This post is Day 8 of the 28 Day Blogging Breakthrough Challenge. You can chat about the challenge on social media using the hashtag #BloggingBreakthrough. Click here to view all of the challenge prompts.

Let's Talk About the Amazing Power of the List

Let me ask you a question. Are you ready?

Do you have a to-do list for your blog?

It's great if you do. But if you don't, it wouldn't surprise me.

You see, being productive and being organised are two totally different things. You could write the best to-do list in the world. Completing it is a different story.

I can see the problem, though - because I've been there myself. Last year, I was trying so hard to come up with a system for completing all my tasks for my blog. I tried out lots of different ways and none of them worked. Until recently.

I bet it's safe to say that many bloggers have a to-do list. But I bet it's also safe to say that you're making it more complicated for yourself than you need to be. That's where Day 8 of the #BloggingBreakthrough Challenge comes in.

I find reading about other people's productivity processes really interesting. And honestly? My blogging life would be nowhere near as successful without my to-do list process. I couldn't keep track of everything without this list, and since using it, I've been more ahead with my blog than I've ever been before.

So today, I present to you my process for creating the best to-do list ever for your blog.

So the main list I want to talk to you about is one for your actual blog content.

If you've been joining in with the #BloggingBreakthrough Challenge, you'll have sorted out your editorial calendar on Day 4. That's the foundation I use to create my to-do lists.

I don't have a monthly to-do list - my editorial calendar does that for me. My lists consists of weekly ones that I create every time I've planned the following month's editorial calendar.

What's in the List?

This list is to help you understand where you're up to with creating content in your blog schedule. I use paper and pen, but you can feel free to do it on Word or online too.

Step #1

The first thing to do is write down the days of the week that you publish content underneath each other. Initials are all you need. So last week, for me it went:

M
T
W
T
F
S
S

Step #2

Next to those initials, you want to write down all the content you're publishing in that week - so their titles, or a few keywords. Mine looked something like this:

Look at blog right now
Run a survey
Set goals
Plan editorial calendar
Introduce something
Brand statement
Organise everything

It's worth it if you write them like I've set out above, leaving a line or small gap underneath each one.

So far, your list will look something like this:

Step #3

At the top of the list in a row, just above everything else you've written, you want to list the letters P, W, S, PR1, PR2 and PR3. Like this:

See how you've got all that white space on the right? You're gonna' need that.

I'll quickly run through what those initials mean.

P: Photograph
W: Write
S: Schedule
PR1: Proofread 1st time
2: 2nd time
3: 3rd time

Step #4

All that's left to do is fill in your list. So now, you've got a list of everything you need to tick off your list for each blog post.

When you've taken photos for it, you tick off the "P" next to the relevant blog post. The same for when you've written it, when you've scheduled it and when you've proof read it, however many times you want.

And that's it! My fail-safe, super productive list.

Like I said at the beginning of this post, I write each list for each week of the year. I write mine in my planner. On the page on the left hand side, I've got the days of each week, and on the right is a notes page - that's where I write my list.

You could have a notebook for yours or do it online. Whatever works for you!

Today's Task

Find a notebook to create this list in or do it online. Or if you've got your own to-do list system go ahead and create one using your process for all the weeks that are left this month. Look out for a post tomorrow on more systems you can use!
Go through the steps by listing the days of the week you publish content and refer to your editorial calendar for what you're publishing on each day.
Then as you create content, go ahead and tick each step of the process off.

If you produce different content such as vlogs or Periscopes, you can include this on this list too. In between the blog post title and Photograph, you could make a list for "Type" and write down what type of blog post is going live.

Then go wild ticking tasks off!

Remember to take some pictures as you go along and tweet me with your progress using the hashtag#BloggingBreakthrough. And if you’ve got any questions or you’re struggling with anything, feel free to get in touch!