Not going to lie, I feel like I am in college again sometimes these days. Late nights, more computer time than sleep, so much to read and write and process that I stop comprehending the words on the screen in front of me. This morning I was listening to a blogging webinar while updating product photos on our website while answering a coworker’s question via text. Working from home is no joke, y’all!
There are so. many. articles/webinars/tutorials out there on the worldwide web. Who has time to absorb half of the information available, while there is still a business to run (or launch!), mouths to feed, and chores to complete? Living in a world with so. much. information is without question an incredible blessing, but it can also make life a lot harder if you don’t know how to filter all the information that is available to you. That is something I have learned the hard way. I have saved hundreds of “how-to” entrepreneurial pins, listened to hours of webinars, and installed countless productivity apps. My biggest mistake, though, was allowing myself to become so overwhelmed with ALL of the information available, that I didn’t focus on and truly learn from any.
“Your success will not come from the number of articles that you read, but rather from the principals and practices that you learn and apply consistently.”
So, if you are setting out on your work-from-home or entrepreneurial journey (or really any new life endeavor) – breathe. Slow. Down. Your success will not come from the number of articles that you read, but rather from the principals and practices that you learn and apply consistently. But what does this look like practically?
1. Narrow
If you need to learn about how to optimize a business Pinterest account, don’t just search “how to earn money from Pinterest,” or something like that. Think through the steps you need to get to that goal. What do you first need to know? Start there. Narrow your focus, and start specifically. Try searching something along the lines of “how to start a Pinterest business account,” or setting up a business account.” If you get over-eager and focus on the goal, you can easily miss key steps needed to build a solid foundation.
2. Pick 3
Pick 3 articles, the ones that look the least hokey and highest quality. Make sure they are relevant to your field, too; don’t just pick the prettiest pictures.
3. Absorb
Next, set aside time to really read these articles (or listen to the webinar/podcast, etc.). TAKE NOTES. Think through what you are hearing, don’t half-listen while you half-do other research (scrolling through Pinterest counts as distracting, in this case!).
4. Act
Finally, pick and follow through with an action step for yourself from each article. It could be as simple as “don’t babble on and on like that blogger did,” or as impactful as investing in a $200 course, or reorganizing a social media account. Whatever your steps are, just make sure that you are building a pattern of searching for information for the express purpose of learning and using that information. It can become easy to fall back on scrolling through Pinterest for ideas on how to better your business instead of actually sitting down to the intentional task of learning that translates into action.
The bottom line is – don’t become so busy looking for ideas that you never actually learn from or use them. We have an incredible opportunity to learn more broadly than any generation before us, thanks to the internet. It is important to make sure that we learn deeply, as well. Instead of skimming 15 articles, pick 3 (for starters). Then study them, reflect, and pour back into your business in the time you may otherwise have spent scrolling.
Happy Learning!
– Cait
