How to Stay Organized as a Content Creator

Being a content creator in this day and age is no easy task. Most of us have real-world responsibilities like work, school, kids, pets, etc., relationships with friends and family we need to nurture, multiple social media accounts to manage, and our mental health and well-being to prioritize. Somehow, we need to find time to actually make and post content, which is easier said than done. Essentially, you have to find the right balance in order to remain consistent—organization is a great way to do that. If you’re wondering how to become a successful content creator, take a look at a few of our favorite organization tips.

Do a Brain Dump

Feeling overwhelmed? If you feel like you have a million things to do and don’t know where to start, try doing a good old-fashioned brain dump. Take a pen and paper (or the notes app in your phone, Google Docs etc.,) and start making a massive list of everything you need to do. No task is too small: the important thing is to get the thoughts out of your head. Don’t worry about writing things out of order as we’ll organize and prioritize in the next step. Doing regular brain dumps in the morning can also help you set goals for the day.

After your brain dump, you’ll most likely feel a sense of lightness or relief. Just as it feels good to declutter your brain, you can further ease your woes by clearing out your inbox, deleting a few apps on your phone that you no longer use, and tidying up your work and living spaces. Having the rest of your life under control and organized means that your work or side hustle life will run more smoothly too.

Prioritize Tasks

Next, you need to find a way to organize and schedule your tasks in a way that makes sense to you. Try grouping them by category (work, health, family, etc.) or by urgency (do ASAP, do soon, do next month, etc.). You can also try the trusted Eisenhower Matrix (see image below).

First, decide the importance and urgency of any given task, then list it appropriately on the Eisenhower Matrix. For tasks that are important with urgent deadlines, do them immediately or as soon as possible. Any tasks that are important but not urgent, schedule them for a later date (we’ll talk about creating a calendar in the next step). Tasks that are urgent but not super important, say cleaning the house, doing laundry, or giving the dog a bath, can be delegated or outsourced. For tasks that are neither urgent nor important, the standard method has been to “delete” the task but we recommend you “shelve” certain tasks. Just because your desire to learn a new skill, go on vacation, or get a well-deserved massage isn’t important or urgent, this doesn’t mean you should delete it from your life. Shelve the idea for a later date and come back to it when you’re less overwhelmed.

Create a Content Calendar

If you’ve been a content creator for a while now, you’ve likely heard about the value of a content calendar. It’s true—a content calendar is a must for any creator as it can help with consistent posting. It also prevents the dreaded feeling of, “I need to post something today, but what?” Try blocking out a chunk of time at the start of each week or month to brainstorm ideas and fill up your calendar. Keep a notebook or note-taking app handy for whenever ideas strike and be sure to read news relating to your industry regularly for more inspiration.

Take note of which apps you need to post on, as well as how often. For example, our article on best times to post on Instagram found that 4 to 7 reels are recommended per week to experience optimal growth. If you factor in all of your other social media accounts, it’s likely to be a whole lot of content. Try color coding your social media (blue for Twitter, pink for Instagram, etc.) for further organization. Don’t forget to leave yourself time to brainstorm, network, and of course, relax!

Try Batch Content Creation

Lots of creators utilize the powerful tool that is batch content creation and you can too. Once you have decided your schedule for the week, set aside a day or a half-day to film, shoot, or write all of your content in one go. While this method isn’t for everyone, it can save you boatloads of time. After all, Parkinson’s Law dictates that, “Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.” In other words, if you have a video due on Friday, you will either work on it slowly throughout the week or procrastinate until the last minute (not that we’re speaking from experience or anything). By designating blocks of time, you can finish your content creation early and enjoy your time doing other things.

Invest in Scheduling Software

To free up even more time in your busy schedule, why not try some of the scheduling software out there? Our post on social media management tools will give you the rundown on some of the best options available. Not only can some of these applications post on your behalf, they can provide valuable analytics and data, which is vital if you wish to keep learning and growing as a creator. Several sites offer free trials so you can experiment before buying.

Naturally, Link Space offers several ways to keep your content creator business organized as well. For starters, having all of your necessary links in one place is incredibly handy. But Link Space is more than your standard link in bio tool. It allows you to receive donations, collect information from your visitors to start your own mailing list, and even lets your community schedule meetings with you. Link Space is the one tool you need to have in your arsenal of organizational apps.

Staying as organized as possible is essential if you want to succeed as a content creator. It’s normal to feel overwhelmed sometimes, but remember there are numerous methods and solutions you can experiment with to get back on track. Brain dumping, prioritizing tasks with the Eisenhower Matrix, keeping a content calendar, batch creating content, and utilizing social media management apps are great ways to keep your business running smoothly.