Sometimes I get busy with my work for clients and I fall behind on creating content for my website. But keeping this blog up-to-date is important to me — I can share info I care about (like how to use WordPress), stay in touch with former clients and introduce myself to new ones.

So how can I stick to a routine of regularly creating content when I’m so darn busy? I’ve gotten back on track lately with one of the easiest practices for implementing a personal change: an action trigger.

An action trigger is a specific action or environment that nudges you in the direction of doing that-thing-you-know-you-gotta-do. I think of an action trigger as “Step Zero” — the almost invisible step that sets you up well for Step One.

I’ve gotten back onto a regular routine of posting content using one specific action trigger.

My best writing action trigger: log into my website

I don’t schedule “writing time.” I schedule a time to log into my site, then I do it. To make it easier, I’ve marked the login page as a “Favorite” in LastPass, and set it to auto-login. When I see that item in my calendar, a couple of clicks and seconds later, I’m looking at my WordPress dashboard.

Once I log into my site, there’s 100% chance I’ll write.

I first saw the concept of Action Triggers articulated well by the Heath Brothers in Switch. I instinctively understood that I already had action triggers I had set up in my life (you probably have already as well). You may also be able to think of places where you set up new habits because you set up the “step zero” — the action or environment that always precedes step one.

The Heath Brothers didn’t invent action triggers, but they reminded me that figuring out an “Action Trigger” for my writing would help me get there. If you have other action triggers that remind you to write, post on social media or generate other communications for your organization, let me know!

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