How to Find the Time to Create & Launch Your Digital Product

If you’re anything like me, finding the time to work on your own projects can be challenging. Even though I run my own client-based business and set my hours, some days feel shorter than others. There are emails to respond to, tasks to complete, calls to make, and never-ending meetings. God, the meetings.

Running from one task or one client to another can be exhausting. If you’ve ever wished there was a way to bring in my cash without having to “sing for your supper,” I’m with you. That’s the magic of digital products, like courses, guides, templates, etc. You just need something to offer your clients that brings in passive income so that you can take a break once in a while. But… When can you find the time to create the digital product that will then make you passive income? I have a few tips.

Look at your calendar

It’s time to take a hard look at how you spend your time and figure out where the hours are going each day. Assess what takes you longest and what takes the most energy. Then start scheduling some creative work time. Give yourself at least 2-3 months to create everything for your digital product, including all your launch materials. 

I’m talking launch pages, emails, social graphics, etc. — everything you need to promote your digital product. Remember to be honest with yourself. You’re not going to knock out a solid hour of creative work after a day of Zoom meetings; Zoom fatigue is real! Instead, plan your creative work time for when you are most productive and...

Put it on your calendar

Set aside time blocks in your calendar and keep to that schedule. Treat that time the same as a client meeting. That means NO interruptions! I always recommend blocking out 2-3 days for the creation process, where you can dig deep into your work in 1-2 hour blocks of work. Sometimes, I’ll knock out some hard creative work by using a Pomodoro timer and turning my email/Slack off for a bit. I even love to throw on my headphones and listen to binaural beats to get some solid work time in. Do whatever works for you!

Outline your product in small bites

Creating something new can be very overwhelming. Instead of focusing on everything you have to do, outline your product in small chunks. Open up a Google Doc or a note on your phone when you have a spare minute. Make some simple notes on one aspect of your project. Write down the exercises you want to include or whatever is rattling in your brain. It’s not going to be pretty, but it gives you somewhere to start when you sit down to work. 

Batch your creation

You’re not a superhero. Even if you set aside a whole day for preparing your digital product, you’re NOT going to get everything done. There’s too much to do! I recommend a 3-day work schedule that you can repeat as often as you need to.  

• Day 1: Creating your general content. Brain dump it and just get it all out on the table.
• Day 2: Go back to edit, review and make changes to your day one work.
• Day 3: Start any design work you’ll need or review any work from your design collaborators. 
  

Make sure you leave time for creating your launch copy. You want to ensure that your landing page, promo emails, social captions, and follow-up emails are ready to go! 

Side note: If your product is a course, I’d recommend modifying my 3-day schedule to each lesson. Trust me, giving yourself this extra time and structure will make it so much easier for you to focus on each lesson or module, rather than trying to fly through all of it and missing parts!

Leave in time to let it ‘simmer’

I recommend leaving time in the creation process to let your product ‘simmer.’ When you’re nearly finished, book some time off or switch to some other work for a bit. Then come back with fresh eyes, and you’ll catch all the mistakes you might have missed. It also doesn’t hurt to have someone review your work. Ask your biz bestie, spouse, or team member. It can be anyone who didn’t put in the blood and sweat to create your digital product. Their feedback can be invaluable!

Keep paying attention to your calendar

Getting your offer created and your promotional assets all done might feel like cooking a 12-course dinner. It’s exhausting, but just because you have the meat and potatoes done doesn’t mean all the other dishes are good to go. This is how many project launches have gone off the rails — by assuming you’re done when you’re not.

So before you launch, keep your product on your calendar. Remember, you have to keep building interest in your product. Be present on your social pages and ready to answer any questions your customers may have. Leave in time to go live on Instagram, record a YouTube video, or write more emails and product pages for your product. Don’t just assume that once the “meat and potatoes” are done, that the whole launch is, too.

Protect your time with the Course Launch Checklist

Look, your time is valuable, and it’s time you start treating it like it is. If you’re going to invest all this time in creating a great digital product, you need to launch it right. That’s where I can help. 

If you’re launching a course soon, my Course Launch Checklist is a ready-made checklist with every step to launch a course included. These steps are gathered for you by someone who has done this MANY times before. Keep track of all your emails, social media posts, and even track your progress in your project management tool with my list. Not to brag, but it’s that good. You need it, like yesterday. 

GET THE FREE CHECKLIST HERE