Do As I Say, Not As I Do!
Do as I say, not as I do...
I know how it works. I tell others how-to do it and I try to hold myself accountable... I failed this last week.
So, I ended up taking a last minute (literally 3 days notice) trip to Alaska. Staying at a friend's fish camp, going fishing, hanging out, etc.
Normally, I'd prepare ahead of time and get some articles scheduled up to automatically post while I'm away and so on. I didn't do that this time.
Sure, I can blame the last minute planning and say I didn't have the time but that's no excuse. I told myself I'll work on it on the plane and during my down time while I'm up there, etc. Guess what? It didn't happen.
Here I am, sitting in the cabin typing up this post on WA, not as an excuse but because it's on my weekly list to do so and I'm trying not to fall behind on everything. I have kept up on my Monday through Friday tasks of helping 5 people and leaving 3 site comments, etc. And my Monday, blog on WA task as well.
Where I failed was on my 2 site posts per week per site... That's 4 posts total per week. Now I'm only 1 week behind and I'm one of those guys who doesn't just say oh well and mark it off. I will now be adding those 4 posts to this week's schedule and posting 4 posts per site this week.
The worst part is, I've been doing so wall at posting consistently. This is both good from my reader's standpoint as they know when to expect new content as well as from an SEO perspective. I might have hurt myself just a bit on this slip.
So here's the plan:
Write at least 2 articles on my flight back on Wednesday. I have approximately 4 hours of in-air time so I should be able to get that done.
I'm also hoping to get at least one written tomorrow after I drive back to Anchorage.That leaves 5 to write through Wednesday afternoon through Saturday.
I might be biting off more than I can chew. It might be more realistic for me to add 2 this week and 2 the following week making it 6 articles per week for 2 weeks instead of 8 articles in just 1 week. I thought that if for some reason I don't get them all done, the remainders will be tacked onto the following week's schedule. Which will still be true either way.
I don't want to over extend myself so the 6 article approach seems more appropriate. That would bring the Wednesday afternoon through Saturday count down to 3 articles to write this week with the understanding that I'd have the two extra the following week.
What I'm trying to say here is, don't do what I did. Don't fall behind and play catch up. If you do fall behind, don't just write it off, stick to your plan and hold yourself accountable.
OK, time to get off my soapbox and get back to the festivities at hand. See you all when I'm back to the grind stone Wednesday afternoon!
Scott
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You know what they say, all work and no play ... Gosh, that sounds like a wonderful trip. Enjoy it. You don't want to burn out. It's okay to take time off now and then. :) Paula
I am leaving this coming Friday for a 7 day Alaskan cruise. I have been told I am not allowed to bring my laptop. I will not be doing anything associated with WA for like ten days. I am going to get way behind on my two sites and the SAC challenge. Oh well, I really need the break.
My mother always used that expression that is your title. I think my takeaway as a kid was that I could get away with things! If I'm still thinking that way at my advanced age, I guess there is no hope for me to follow the straight and narrow all the time.
I would say you should take a vacation and not worry too much about it. Sometimes it is good to detach and unwind. Just curious, at the rate you write, do you also have another full time job or is WA your full time job?
Michelle
I work full-time from home so I can sneak in time for my WA endeavors during the day, usually during breaks and my lunch.
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Boy, do I know what you mean. I was fortunate on my month in California; was in one quiet place with my computer close at hand. Was able to keep up.
That was before SAC. Now I run along as fast as I can, and still miss some stuff. AND I am going on a two and a half week trip very soon from Alaska to the east coast.
I am putting a little notice on my entrepreneur site that I will be gone for two weeks. However, have to keep up with the WA site because of SAC. I plan to write 6 posts while I'm gone...have already started collecting research materials. I have 3 of them nailed down so far.
It is hard enough keeping up on a regular schedule, but adding in time off to travel can be disastrous.Will do my best.
Hope you enjoyed your visit to Alaska. Good luck on catching up. You will make it, I'm sure. Just keep on keeping on. And, by the way, welcome home!
Thanks! I hit Kenai all the way down to Homer this run.