completed then I can work on projects, reading and research, and client work.

These blocks are 25 minutes long. I use a physical kitchen timer – to keep track of the time.

The most important activity for any Well-Paid Professional is to build a platform – some sort of vehicle that distributes specific value to a specific group of people, consistently, over time. Your platform might be as simple as an email newsletter, or a podcast, or a print newsletter, or even a video series. You get to decide on your frequency. I’ve chosen daily with my Well-Paid Pro Client Letter, but I have to do better because daily means daily and I haven’t been consistent so far. September holds promise though!

The next activity in terms of importance is your daily marketing habit. I am always surprised at how easily marketing gets put on the backburner when it is the only way that anyone is going to know what you’re doing. Don’t overcomplicate marketing. Your habit can be as simple as this:

1. Make one targeted connection on LinkedIn
2. Make 3 useful comments on LinkedIn
3. Strengthen 3 customer relationships – send a relevant resource, shake the tree – find out what’s going on with them, if there are any other ways you might be able to support their journey
4. Create a targeted list of no less than 50 potential clients and then email 1-3 people a day, sharing your expertise and possible ways you can help. [Do some research first. Speak to particular issues you already know are there]

Let’s face it – we are all guilty of not marketing ourselves consistently.

We get busy with client work and putting out fires. Or life happens. And before we know it, our work pipeline is completely dry. So we go on a desperate blitz to find work. Which often leads to poor decisions and unnecessary stress.

ED GANDIA

I learned about and worked with Austin L. Church, a writer, brand strategist, and business coach, in developing my morning marketing habit. He truly understands how we can change our behavior by making simple and easy adjustments to our daily practices.

This is not an affiliate link. If you want to find out more about Austin’s program click here. If you want to hear Austin speak about his program, click here.

Put an end to the exceedingly damaging and debilitating feast or famine cycle. Focus on those habits that are guaranteed to bring you the results you’re after.