Are you just doing easy stuff?

Maybe I'm one of a minority that has problems getting down to business when I hit the computer, work, or whatever, but when I sit at the computer I really have to be conscious about what I'm doing there. If I sit down without a plan, I gravitate toward “easy” activities, like surfing on traffic exchanges, checking my stats, or floating around eBay. Sometimes I get into things that really are no more productive than watching TV, like surfing Digg or poking around YouTube.

You know, easy stuff.

Some of these activities accomplish something, but they accomplish very little. Take the traffic exchanges, for example. People can, and do, make fairly good livings just joining programs, promoting them, surfing the traffic exchanges, referring people, and building their list.

Promoting the programs is necessary, but the programs have to be in place, and it's best to make your own program and promote it. (That way you're not building someone else's business, you're building your own business with its own income stream.) I have the means to do this with the autoresponder script I bought, but I need to write and test a few splash pages and a series of messages to load into the autoresponder. This isn't quite as easy. This is real work.

The easy stuff is work, too, but it's work that hardly requires any planning. I can go to my favorite traffic exchanges and start clicking on the matching letters in about 15 seconds. It's easy.

Setting up the messages for the autoresponder takes thinking. It also takes planning.

The key difference is planning what to do during the whole time. The difference is whether or not you have a list of things ready to go or not when you sit down, and whether or not it's enough to last you as long as you have time to dedicate to the work. It's what makes an evening of computer work productive, marginally productive, unproductive, or even counterproductive.

I know from my own experience that once things are done, the mindless stuff fills the rest of my evening. Or, if I don't really ever start on things that are productive, I'll reach the end of my alertness, realize that I'm falling asleep, and try to do something productive. That works to some extent, but why only at the very end?

Whether it's work, or play, or building up a business, or meditation, or study, I get out what I put into it. Putting these activities on auto-pilot will fill the time, and it won't be stressful, but it won't really get me where I want to go.

Are there activities in your schedule that a little planning could make much more profitable for you?

9 thoughts on “Are you just doing easy stuff?”

I know my time use varies greatly depending on whether or not I have a plan for it. *Sigh* Tonight I'm not particularly organized…

I spend all day working on computers but find that some of the most productive time is spent away from the computer. It gives me the chance to think things through without being distracted by email or checking my web stats. If you keep a notebook with you it's amazing what you can come up with if you give yourself some space

Great point about planning the "whole time". I often find myself getting one or two things done and then getting distracted, and end up not being very productive overall. Of course, I am very easily distracted as well so that doesn't help.

I'm with RC. It seems like I always get s little distracted by the 150+ emails I get for work each day, the 50-100 phone calls, the people stopping by my office to say HEY!

If I can get just 3 or 4 things done, I feel like I've accomplished something.

Ive found I use my time well if I just decide to get things done in a block of time. I will sit down and do say 10 things in a row: pay bills, balance my budget, check bank accounts, etc all in one session and Im really efficient. If I don't do that, I can't manage my time worth crap.

I find that it depends. If I have a lot of work to do I will tend to focus on getting it done. Although I do tend to check stats and emails etc when I first switch on my computer, I excuse this by telling myself that I am just warming up by brain before I start the harder stuff, whether it actually makes any difference I am not sure.

I'm with RC and Jesse. I get easily distracted doing the little things and the next thing I know, the night has gone by and I haven't written an article or done my taxes or completed whatever was on my list of things to do.

I find it best to focus on getting everything done straight through without checking web stats or other distractions. Otherwise, I'll be off checking different things all night and nothing will get done.

I need better self-discipline!

Amen Patrick: thats probably my number one vice: self discipline. Its amazing how much procrastinating can cost you…I remember I ALWAYS used to put things off until the last second/too late (and still do sometimes, sadly) and all sorts of minor fees would pile up. Late rental fees, late bill paying fees, etc etc.