You’ve Got to Read This: January 11, 2011

You can’t go far on the web without tripping over a productivity expert, or lifestyle guru but that’s another story. Unlike many productivity posts, this list from Lifehacker of ten ways to upgrade your morning routine is well worth reading. It includes a few ideas I hadn’t seen before — ideas that make sense and are doable.

My mornings have been more productive lately not only because of the push-ups that Lifehacker encourages, but also because I’m using time blocks to schedule my day. Beth Kanter introduced me to this idea in her post Time Management for Nonprofit Social Media Professionals. She shares a video that Chris Brogan made explaining how he uses time blocking.

My friend Lynn Morton explains why sometimes a timely and relevant post must override your editorial calendar. She talks about “piggybacking onto (a) collective experience,” like a conference or new trend. Editorial calendars are a must when blogging but often it’s the inspired thoughtful post discussing a hot topic that brings readers to your blog, and energy to your fingertips.

Here’s a short and not-so-sweet but necessary read: Michael Hyatt’s Why I Stopped Reading Your Blog. I squirmed a bit when reading it because it made me realize that even though I think I’m a pretty good blogger, there is still a lot of room for improvement. No more 500+ word posts!

I’ve talked to people who are hesitant to spend time on social media platforms because they’re uncomfortable putting their life out there for all to see, or they dread finding themselves in awkward situations. There are ways to make social media work for both your personal and professional lives. Angela Connor explains how to “take back your power” by developing a personal social media policy and shares her policy with us.

It can’t be helped, my final suggestion is another post by Lynn Morton – she’s on fire! Like me, Lynn is returning to her yoga practice. She explains the yoga concept of being present and gives ideas on how to apply that presence to your social media tactics. It’s not a woo-woo post, she provides solid social media advice.

Author: deirdrereid

Deirdre is a freelance writer for companies serving the association market. After more than 20 years managing associations and restaurants, she's enjoying the good life as a ghostblogger and content marketing writer for the association community. Away from her laptop, you can find her walking in the woods, enjoying live music, reading hundreds of newsletters, watching hockey, cooking, hanging at the local brewery or tap room, or relaxing in a comfy chair with a good Kindle book and a glass of something tasty in hand. View all posts by deirdrereid