by The Happy Housewife on September 2, 2010
If you host giveaways on your blog the And The Winner Is plug-in is a necessity! This FREE plug-in takes all the work out of counting comments, picking a winner, and closing the giveaway.
This plug-in is easy to install and set up. When you write a giveaway post there will be a box on the right side of your page that you can check if the post is a contest.
Once the giveaway is over, you have the option to close comments and then randomly choose a winner.
The winner’s email address is displayed on the screen so you don’t have to search for an address.
This plug-in has changed my opinion on giveaways. I was about to discontinue them because they were so much work , but the And the Winner Is plug-in has made it so easy, I have changed my mind.
by Crystal Collins on August 27, 2010
photo by vadude5
I woke up last week and was immediately bombarded by the daily tasks that I needed to face. The kids wanted breakfast, my husband couldn’t get out of bed because of a migraine, the sink was still full of dirty dishes from the night before, the chickens needed to be fed as did the dog, and I needed to get my morning blog posts up for the day.
Suffice it to say I never made it out of my pajamas and I ended up sitting on the couch with my lap top while the kids watched a movie. Somehow I had managed to make sure everyone was fed, my husband got some Excedrin and it was time for “work.”
I think that was the day that I barely got any work done on my blog, even though I had the computer open for a full 8 hours (yes, I am a full-time blogger).
With time being so limited, and family life pulling me every which way, it’s important that my time online and in the home is spent productively. I’ve been making it a point to get dressed, brush my teeth, wash my face and grab a glass of water before I do ANYTHING else in the morning. This is besides of course handling the occasional dirty diaper in the morning, which sometimes warrants immediate attention.
I find that by doing this I am much more focused and ready to face the day, and this means I get more work done in less time. I also try to make it a habit to avoid taking the lap top into the living room. Working in a designated space also brings focus to my life.
So first thing tomorrow morning, put on your pants and shoes and see if you find that your day becomes more productive. Try to get that teeth brushing in as well! What are some of your tips for better time management and productivity?
Crystal blogs at TheThriftyMama.com where she’s constantly trying to hone her focus and become a more productive homemaker and blogger.
