Working online, especially on your own is a job in itself when it comes to staying motivated and going in the right direction. So much so that recently procrastination has played a huge role in my day to day schedule. I’ve had a short break from affiliate marketing whilst working on something else, now that’s in the beta stages I want to pick up where I left off getting various campaign ideas off the ground.
That’s the first problem, I have so many ideas I want to actually do I never seem to move forward. I’m a big fan of a notepad and sticky notes, if you could see my desk you would have to wade through paper just to get to the keyboard to begin work. Don’t get me wrong you should write down all of your ideas down so that you can keep on working fluently but the main issue I’m having is starting a campaign and then having a ‘aha’ moment for another that probably would do better – instead of sticking to the half complete campaign I just switch to the next. Before you know it your still making no income and never given yourself the chance to.
A solution I’ve just started using which is working (and simple) is to write each idea down on paper as a to-do list – pick one and just grind until it’s complete and up and running but put the list out of sight in a draw or wherever until you are ready to get onto the next thing. Often when you have completed something you will have to wait for it to get approved on whatever traffic source you have chosen so you can begin on the next to save just sitting at your computer doing nothing. I guess my problem was the fact I could constantly see it on my desk so I was never 100% focused on the task I was working on.
Everybody’s different so you will have to find the balance between having too much on your plate and just sitting around doing nothing. I’ve yet to find the perfect number out myself as I’m concentrating on PPV a little more so I can bang campaigns up fairly quickly depending on how I’m approaching it and should be able to manage a fair few at the same time.
When it comes to motivation you have to find what makes you tick, whether it’s to quit your 9-5, get a new car or just pay off your mortgage each month. Be sure to write down your goals and have them visible for a constant reminder. I’ve only just been able to say no to my mates when they want to go for a game of pool or have a drink – I’ve got my mind set and I’m not stopping until I reach it.
I highly recommend taking frequent breaks, even if it’s just to read a blog or something to take your mind off what you’re working on briefly. It gets to a point where all I think about is work, even when I’m done for the day and trying to get to sleep. I often find myself jumping out of bed to jot some notes down for the morning – keep a notepad close by at all times you never know when you will have a burst of inspiration.
What are some of your methods for staying motivated and not getting lost in new ideas and unfinished tasks?
This guest post was written by Richard Bonner, a successful affiliate marketer and blogger at RichardBonner.net.
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