Content Queen Mariah

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How to build the content creation habit as a small business owner

Ever find yourself with a weeks, two weeks or months worth of content ready to go, but you never actually hit publish? 

You’re not alone. 

Maybe you are in the day to day posting schedule that you want to get out for? 

Many small business owners and entrepreneurs struggle with consistency when creating and sharing their content. 

It’s not a lack of ideas or passion, it’s often the process of execution that becomes a hurdle. In this blog, I’ll share how building habits, inspired by Atomic Habits, can help overcome these barriers to consistency. We'll walk through how creating systems and applying habit-building techniques can make content creation a consistent and enjoyable process.

Step 1: Identify Your Struggle

The first step is to identify where you’re getting stuck. What’s the one thing that keeps you from being consistent? Is it finding time to sit down and create content? Is it actually recording the videos, or maybe scheduling them? Spend some time understanding where you struggle.

Sometimes, the reason for procrastination is more than just a lack of time, it’s about the underlying fear. For example, if you’re avoiding hitting “publish”, it might be a fear of putting yourself out there and being seen. Understanding these triggers can help you navigate them.

Remember - awareness is key! 

2. Build a System and Process

Once you've identified the problem, it’s time to build a system that sets you up for success. Think of this as your “super toolkit”, where everything you need to be consistent is mapped out and ready to go. So what needs to be done to get all of that content out and posted? Not it all down and build a system around this. 

This is a process I run everyone through in Content Bootcamp, my content strategy course. 

3. Apply Atomic Habits to Content Creation

Below, I've shared my habit-tracking example for “Good Sleep” and adapted it for content creation. Let’s dive into how you can apply each principle:

My Example - Good Habit: Good Sleep (when I was working in South American and dealing with different timezones to my clients)

Here is a content creatione example! Feel free to use or make your own!

Content Creation Habit Tracker Example

Final Thoughts

Consistency in content creation is not just about discipline, it’s about building habits that make the process smoother, more manageable, and even enjoyable. By breaking the big tasks down into smaller, actionable steps, and setting up systems that work with your schedule, you can overcome the execution challenges that so many small business owners face.

Just like my habit of going to bed earlier, building a content creation habit starts with setting an intention, designing the environment, and making it attractive and satisfying. Once content creation becomes a habit, you’ll see the impact it has on your business growth and personal satisfaction.

So, take a moment to identify what’s holding you back, build a system, and use the habit tracker I’ve shared here to put those habits into practice. It might take some time to find what works best for you, but with consistency and iteration, you’ll find your rhythm.

And remember, if you need more help with strategy or want to dive deeper, there are workshops and tools available that can support you on this journey. Let’s make content creation a habit worth keeping!

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