Here’s my day so far…

1. Got up. Always a good start to the day.

2. Got the kiddos off to school.

3. Remembered today is Wednesday, which is the day of the week that the house-keepers come, so started to panic and clean the house – fast.

4. Connected with Ronnie Nijmeh on Instant Messenger about his latest affiliate contest. Got a link for it. Here it is: Win cool stuff from Ronnie.

5. Connected with David Perdew in Email about his latest affiliate contest. Got a link for that. Here it is: Win cool stuff from David.

6. Sent an email to my affiliates about both affiliate contests. Hoping some of them jump on the opportunity and win lots of fun stuff for themselves.

7. Sent an email to FreeAffiliateArticles.com about both affiliate contests.

8. Contacted my Virtual Assistant to ask her to please post all emails that I send to my affiliates over to this page on my affiliate center. Nicole Dean Affiliate News.

9. Got an email from one of my coaching clients who would like to connect at noon today on the phone. Plugged in my cell phone so it'll be charged.

10. Got a password to my tech gal so she can help me streamline and optimize some things on one of my sites. (I'll share details if it works well.)

To do next…

1. Write first draft of this month's IncomeCPR.com lesson. It'll be on one of my FAVORITE topics. Really excited.

2. Send an email to my BrandableStuff.com list about Ronnie's Brandable Reports.

3. Fold laundry. Yes, all the laundry that I washed yesterday is currently laying on the couch. Will probably watch something on Netflix while I do.

4. When my son gets home from school, I'd like to train him how to brand brandable reports so he can help me with a project.

5. See if my VA can post some of my content, including my podcasts to the NAMS Membership area and NAMS blog.

6. Check with Melissa Ingold about the next CoachingPLRContent.com package that we were planning to release tomorrow and make sure I can help with the remaining pieces.

7. Go to spinning class tonight to make up for not exercising yesterday.

 How’s your day going? What’s on your agenda?

Please post your to do list for today as well as your progress. Looking forward to it!

Hugs and high fives,
N

I mentioned a few weeks ago that I've been in a business funk of sorts. I'm not down or depressed or anything and money is coming in just fine. I've just felt like laying in bed and watching Netflix, hanging out with my friends, cleaning the house, running errands, pampering myself, playing with the puppies, or going to the gym.

It started in July. I went on vacation for the month which was planned. I know I wasn't going to work much (if at all) on that trip other than writing a report for IncomeCPR.com. So, I didn't work and I had a ton of fun. But then when I got home the end of July, I just wanted to clean the house and spend time with my kids. Which was cool. I figured that once they were back in school, I'd get back to my super productive self.

It didn't happen that way. Instead, when the kids went back to school, I took some time to relax, thinking that I deserved it. (And, I do.)

But, then… I'd get up, head to my computer and think “Oh Good! Now that the kids are back in school, I have six full hours to work.” Six whole freaking hours! That sounded like such a lot of work. And, then, I'd crawl back into bed to watch a movie on Netflix or go read a book.

Usually when this happens, I commit myself to working 1 hour/day and just waiting it out. It's kind of like exercise. If I commit to walking 15 minutes/day, that's the hard part. I'll usually end up walking for 45 minutes to an hour once I get started. It's the starting and heading out that's hard.

So, that's what I've been doing. I get on for an hour each day, do my to do list of essentials like paying my affiliates – and then head to the gym or go on a walk and just enjoy my day.

Well, I was chatting with my good friend, Susanne Myers, and I told her that enough was enough and it was time for me to get out of this funk and get back to being super-productive. Now don't get me wrong — I've already decided that that does not mean sitting on my butt for six hours per day. That's just not what I want my days (or my butt) to look like. BUT! It does mean that I don't get to lay in bed with the puppies and watch Netflix all day either.

So, here's what we came up with. We're going to post our daily to do lists for a week, and share what we've gotten accomplished. And, I'd love for you to do the same. I think you'll find you'll get a ton more done than usual. I'm planning to.

Susanne and I often challenge each other in Instant Messenger, but for the next week, will do it on our blogs so you can keep track of what we're up to and how we spend our days.

Sound fun?

Since it's Friday, I'm taking it easy. This is my day so far…

1. Got up. Hey, that isn't always easy.   Realized I was in a good mood. The Packers won! WOOT! Got the kids off to school. Fed puppies.

2. Played FreeCell a half an hour on my iPad. As long as I'm winning most games in under 3 minutes, I'm happy. Otherwise, I get crabby.

3. Ran to Best Buy to get a new MP3/MP4 player. I was using my phone as a MP3 player at the gym, but I wanted something more disposable (ie. something I can sweat on) and that held a charge longer than my phone does. While my new toy has been charging, I loaded it up with tons of stuff that I'd bought and never listened to. I'm a terrible multi-tasker at home, so I work in silence. This means that I never listen to audio or video courses unless I drag my mentors on a walk, in the bath, or to the gym with me. (Yes, I've taken baths with more internet marketers than I should probably admit!)   This took an hour to upload the files. It's charging now for a trip to the gym in a little bit.

4. Connected with coaching client who wanted to celebrate a success. Cheered her on and answered her questions.

5. Played on Facebook for 5 minutes twice (total of 10 minutes).

6. Skimmed email for emergencies for 2 minutes. None so it can wait.

 7. Chatted with Susanne on IM. She's doing a PLR challenge on her blog and wanted to run it by me.

8. Susanne asked “Are you starting our Accountability Challenge or am I?” I said “I am.”

9. Melissa Ingold grabbed me on Instant Messenger to see if I had room in my promo calendar to release a new CoachingPLRContent.com package on the 15th. I said “yes”.

10. I received an invoice from a writer. Paid it.

11. Wrote this blog post up til this point.

It's 11:38 CST now.

I'm going to head to the gym and get smart in a few minutes. When I get back, I'm going to…

1. Finish prepping four packs for EasyPLR.com so they're done for the  month.

2. Connect with my tech gal about setting up Zen Desk for me.

3. Touch base with my copywriter to make sure she's got what she needs for this month's sales copy.

4. Outline my report for IncomeCPR.com for this month so I can get that written.

5. Run to the grocery store and get some eggs, a rotisserie chicken, smoked salmon, and avocados.

Wish me luck! Let me know what's on your to do list for today and how well it's going.

As for Susanne – tell me how your day has been and what you've gotten done and what you're planning for today.

Big hugs!

Nicole

PS. Be sure to swing by Susanne's blog and see what she's up to today, too. Affiliate Treasure Chest.

Updates are posted in comments below…

If you've missed past Expert Briefs, you can click on the undies to see them all –>

Here are a few of my favorite Expert Briefs:

• Tips to Make Working from Home More Fun
• How to Protect your Time and Get More Done in an Online Business
• Fess up, Marketers. Do you use PLR?

Today's question is –

What does a “typical” day or week in your business look like?
(If such a thing exists.)
Do you have a to do list for either that you can share?

And, here are our answers…

Alice Seba of Contentrix.com says:

Over the years, I've worked strategically to make sure my typical work day doesn't look like a typical work day. I make sure I work with partners and contractors so we can all focus on our strengths…leaving me to work on just a few specific things in my business.

The things I work on are:

* Marketing Strategy: While this is done to some degree on a daily basis, most strategizing takes place annually, then quarterly and most in-depth, monthly.

* Email Marketing & Promotions: This is my real strength and what my daily work is really focused on. On a weekly basis, I plan out emails an promotions and then work on them each day. This includes communication to subscribers, customers and affiliates.

* Product Development: For some products, I simply work on the ideas/planning, but where my expertise is required, I am more hands on. I generally keep product development work to one or two days per week.

Things I don't work on:

• Support, inquiries and administrative tasks. I have a capable assistant to manage this.
• Management of most of our contractors or writers. My business partners handle this.
• Technical tasks. I have a techie on board to install scripts, customizations, etc.
• Graphics. I just don't have the skills.

So to make a long story short, my work days are fairly short and are focused on strategizing, writing copy and sometimes developing products.

I will often work a little in the morning and finish up in the evening…rarely working more than 2 hours at one time. I find working longer than that, I get really distracted and start exploring other things I shouldn't be!

I also keep my iPhone around and that's what I use for my online goof off time…separate from work time. The laptop is for work. The iPhone is for social media, reading blogs, etc. So you'll often see me tweeting in the bank line up, while waiting for the kids, and reading blog posts while I relax on the couch.

Shannon Cherry of The Power Publicist says:

A typical week? Really?!? Is there such a thing when you have a business with reporters calling all hours of the day (and night), twin preschoolers and a business to run?

Actually there is. And that's because I plan and organize my weeks. Here's a glimpse on how I do it:

1) I have a six months+ plan I work with.
I know exactly what I'll be promoting when it comes to my products and services, as well as any affiliate or JV promotions six months in advance. That way I can plan what marketing I will do for each thing. I use a wall calendar to map it out so I know exactly what marketing has to be done when. (Hint: I work backwards from the launch date to set deadlines on what needs to be done when.)

2) I know when I'm at my best.
Unlike Nicole, who tends to be a night owl, I am an early bird. My creative ideas are abundant in the early morning and I can write quickly. By 2 PM, I need a nap! So I make sure I schedule my most creative work in the morning on my to-do list.

3) I split my week up into segments.
I have two days set aside for talking on the phone with clients. One day is strictly for writing. One day is a combo of writing and planning. (I try to take an extra day off to make a long weekend. That way I can meet any school obligations my kids have, as well as a little me time.)

4) I don't do my own scheduling.
I've learned I am too nice when it comes to putting people on my schedule for phone calls, etc. So I send all stuff about my schedule to my administrative director, who knows which days are for calls and schedules people accordingly.

Finally, here's one last tip:

Know – and accept – that there will be days that will screw up your best laid plans.

A kid gets sick. A reporter wants to interview a client on Good Morning America. Your Internet service dies. It happens and there's nothing you can do about it. So when you plan, don't over-plan your days. (Psst! It's one of the reasons I try to have that extra day off a week. It's a great to have a ‘just in case all hell breaks loose' day.)

And, here's my 2 cents.

Nicole Dean of .. here! .. says:

First of all, I love this quote from Alice “I've worked strategically to make sure my typical work day doesn't look like a typical work day“.

And, Shannon – this rocks! “It's a great to have a ‘just in case all hell breaks loose' day.”  Been there. Done that.

Boy, can I ever relate to both of those.

I asked our experts this question, because it's something I'm always in the process of re-evaluating and tweaking in my own business.

For me, the best use of my time is spent in content creation and networking.

So, the majority of my time that I work during the day is spent –

• Blogging here. (Creating content here.)
• Writing emails to customers &  leads. (Lists and relationship building.)
• Connecting with my friends/mastermind partners & affiliates. (Goal setting, brainstorming, and JVs.)
• Communicating with my team so things are running smoothly. (Business management.)
• Getting exposure on other sites (doing interviews, guest blogging, article marketing, and video marketing). (Traffic.)

The one thing that's been put on the back burner for me the last few months has been product creation. It's the easiest thing for me to let slide “just one more day”… so I'm actively working on that now before I get strung by by my toes from my mastermind partner (and before my customers who keep asking me WHEN I'll be teaching my next course come knocking at my front door to kidnap me and make me finish it). Yes, we all have obstacles to overcome.

ok. Back to getting things done. You guys know I'm a project person, so I like to break up my tasks by “chunking” them.

Rather than writing one email each day, I'll write all three for the week at one time and schedule them.

Rather than writing one blog post each day, I'll write a few and schedule them.

So, I've learned that I work better when I focus on a weekly set of goals (or a weekly schedule) instead of a daily one.

I'm the kind of person who would spend one full day exercising each month rather than having to do it on a daily basis. I'll also put off laundry until I have nothing to wear and am running around nearly nekkid. Then I'll spend a day doing laundry, knowing that I don't have to deal with it for another month. I also prefer to do batch cooking rather than cooking a meal every day. I'd rather make one big huge batch of chili and freeze it in meal-size containers than to have to cook every day. It's just how I work.

However, I've also known people who NEED a daily schedule. They thrive on knowing exactly what they'll be doing every day. It's about knowing yourself and being true to that.

Rather than setting yourself up to fail – set yourself up to succeed.

I have two lists. A “must do” list and a “wish list” of things that I'd like to accomplish, but that's a separate list. Never do the two meet.

So, here's my “must do” to do list for this week – the things that I have to do or my accountability partner will beat me:

– Final plan for my next infoproduct (outline, format, price)
– Order sales page for course
– 3 Blog Posts NOTN (here)
– 2-4 mailings (see promo schedule and decide based upon what provides most value to readers)
– Switch EasyPLR.com to WordPress (working with hubby on this)
– Daughter's birthday & party (make it rock!)

Next week, I'm focusing more on Traffic Generating activities.

The “must do” list doesn't look too impressive, in my opinion. (The “wish list” is much longer.) But then again, I don't work that many hours compared to a lot of my colleagues.  In fact, today, I'm working a whopping 2.5 hours total. When I'm on vacation, I don't work at all other than checking email every few days. But, the only reason I CAN do that is because I outsource to really smart people.

One other thing that's really helped me with my “to do” lists is this book –

Focal Point: A Proven System to Simplify Your Life,
Double Your Productivity, and Achieve All Your Goals

Knowing where your focal point is – WHERE you should focus your time – helps to prioritize. Your list may be completely different than mine or Alice's or Shannon's. But, knowing where you should focus helps you to make a smart decision.

I hope this was helpful.  Please throw your thoughts at me. I want them!

Warmly,
Nicole Dean

It's short, so take a quick listen.

What is YOUR dream? Are you working towards it? Set up your to-do list for this week to make sure that you're making progress toward reaching that goal.

Go get it!

Warmly,
Nicole Dean

Even with all of my helpers, sometimes my to do list can grow out of control. (ie. Client projects, homeschooling my son, two rambunctious puppies who want constant petting when they're not wrestling/tearing the house apart, my 6 year old daughter's daily melt down after she comes home from school worn out, volunteering, keeping helpers loaded up with tasks/projects, etc.) This is also the time of year where my husband coaches football, so I'm usually juggling it all by myself.

My friend, Annette, just shared a new “to do” list management system that has changed my life — and I'm only halfway done reading the darned thing!

I'm a big fan of making things as simple as possible, but sometimes it's hard to make something like an online business simple! Can I get an Amen?

Well, this guy has done it, and the book is freaking hilarious, as well.

I mean, really. Here's a quote: “Technology is like flatulence: it's a personal thing. I've learned to embrace both only when they offer measurable benefits.”

While I don't want to discuss the “benefits” of flatulence, I will tell you that I will be erasing my whiteboard (for the first time… ever) and rewriting the whole thing in a totally new style.

If you've got a Blackberry or Outlook “to do” list a mile long, I HIGHLY recommend this e-book.

Don't put it on your “to do” list or you might never get it done!

The much more simply organized,
Nicole