“5 Sleep Mistakes You Don’t Know You’re Making (And How They’re Hurting Your Blog)” plus 1 more

5 Sleep Mistakes You Don’t Know You’re Making (And How They’re Hurting Your Blog)

Posted: 15 Jul 2012 01:02 PM PDT

This guest post is by Tania Dakka of Fit Freelancer.

Yes! Your great idea for the post you want to write on the density of the Himalayan fog and its effects on mountain goats has finally hit! And it's only 3:18am! Woohoo!

But tomorrow morning, that content isn't going to look so pretty, is it?

Tunnel vision has struck again and you find the time has gone out the window. Unfortunately, so did the quality of your work.

As bloggers, we love to squeeze every second out of the day that we can. We push ourselves, hyper-focused, right into hyper-drive. We don't want to stop. We know we've got content to create and we're not going to let a blank screen make us tap out.

My father always said I didn't know where to stop. And I'm guessing you don't either. It's what drives us as bloggers.

Content crazy

The problem is you know what you want to do. You know what you need to do. But you don't know how to do it right.

Sitting at your laptop all day makes you productive and happy. Until you get up and find your energy sapped, your head hurting. And your content, well, let's just say it's less than stellar.

You're preparing posts when your brain is overworked and barely functional. You barely take creativity breaks or fit breaks or any other kind of break. (Unless you count your social media "networking" time.)

Staring minute after minute at your screen until the wee hours of the morning because you think you're going generate some grand, isn't the way to work smart. But, congratulations! It is the way to work hard.

As a blogger who wants to be productive and conquer the blogging world, you've got to let go of the habits that are keeping you tired and run down. You've got to give your body and mind the rest they so desperately need.

Optimize your sleep, optimize your blog

But resting isn't the same as resting well. You need maximum results from your efforts. Right? You want to put out viral content that everyone needs and wants to share. You want your right readers to find you and fall in love with you.

Optimize your sleep, just like you optimize your copy and your website. Rest and be well-prepared. (You saw The Mechanic, right? "Victory loves preparation.") Sleep is your preparation.

The fact is when you're tired, you're ill-tempered and short-sighted. The quality of your productivity won't be what it could be if you were functioning with a fully well-rested mind. And not only do you put out poor quality words, you eat more junk food and give in to cravings when you haven't bolstered your will power with the right kind of sleep.

Sleep is a powerful factor in every aspect of your life. It sets the foundation of your mood, your thinking, your creativity, and your energy. Avoid the following sleep mistakes and reinforce your blogging foundation and create great content again!

5 Sleep mistakes

Sleep mistake #1: Eating and drinking the wrong things at the wrong times

We all throw down whatever chow we can find when we're focused on our blogging. Drinking coffee and eating heavy foods (like a whole pizza) before bed sabotages your sleep for the night.

Corrective action: Cut off caffeinated drinks early in the afternoon. Limit evening snacks to fruits or veggies in moderate amounts.

Sleep mistake #2: Not exercising

Avoiding exercise in the name of the blog puts your body at risk for disease and gives little outlet for exertion. Exertion affects the quality of your sleep. The more you wear yourself out physically, the better you'll sleep. (You've seen the kids after a hard day at play, right?)

Corrective action: Exercise to full exertion at least four times per week. Although an ideal goal would be for 15 minutes a day, every day.

Sleep mistake #3: Hitting the hay too late

Staying up until all hours of the night and getting up early is an obvious killer for your sleep quality. As matter of fact, not having a sleep schedule guarantees that your body clock won't find its needed rhythms so you don't fall into that deep sleep you so desperately need.

Corrective action: Set a bedtime for the same time every night and stick to it. Shoot for seven hours every night. If you're blogging late, write down your train of thought for your project and go to bed. Re-read your notes before starting the next day, and you'll likely find you don't miss a beat.

Sleep mistake #4: Not having a sleep routine

You know every time you sit down to the keyboard what your routine is. Your trigger is to sit, then your thought flips to social media. Then, you flip to email. Then, you flip to your blogging. It's a routine that your mind knows well. If you don't have a similar routine before bed, you're not putting your mind into "sleep mode."

Without the routine, your mind has to find its own route to sleep, which means it takes you longer to fall asleep.

Corrective action: Set up a routine that preps you for sleep and do it in the same order every night. For example, brush your teeth, put on your jammies, do some stretches, then lie down for some breathing exercises. Do them all in the same order each night and by the time you reach the end of your breathing exercises, your mind will be set to sleep so you drift off effortlessly.

Sleep mistake #5: Electronics in the bedroom

You read your ereader, smartphone, iPad, or tablet every night before bed. And that's okay. You can still do that. But not in the bedroom. The light displays from electronics disrupt your body's natural rhythms by introducing light when the mind thinks it’s time for dark, causing you a lower quality of sleep and to feel less rested the next day.

Corrective action: Keep your electronics in another room and make it a policy not to use them in the bedroom.

Are you guilty of any of these mistakes? What stops you from making sleep a priority so you can create a great blog? Tell us about it in the comments.

Tania Dakka, Fit Freelancer, helps freelancers thrive where life, fitness and productivity collide. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook and stay on top of your entrepreneurial game! (Warning: You may be asked to do a few pushups!)

Originally at: Blog Tips at ProBlogger

5 Sleep Mistakes You Don't Know You're Making (And How They're Hurting Your Blog)

You, Uncut: Using Video Bloopers to Boost Engagement

Posted: 15 Jul 2012 07:09 AM PDT

This guest post is by Carla of Looqiloo.com.

I love watching blooper reels at the end of movies. Sometimes they're my favorite part of the whole experience. It's nice to see that the multi-million dollar, polished product you just sat and watched was the product of lots of trial and error. It reminds you that actors are just people too, and yes, they sometimes get it totally wrong too! Let me share this series of my favorite bloopers from the show Friends to loosen you up and get those face muscles working.

Just like the movies, great online videos don't just happen. I can't count the number of times I have to remake even the most mundane of videos, usually because I stumble over the script, or the dog barks, or for some equally unentertaining reason.

Sometimes though, the mistakes can be better than the finished product.

People don´t spend their time watching boring monotone videos—they want something interesting. We love to connect with people online, and we want our audiences to feel something towards us. Whether they love us, respect us, or think we're pee-your-pants funny, it's all about making that connection. What makes you more real than the mistakes you make?

Bloggers all about being social and spreading the word. After reviewing hundreds and thousands of videos, I can say is that there is one thing most of us are trying to achieve: to make an audience feel like they're part of something, so they (your potential customers, followers, friends) identify with whatever it is you’re trying to convey.

So next time you’re thinking about making a video, keep it simple and honest: showcase your bloopers and mistakes! Let your audience join you in the little jokes, engage people by being you, uncut!

Here are my top tips for putting bloopers to good use for your blog.

Build credibility

Be natural. If something comes out kind of funny, leave it! You’ll probably be surprised how many people with laugh along with you as you begin building up a persona through your videos. You can also try laughing at yourself a bit after the mistake, or apologizing in a playful manner.

Don't try to force it though. Fake isn't funny. For a look at how this can work when it’s done well, see these bloopers on live news.

Leave the viewer smiling

Why not take your cue directly from the movies and collect all your best bloopers to include at the end of your video? This can be particularly helpful when the video topic is educational or a little dry, as it leaves the audience with something to smile about, and a reminder that you really are just like them.

Best of

If you produce a lot of video content, an annual “Best Of” video can be a great opportunity to build engagement through bloopers. Whether you schedule it randomly, to fill in those quiet Christmastime days, or tie it in with another promotion, so long as you can make it truly funny, your audience is guaranteed to laugh along with you.

You never know, your video might even go viral and you, my friend, will reap the benefits.

Don't confuse crud with comedy

Keep in mind that there’s a fine line between simply making mistakes constantly and “blooping.” Knowing what you're talking about and getting back on track without dragging on the joke for too long will make all the difference.

When people don’t know what they’re talking about, and don’t recover from their mistake, it can backfire and lose viewers. Take, for instance, this blooper video: it’s too much of the same thing, and constant re-takes.

You don’t want to waste people’s time, otherwise not only may you bore your audience, you might also have them run off for good!

Let them know you're good first

It is very important that, before you show your audience your mistakes, you show them you know your topic. From there on, it’s smooth sailing!

The reason I bring this up is because when we make mistakes, we don’t necessarily mean to be funny. You could get stuck, or not know what you’re talking about, and this is not good.

But if you stumble over your words a little, add a friendly smile or short laugh, then pick up the pace, you’ll likely entertain the viewer and have them keep to your train of thought easily.

You, uncut

Enjoy your bloopers, they make it real! That authenticity and organic development is rare, and it could be your gateway to success. After all, there is very little we love to share more than laughter!

Do you use your bloopers in the videos you share with followers? Show us your best blooper links in the comments.

Carla lives and works in the tropical paradise of Costa Rica, and is the community manager and face of Looqiloo.com, where she helps video product reviewers look great on camera every day! Follow her on twitter @trendseeker and @Looqiloo.

Originally at: Blog Tips at ProBlogger

You, Uncut: Using Video Bloopers to Boost Engagement