As my favorite Bravo-lebrity Sweet Brown says, “Ain't nobody got time for that!”
Sweet Brown was referring to the bronchitis she got from a fire in her apartment complex… So she really doesn't have time for that.
But I'm betting you've got time to finish your website, we just need to help you find it! This blog post is dedicated to all the Sweet Browns out there that need to find time for that.
Here are my 10 go-to steps for getting my ass in gear when I'm totally overwhelmed with a web project.
1. Grab a pen and paper and make a list of all the things you have left to do to get your website DONE. Every little thing. Leave no stone unturned and do a complete brain dump. Here's a fun template to help you make your list. Print 2 copies of this, you'll need one for step two.
2. On the second sheet, re-write that list but prioritize it by what things have to be done FIRST before the other things can be done. For example, you need to watch Day 2 before you can install plugins, or create a header image before you can finish your homepage, or a freebie before you can finish your optin (not everything has to be done in a certain order, that's okay. Just prioritize as much as you can). Then, download and print out this to-do list template and write just the very first thing from your priority list in today's section.
3. Do just the FIRST THING on the list today. Just the first thing. It's way less overwhelming to have one thing on your to-do list. Tomorrow, add the next thing to your list and do it. Commit to doing this for one week. You’ll start to build some major momentum when you knock out one little thing a day. Before you know it you'll be finishing multiple items a day.
4. If you work outside the home, plan to take a day off in the next week or so. But don’t work at home. Get up, get ready for the day and go to the nearest place with wifi. Close Facebook, close your email, put your phone on airplane mode. Grab that list you made and start at the top – no jumping around on the list. I’m assuming you have a laptop. If you don’t, get up, get ready and pretend like you are not at home. You’ll see why in the next tip.
5. If you stay at home with the kids, find a sitter for a day. Leave your house, go to the nearest place with free wifi and start working on your priority list from the top – no jumping around. You won’t be home to see all the dishes, laundry and dusting that is making you feel guilty for working on your website – you’ll have no choice but to work.
6. If you can’t take a whole day, take a half day! Try taking the very first part of the day when you are mentally fresh.
7. If taking a day off from work or kids is not an option, commit to waking up an hour earlier just one day next week and do one of those things on your list.
8. On your lunch break, do the very next thing on your list (and save yourself some time to eat!)
9. If the next thing on your list is a big thing, like “Finish Sales Page,” grab a pen and paper (or print another one of these) and take a minute to write down a mini-list of all the steps to finishing that page. Then start with the first few steps. Writing it down helps to take some of the overwhelm out of doing the task – you have a clear plan on paper that you can refer to and it feels awesome to check stuff off of a list!
10. Take a look at that list you made and ask yourself if EVERY SINGLE THING ON IT is necessary for you to go live. Are you trying to have 5 products done before you launch? An entire online course? All you REALLY need to get started what I teach you in the Free 5 Day Website Challenge – home page, opt-in, about page, blog page with a few posts. List building is #1. Sales come from your email list, not your website. Identify the bare minimum you need to have done to get started (hint: it’s all covered in the 5 Day.) You can work on those products once your site is working on building your list.
Building a website can be intense, and finding time for all the things we need to do is a challenge, especially with everything else we’ve got competing for our attention. You CAN find time to get this done and you’ll reap the rewards later!
Do you have any tips to share on finding time, prioritizing and just kicking some ass in general? Share them with me below!
