Magic Timebox Cures Overwhelm
Published: Tue, 03/03/09
Memo From: Marlon Sanders
Memo To:
Re: So you feel overwhelmed?
Hey,
If you feel overwhelmed, don't worry.
I'm gonna show you how to fix it.
1. The cause of overwhelm
The cause of overwhelm is having a list of things to do with no
priorities set.
This results in mental clutter.
2. The results of overwhelm
To get everything on your un-prioritized list done, you work
longer and harder.
Then you burn out or get tired and discouraged.
3. The cause
The cause of overwhelm is having no system to manage priorities.
You need a system.
4. The solution
The solution is to set priorities.
a. List the projects you are trying to get done
b. Rank the projects by roi and risk
How much $$$ best guess is each one worth?
What is the probability of success?
You can create whatever ranking system you want. But you need
to think about what is the payoff of each project. What is the
risk? What is the investment required?
For example, if one project requires you to use know how you
already possess or have purchased in the form of ebooks and
courses yet another requires new purchases, consider that.
5. Timebox your work
After you decide which project you will focus on, then break
it down into a series of tasks that are 1 day in length,
whatever a working day is for you.
For example, if you have 1 hour per day to work on tasks, the
break it down into 1 hour tasks and knock one out each day.
I attempted to do this for you in my Dashboards.
Here are the basics you need to know:
WHAT are you going to sell?
WHO are you going to sell to?
WHAT will you offer them as a freebie to get 'em on your list?
HOW often will you follow up with emails?
Once you have these things going, shouldn't be too far away
from money in the bank.
Why?
Because if you know who you're gonna sell to, how you'll get
'em on your list and how often you'll email 'em content and
offers, you're 90% of the way there.
People on my blog sometimes say, "I've been trying this but I
don't have money yet. How come?"
Well, you don't know WHO you're selling to, you don't have a hot
freebie to get 'em on your list, and you aren't sending out promos
and content.
If you don't know WHO you're selling to, WHAT you're going to
offer them to get on your list, or HOW often you will email
them, or you don't have the freebie created or the squeeze
page set up, then how are you going to get anywhere?
Pick ONE objective that you can ACCOMPLISH in 30 days or less.
In general I recommend 2-week timeboxes.
Break it down into daily tasks that match the amount of time
you have available.
Stick to the plan.
Test out what you did at the end of the time period and see if
your time was well spent.
Here are the COMMON MISTAKES:
1. Creating a task list that don't match the amount of time you
have to spend daily.
2. Creating a project that exceeds 30 days (6 weeks max).
3. Allowing interruptions to distract you
If you are getting INTERRUPTED then you need to SHORTEN the
time length of the objective you're shooting for.
I recommend TWO WEEK intervals.
Set a goal for the next TWO WEEKS.
Decide you're spending X hours per day on the goal. That is your
daily timebox.
Break the goal down into daily tasks that match that amount of
time.
Now, TRY to stick to that plan for TWO WEEKS. That is your
2-week timebox.
Can you stick to ONE GOAL for 2 weeks?
The PROBLEM is most people have VAGUE GOALS and no task list
that matches the amount of time they have to spend.
Now, if you cannot stick to a 2 week goal, then try a 1 week
goal.
Or get a coach. If you can't stick to a 2-week goal, you
probably need a coach to help you stay on track.
Since 1998 I've been advocating that you target a group of people,
find out what they want to buy and create products to sell 'em.
If you think about it, that's a pretty Evergreen system. The
time and money you invest to learn how to do THAT won't be out
of date tomorrow.
And it's a CLEAR method you can understand.
If you ARE NOT getting results, you don't have a target audience,
you don't know what they wanna buy, you haven't created a product,
you aren't driving traffic to a squeeze or you aren't sending
emails that get people to buy.
See, THAT is a model you can readily understand.
It's a model you can easily troubleshoot.
It's a model where it's CLEAR what you need to focus on next.
Look at this list:
1. Target a market
2. Find out what they want to buy
3. Create product
4. Create squeeze page
5. Drive traffic
6. Send emails
7. Makes sales
8. Take money
9. Deliver product
Where are YOU on that list?
Take wherever you are and set a 2-week goal. Something you can
actually DO in 2 weeks. Then break it down into daily increments
that match how much time you realistically have to spend each
day.
Now in 2 weeks, see where you are. And set your goal for the
NEXT 2 weeks.
Come back to that list and see where you are.
Print the list out.
Write it on a board.
Check off each step.
If you're on step 4 and someone wants you to buy a product about
step 8, you might think twice about getting it.
Let me ask you something.
How focused have you been on THAT formula?
Would you be better off if you had FOCUSED JUST on that formula
over the past 6 months?
Do you read my weekly ezine I put out on Saturday?
Because in that ezine I help you FOCUS on the above steps. And
my ezine has a ton of content. You can check it out at:
http://www.marlonsnews.com
Best wishes,
Marlon Sanders
PS: Here are my solutions to help you:
Targeting a market: pushbuttontargetmarket.com
Product creation: http://www.productdashboard.com
Building your list & making sales: http://www.promodashboard.com
Designing your web site & ordering system:
http://www.designdashboard.com
Coming up with product ideas or a plan:
http://www.marlonsanders.com/ockham
Starting your own affiliate program to get traffic for your
product: http://www.affiliatedashboard.com