Time management tips for media buyers

Being a media buyer is not just about working, earning crazy money from day one, and living the high life. Media buying is a profession like any other. It is not just a source of income, but a whole way of life.

If you want to grow in your field, you need to understand that it’s a whole mechanism. It’s built on small steps that are not always easy or positive.

We are all human and understand that it is impossible to work 24/7 with a feeling of being full of energy. Burnout is something that everyone is familiar with. Is it possible to get rid of it completely? Probably not. It is a normal reaction of the human body to heavy stress. However, you can minimize it and work in such a way that if it does occur, it happens much less frequently and does not drag on for months or years.

So today we will talk about how arbitrageurs can work with progress and avoid burning out completely. Read this article to find out the power of time management.

What every arbitrageur needs to understand about time management

We all understand that the arbitrage market is dynamic. Changes can be both good and bad. The schedule of buyers is usually not standardized. Newbies need to be prepared for this first and foremost. 

You work around the clock. It’s all about constantly monitoring the market. Sit for a few hours and test landings? Unfortunately, that’s not enough. In that case, you’ll just waste your budget. 

Therefore, it is very important to focus on arbitrage while working, without getting distracted by trifles. This rule is as simple as it gets, but it is often neglected. The less you get distracted by irrelevant reels, TikTok videos, and YouTube videos, the more time you can devote to your work. This rule also applies to messengers: set your phone to “do not disturb” mode, respond to messages, and make calls during breaks. 

Remember that the best arbitrageurs who can afford to enjoy themselves in warm countries today are people who have mastered time management in the context of arbitrage and adhere to its principles every day.

Planning 

It is important to make a list of tasks for the next day and prioritize them. Set yourself a specific goal every day — this way you will understand where you are going. (You can use virtual planners such as Google Calendar, Trello, Notion, iCal, Todoist, Forest).

Try to follow this action plan:

• Make a list of tasks that will help you achieve your ultimate goal;
• Realize the importance of each item;
• Set deadlines for completing tasks;
• Rank the items on the list in order of priority.

Just believe us: tasks that are organized in the evening give you a +10 boost in efficiency in the morning. 

But we don’t always know all the tasks in advance; some come up during the workday.

Yes, this happens often. As we have already mentioned, arbitration is a dynamic field. 

When you receive a new task during the day, evaluate it for importance and determine its place on the list. Since you will be constantly making changes to your daily plan, it is better to use electronic planners. At first, it will seem like a waste of time, but very soon you will learn to prioritize tasks in 0.5 seconds. You will be surprised at how much your work efficiency has increased.

The value of time

Here it is worth realizing how important time is. Time is the only irretrievable resource that must be treated with respect. We cannot get it back, but we can learn to use it rationally, manage it properly, and control it. Those who control their own time control their own lives. 

When you finally decide to become disciplined and act more rationally and pragmatically, you realize how much time you wasted on unnecessary things.

The secret is to manage to do all your planned tasks in a single unit of time. 

What are some effective time management methods?

There are many techniques that allow you to allocate your time wisely. We have selected the most effective strategies and techniques that are ideal for those who work with traffic.

As a true arbitrageur, you must test these methods and try them out in practice. We recommend choosing something new for yourself every week, and at the end of the month, summarize the results and choose the best strategy to help you move toward your goals.

90 to 30

The essence of this technique is that you work productively for 1.5 hours and then rest for 30 minutes.

These 30 minutes can be a good rest and a way to clear your head. 

During the break, it is worth completely abstracting yourself from work: go for a walk; chat with friends or switch to another activity, such as cooking or light exercise.

It has been scientifically proven that we cannot be intellectually active for more than 1.5 hours: the brain begins to tire and become distracted, which significantly affects productivity. Therefore, if you want to achieve high results, do not forget about your own rest. 

Prioritizing according to Eisenhower 

We have already discussed the importance of priorities earlier. However, many people do not fully understand how to do this. Which task should be first on the priority list, and which should be last?

The Eisenhower Matrix can help with this question.

It consists of four squares:

• Tasks of primary importance are urgent. Complete;
• Tasks that are not of primary importance — not urgent. Plan;
• Tasks that are not important but are urgent. Delegate;
• Tasks that are neither important nor urgent. Remove.

The first square is what needs to be done in the near future. For example, analyze advertising or write a technical assignment for a new pre-landing page. 

The second square includes tasks that are not urgent, but your results depend on them. This could be, for example, studying a new source or vertical. Let’s say you were driving traffic to gambling sites, and now you plan to switch to nutra. These are certainly important tasks, but they should not be done here and now, as they can wait.

In the third square, write down tasks that are not particularly important but need to be done. These include household chores and routine tasks. For example, cooking or going to the store. These tasks can be delegated to someone else, if you have the opportunity to do so. If not, then they should be written down in another square. In short, anything that can be delegated should be written here.

The fourth square contains everything that has no meaning or importance. This could be watching videos on TikTok, chatting with neighbors in a group chat, taking an extra smoke break, and so on.

52 to 17

This technique works on the principle of the 90 to 30 method. According to it, you work productively for 52 minutes and rest for 17 minutes. Before you start practicing it, prioritize your tasks and determine what is important and urgent. 

This technique is ideal for those who find it difficult to concentrate for long periods of time. Important: during your 17-minute break, do not sit on various social networks. Social networks put a lot of strain on the brain, forcing it to work harder and tire more quickly due to the large amount of information it has to process.

Be sure to set a timer for your break, have a snack, disconnect from your gadgets, and relax.

At least N minutes

If you find it very difficult to start something, set aside at least 10-15 minutes to do it. In other words, just start. Because getting started is usually the hardest part. 

Once you start implementing your plans, you will want to do more and more. Accordingly, devote more time to it and you may not even notice how quickly it flies by.

1-3-5

According to this technique, you need to identify 9 tasks per day, one of which will be very difficult, three will be easier, and the remaining five will be the easiest. Also, don’t forget to prioritize these tasks.

Set deadlines 

It is important to understand that every task has a deadline. When you set a clear deadline, you automatically tune in to completing the task on time. A deadline is a kind of motivation, after all.

Eat the elephant in pieces 

It is important to use this effective method when you are faced with large tasks. Of course, no one can eat an entire elephant at once, but it can be done easily in small pieces. Break your task down into several steps that you will take to achieve your goal. 

For example, you have wanted to launch a new project for a long time, but the very word “project” scares you and seems like something extremely big.

However, when you break down the goal into steps — for example, analyzing the target audience, contacting partners and finding out the terms of cooperation, forming a budget, and so on — everything becomes clearer and easier. You will have specifics and a step-by-step plan for achieving your goal, which no longer seems unattainable.

Forget about multitasking

The idea that our brain works in multitasking mode is false. By trying to focus on several things at once, you scatter your attention. This leads to you being unable to effectively solve any of the tasks. So don’t torture yourself, just follow the tips above. They are designed to help you focus as much as possible on each task. 

Learn to say “no”

If you want to become a professional arbitrator, there are no other options. Learning to say “no” is the foundation from which to start. 

Being an arbitrator teaches you to prioritize yourself and your work. Of course, it leaves plenty of room for family, friends, and loved ones, but acquaintances tend to take a back seat, if not the last seat. So when your neighbor asks you to watch football with him, politely let him know that you are busy. 

Forget about perfectionism

Arbitrage and perfectionism are incompatible. You can do everything that you and your colleagues think is perfect, but unfortunately, it won’t work. The job of an arbitrageur is to test multiple ideas. The most absurd stories on pre-lands can be very successful, while perfect creatives and pre-lands may not convert. 

Of course, there is nothing wrong with striving to do everything perfectly. However, it is not worth getting hung up on this. At least, this is certainly true in the field of arbitrage.

Delegate

Even if you are a solo arbitrageur who knows HTML, CSS, copywriting, and design, you physically cannot do it all yourself. At the very least, you will quickly burn out emotionally. Learn to delegate tasks to other professionals. This is the only way you will grow and develop. 

Delegating tasks will allow you to focus on what is most important: analytics and results. In addition, you will be able to keep your focus on the future and move toward your goals. Surround yourself with a team of creative professionals who do their jobs not perfectly, but well. This will be enough to increase your own efficiency.

Realize the importance of sleep 

In order to keep a lot of information in focus and do your job productively, your brain needs quality rest. Don’t overload yourself. Sooner or later, sleeping at least 4 hours a day will impair your concentration. Over time, this can lead to serious health problems and powerlessness.

In summary

We understand that when it comes down to it, such rules usually fall apart like a house of cards. To prevent this from happening, train yourself to deal with organizational issues outside of working hours. Devote half an hour to them before or after your main tasks, and everything will work out for you.