10 things to do when you get out of schedule

Last week I got all out of schedule with the political events and an unexpected trip to the hospital. Sometimes a year can feel a bit of a write-off (2020), sometimes a week can (last week), and sometimes a day simply can (not today!).

Here are ten ways to pick ourselves up, refocus, and get back to work on our websites when things are throwing us off course.

1. Simply start again

Every day can be the start of a new year, a change, a place to begin the work. Print off and use Austin Kleon’s 30-day challenge. It feels so good. Buy yourself gold stars instead of using red X’s if you need them.

2. Make a “daily big 3” list

These are the three most important tasks to complete today. Even if you just get these three things done, you can go to bed with a sense of accomplishment and success. I love my Full Focus Planner which forces me to think about these each day. (My newsletter, invoicing, and coding notes were my three tasks for today.)

3. Get outside

Even simply pulling out weeds in the fresh air is a chance to reset the mind and body. I came back to my house with a feeling of accomplishment and the motivation to get back to work.

4. Write a list of ten ideas

James Altucher inspired me with his idea machine article. Forcing your brain to come up with ten ideas to improve your website is a great exercise in creativity. The more you do it, the better you’ll become. It doesn’t even matter if most of the ideas are rubbish, there will be gems amongst them.

5. Take a break from the news for one whole day

Do it for as much as you can control on your end. Give your mind the time, silence, and space to process yesterday’s news without flooding it with more from today. You’ll be able to focus more and calm down a bit.

6. Listen to an old album

It needs to be one that you haven’t heard in ages and you used to be obsessed with it. You’ll feel good, refreshed, and think about great memories.

7. Call one person

Pick up your phone and call one of your favorite clients, customers, or business contacts that you haven’t had communication with for over three months and ask how they are doing. Ask them if they have any suggestions for your website or business. For example new services, offerings, or improvements. Or, ask for a testimonial.

8. Do a super quick year-in-review

Look up your Top 20 most popular pieces of content in 2020 in Google Analytics. See what they have in common and what you can learn from them for creating new content.

9. Bring in fresh eyes

Huff Industrial Marketing has just launched a new website review service that steps you through a custom report with 10 recommended fixes for your website. (One of my roles is Creative Director for Huff Industrial Marketing, for manufacturing clients.)

10. Watch Ted Lasso

End the day watching my favorite TV show of 2020, Ted Lasso. We all need someone like Ted in our lives to make us feel good about humanity.