Do you want to become a productive marketer?
I know. It's a dumb question. Because whether or not you answered yes or no to that question, the truth is that every content marketer is trying to get more done. For most of us, 24 hours a day, and 168 hours a week don't seem to be enough any longer.
What could be the cause?
Why is every one complaining, and if it was possible I know you may even ask for more time. But unfortunately, nature doesn't permit that.
Having thought about it for a while, I decided to watch 10 most popular TED talks that answered my questions. In fact, the answers given were quite different from the typical advice such as: work on important tasks.
Content marketing works, if you approach it with a productive mind and strategies. More so, content marketers have a lot of challenges. According to Content Marketing Institute, 21% of content marketers struggle to produce enough content. This is the direct effect of not getting things done.
If you don't want to get stranded by these challenges, here is a list of 10 most popular ted talks that will make you a productive content marketer, today:
1. The Workforce Crisis of 2030 – And How To Start Solving It Now – Rainer Strack
Rainer Strack is a human resource expert. He believes that the workforce crisis and low productivity at workplace can be solved by adopting a "people advantage."
In other words, set goals, develop visions that will unite the people together and bring out the best in them. If you're a B2B company or marketer and you work with a team, this is going to help you stay productive.
Having an employee-centered thinking can go a long way in helping your team develop an attachment towards their job. For example, if you're in charge of content marketer in your company, and you've a team that you work with, the very fact that you put them first will inspire them to put in their best creativity.
No matter the crisis or difficulty that you're currently facing in your business, you can get rid of it easily. Recognize every member of your team, respect their opinion and teach them if you must.
This is particular important if you outsource some tasks/job to professionals whom you don't have control over. Even if your team works remotely (like Buffer's staff members), still give them the honor.
2. As Work Gets More Complex, 6 Rules To Simplify – Yves Morieux
This is another popular most popular ted talks that you should watch. The Speaker, Yves Morieux is an A-list consultant who believes that simplifying your work is the easiest way to get it done.
Content marketing today is dizzyingly complex, and the traditional pillars for managing them no longer seems to work.
Once of the rules out of the 6 for simplify tasks in complex environment is to "understand what your colleagues actually do." In the field of content marketing, this is equivalent to understanding what your competitors do.
Because if you're a search engine marketer, then you've to follow other search engine marketers as well to know they're doing – whether good or bad. You learn to do the good, and also learn to avoid the bad.
3. How To Save The World (or at least yourself) from bad meetings – David Grady
This TED talk doesn't concern you, right?
You're WRONG!
Having a successful meeting has everything to do with effectively deploying your content marketing campaign, and making smarter decisions.
Have you ever attended a mastermind? If you did, you'll agree with me that if there is no agenda or strong reason for the getting together, you'll end up ranting and at the end, you'll only lament.
This TED talk has generated over 1,600,000 views total views since 2013. David Grady says that if you can save yourself from bad meetings, you'll grow your business, get more done and be happy with what you're doing. What a relief?
4. How To Succeed? Get More Sleep – Ariana Huffington
Ariana Huffington is the founder of Huffington Post – one of the leading news sites in the world. She talked about having more sleep, if you want to succeed in your business. So how does sleeping help in productivity? Sleep is absolutely essential for every human being, and their are so many things about sleep that you don't know.
What goes on when you sleep:
- Your brain recharges
- Your cells repair themselves
- Your body releases important hormones
According to the Better Sleep Council, sleeping positions has a lot to show about your personality as well. Just take a look at this:
A BBC study examining the impact of sleep found the sleep is good for the body and brain. When you fall into deep sleep, you put your subconscious mind into active work, and when you wake, you're a new man. You're ready to face every challenge with fresh ideas, maybe the ideas that dropped while you were dreaming.
As a content marketer, never skip sleep. No matter the work you've on the desk, give time to sleep and you'll experience a sudden boost in your productivity, quality of work and confidence.
5. How Too Many Rules At Work Keep You From Getting Things Done – Yves Morieux
Yes, I agree with Yves Morieux on that. Too many rules at work, home, or while on vacation can actually cripple your joy. It's a kill-joy. I know that we can't live without rules, that's the reason the government makes laws, which is in the constitution.
No smart marketer is working hard to get, but to become. Because when they become the replica of the person that they see in their vision, goals and challenges, they can achieve anything. When tough times come, it's not what you've got that will save you, but who you're – the quality of your personality.
In the same vein, rules can make or mar your personality. That's why you shouldn't always wait until all the rules are sorted out before you can launch your blog post, write articles, do videos, record podcast or attend a live event.
The rule that I follow is this: do it now.
But what if you fail when you don't follow the rules? Better!
Failure is not for lazy people, but for marketers who really work hard. So fail forward and learn from them. But minimize the rules. If you've to follow any rule, make sure it will nudge you to 'do' and not to wait.
6. Smash Fear, Learn Anything – Tim Ferriss
7. Success Is A Continuous Journey – Richard St. John
8. Smart Failure For A Fast-Changing World – Eddie Obeng
9. All It Takes Is 10 Mindful Minutes – Andy Puddicombe
10. In Praise Of Slowness – Carl Honore
Conclusion
The lessons that you'll learn from one TED talk above will live with, inspire and put you on the course of success. Becoming a successful online marketer has little to do with creating fresh content. It's about "taking the right action steps."
As a content marketer, you've to understand that hope is not a strategy. If you want to remain productive and get more done in the midst of complicated tasks, you've to learn to promote your health and embrace stillness.
It may seem counter-intuitive, but understand that being busy is quite different from being productive. You can be busy and still not achieve any worthwhile feat in a day.
Do you've any secret for staying productive in your business?