Hitting Pause on Blogging:
A New Focus Beginning Today

I have been blogging consistently every week since 2012. As you can see in my archives, I have published over 400 articles and/or podcast episodes in the last 3.5 years (not to mention the 100+ posts from a previous blog).

Today, I’m taking a bold step in a new direction.

Photo Credit: Jonathan Rolande

Don’t worry, I’m not disappearing or halting my content creation altogether. However, I have reached a bottleneck in my business and something has to give.

The John Oliver Approach to Content Creation

Over the last 16 years I have been a huge fan of Jon Stewart and The Daily Show. After watching Jon retire a few months ago I found myself engrossed in a similar and surprisingly brilliant show, HBO’s Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.

John Oliver embodies the “less is more” approach to content creation.

If you have ever watched Last Week Tonight you know that every show is well thought-out, oozing with passion, and takes the time to respond and interact with the audience.

Instead of creating another daily fake-news/comedy show, John Oliver opted for a fresh and intelligent approach to creating high-quality content that keeps you wanting more, which is exactly what I will be attempting going forward.

The Dilemma

As a self-proclaimed productivity junkie and health fanatic, I really do believe I always have more to give each day. This has lead to incredible progress on many fronts, but there really are only 168 hours in a week.

As I discussed in Monday’s podcast episode, I want to say YES! to every new opportunity and I hate saying no. However, in order to truly become the highest and best version of myself I can only say yes to the tasks, projects, and events that align with that vision.

In other words, I cannot continue to commit to anything that takes up my time, energy, or money when I have high-priority projects waiting in the wings, ready to make their entrance.

On that note, I am making a variety of cuts all across the board in order to free up space for what is going to matter most in my business and life in the coming months.

Here’s the Plan

First, in the spirit of less is more, and devoting myself fully to a few high-priority projects, I will no longer be writing or publishing blog posts (or audio blog posts) on Thursdays. Though my articles are short, the time and energy required to produce them is intense, and I believe that time can be better spent.

Secondly, I will continue to publish a new, high-quality podcast episode every Monday morning and I will likely be using many of my blog post ideas in the “Tip of the Week” segments. I will also continue to interview amazing guests, though I may focus more episodes on my own content, as those tend to hit home better with more listeners.

Lastly, when I’m not working on a new podcast episode each week, I will be spending the remainder of my time on two core projects: my new book and public speaking. I believe that the future of my brand rests in the pages of my book. In addition, my ability to repurpose that content through speeches, webinars, and other products is critical to my future success as an entrepreneur and content creator.

Too Many Projects, Never Enough Time

As you may have heard me mention on many occasions, I have more ideas than I will ever have time to process. In my business, this includes a new online course that I have been calling “5 AM University,” a “Habit Experts” audio program that I nearly launched a year ago but then bailed on at the last minute, and even an eCommerce line of products like 5 AM coffee mugs, t-shirts, and bumper stickers.

Oh, and I’m also hoping to create a 5 AM certified coaching program and create a productivity course for entrepreneurs.

Bottom line, I won’t have time for any of these projects — not a single one — unless I am willing to let go of something.

When I think about the Jeff Sanders I want to be, that includes writing books and giving speeches. Yes, it also includes everything else I just listed, but writing and speaking are at the core of where I’m headed.

If I have time, I will be slowly developing my plans for 5 AM University in the margins, but that’s only if all the stars align.

For now, I want to provide you with the best podcast episode I can every Monday morning, be responsive to you through email, and push forward as the best author and speaker that I know I can be.

Focus is brutal. Making cuts is never an easy decision and I hate making those kinds of decisions just as much as anyone, but it has to be done.

I only hope I can look back at this decision with pride and gratitude that I saw the storm approaching before it caught me off guard.

We shall see.

Last Week I Promised You Something

At the end of every blog post and podcast episode I announce the content that I will be covering the following week. This week’s article is the first one where I did not fully deliver on that promise.

I was actually half way through writing my weekly blog post when I realized I needed to stop and give it up for a while, but I didn’t want to hold back that content from you just because I decided to shift gears.

So, here are The Top 5 Mobile Apps for Taking Notes:

1. Nozbe
2. Google Keep
3. Simplenote
4. Microsoft OneNote
5. Apple Notes

Thanks a bunch. I’ll see you on Monday!