Let’s face it. Internet Marketing can be H-A-R-D. But you chose this profession for a reason and a very good one, too. You wanted to take control of your life, but if you’re not careful, your business will start to control you. This is not exactly a repeat of my post, When All the Fun is Gone, but rather, think of it as a friend telling you how concerned they are that your business is driving you bonkers! Whether you are just starting out or you’ve gotten a little ahead in your business, here are some ways that will help you keep your business productive, which will in turn, be much better for your mental and emotional well being.

1. Remember…It’s Not a Race
And I am probably more guilty of this than anybody I know. As I said before in Motivation: A Lesson Learned on the Mountain if we become so desperate to get out of our current situation, that we try speeding our way through some crucial training time, we’re going to crash and burn. When I started my business I was a full time teacher’s aide in high school. I was exhausted and frustrated at the end of each day. When you’ve been with high school kids all day, you want to turn your brain off, not on to learning a bunch of “new stuff.” I wanted to change my situation fast but I was also struggling financially. So I was frantically going to every internet marketer asking them “can you just tell me how to build a business?” Like someone can give you everything you need to know in a couple of sentences on how to grow a successful business so you can pay all the bills now and quit tomorrow. Yes, that does sound crazy but maybe all of you who are still working a full time job can relate. There is a chinese proverb that says “Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid only of standing still.” As long as you’re moving, just keep going baby! But keep reading on how to keep the momentum, slow as it might be.

4. Setting Your Hours
You’ve heard that before I’m sure, but having a set time to work your business to get writing, videos, or ads done can cut down on some of the stress, especially if you are still working a full time job. Katie Freiling actually mentioned the other day, by giving yourself less time to write an article, or make a video, or watch or read some form of training, you get more done in less time. This might sound hypocritical since I just said “it’s not a race” but it’s more about sitting down and actually getting the job done and not constantly giving yourself snack or tv breaks. If you want to work from 8pm-10pm and one of the things you want to do is write an article, you will be sure to get it done in about 30-40min. But if you give yourself a ball part time frame like the weekend to get an article done, it will take you that long-the whole weekend! Whatever time you set, do what you must, take a shower, and go to “the office.”

Another equally important rule in setting your hours is to give yourself time off. I could be incredibly unforgiving to myself in the beginning. After getting home from work I would work till the wee hours of the morning and all through the weekend. That wasn’t good for my well being and I didn’t get any more done then I would if I had set my hours the right way. So be good to yourself and respect your working hours and your time off.

3. Ask for Support and Respect from Others
Maybe setting your working hours and sticking to them isn’t the problem…unfortunately the hardest part might be asking your family and/or friends to respect your work time. Sadly, many family members of entrepreneurs don’t realize that their loved one must have time dedicated to running a successful business. I struggled with this in the beginning myself. To my family, it didn’t appear to them that I was doing anything…I was just sitting at the computer all day. I didn’t have any children myself, but I was still a present member in a family I love very much. I love helping out my family. They’re part of the reason I started my own business; however they would constantly ask for things during my working time. By talking to your family and friends about what you are doing and what you want to accomplish, it’s possible to reach an agreement where you can work without interruptions so you don’t have to put a “Keep Out” sign on your door. If you can get their support too, that is always a plus to your morale!

6. Treat Yourself
It doesn’t have to be extravagant but keep your off time as sacred as your work time. Spend your time off to relax, rejuvenate and be with your loved ones. This was yet another problem of mine when I started. I became so wrapped up in my business that my family and friends thought I didn’t care being with them anymore. Continue to pursue your other passions. Don’t make deals with yourself to drop everything until you’re making a 6 figure income. It’s good to have focused goals, but cutting out everything else will just make you go insane…and you might start to hate your business. All work and no play makes you a depressed, tired and ineffective marketer.
Take time to watch a movie with a friend, go to the park, pray, meditate, or make a nice dinner at home to keep yourself mentally fit to tackle your business.

2. Exercise
Do not underestimate the power of good exercise. Not only will it burn calories so you’re not putting on the pounds from sitting at the computer all day, but it will also help your body eliminate harmful toxins, it will calm and relax you, and it will boost those endorphins to keep you in a good mood-something you need when running your own business. If you’re not a gym person, never fear (I’m not much for the gym myself). There are plenty of exercises that are even better than going to the gym because you’ll enjoy them more, such as swimming, biking, hiking,roller-blading or just walking. What’s your favorite activity?

5. Stay Healthy and Eat Right
Starting something new always produces stress, which is when we are most likely to binge eat. I tend to eat alot of chocolate under stress. But since this isn’t the typical working world where you’re rushing non stop and have to make due with McDonald’s, you have more control over what you eat. There are literally hundreds of healthy, easy and delicious meals to make while your working for yourself. Follow the 5 guidelines from Why Supplement?

7. Make a Top 5 Priority List Before Bed
All the big guns do it and it’s true. Before you go to sleep, make a list either by writing down or typing in a document, your top 5 things you will get done tomorrow. It’s amazing what a simple thing like a list will do for your well being. When you write it down, it’s not swimming in your mind and it will be there for you to deal with in the morning. You’ll get better sleep. Starting the day going to the computer asking yourself what you want to do wont be productive….or fun. Following a list first thing in your day puts you on a productive path, and when you’ve accomplished that list, you can enjoy your day and all the other things that pop up are much more manageable.

8. Nothing Exists Until the List is Done
I’m not saying to abandon your family while you complete your list. There are plenty of unnecessary distractions that rob us of our productivity. For instance, if your list requires you to work on the computer, don’t open up your email, facebook or anything until you’ve done what you need to. You start looking up things online to where you have 10 windows open at once. It is so easy to get sidetracked. I like to be thorough and I like to reply to every message people send to me. But I made the mistake of opening my email first thing and seeing over 30 or more messages, another dozen on facebook, and that’s a small number. It was enough to make me toss my list, turn off the computer and get more chocolate. So if it can wait, better leave everything else on the back burner until that list is done.

10. Talk to Other Entrepreneurs
When I think of the time when I thought I wouldn’t need to bother anybody else and I could grow my business on my own, I can’t get over my ignorance. It was in meeting and talking with other entrepreneurs where I really started to see results. And if it had not been for some truly amazing and wonderful people, I would still be in the dark wondering why my business isn’t where I wanted it to be. I would be stuck on something for a week, and get it resolved when I reached out and asked for help. I use to have a problem asking for help. I’ve had that problem all my life, but I got tired of staring at the same problem over and over again and needed to talk to others who had the knowledge. I wanted to be successful and I got serious about it. Talking with others in your niche not only creates a support group, but they can help you avoid unnecessary mistakes and they can introduce you into tips and tools you may never have heard of otherwise. Plus, building friendships will make you grow in ways you never would imagine. All around, it will be great for you and your business.

Hang in there and breath easy my friends. Once you get over the initial “start up” phase, it will be much easier to follow this guide so that you can stay on the top of your game and keep your sanity too.

I hope you learned something today. I appreciate you all and value all comments! I would also appreciate it if you could please help me spread this around by sharing it on all your social media sites such as twitter, facebook, etc. Thanks everyone!

Peace and Happiness to You,