Another day goes by and what have you accomplished in your business? If the answer is nothing, or not as much as you would have liked, here are several ways to reclaim your own time so that you are spending it wisely on your business, rather than frittering it away on meaningless activities.
Remember – time is the ONE commodity you cannot get MORE of, so you use wisely.
1. Stop wasting time on Internet marketing forums. Yes, you want to go there when you need help, when you have a question, when it’s something that will further your business.
But you also want to minimize the time you spend simply answering questions, agreeing or disagreeing with the threads topic, and generally joining in just for something to do. Forums can become an avoidance tactic when you’re stalling about working on your business. Use forums wisely and they can help you to succeed, rather than robbing you of valuable time you need to work in your business.
2. Minimize the time you spend on emails. Sure it’s addictive to see what the latest greatest offer is, or to see what Joe Marketer is up to. But the more lists you are subscribed to, and the more emails you open and read, the less time you have to do the things you SHOULD be doing instead.
If you need to, pare down the number of marketers you subscribe to, and only stay on the lists of those you really want to hear from. This tactic alone can save you as much as an hour a day.
3. Make a list of every IM product you’ve purchased in the last six months, and note beside each one whether or not you’ve read the product and used the product. The results may surprise you.
Add to that list how much you spent on each product and then add them all up. How much did you spend? How much of it was a waste of your money? Look at the money you could have saved and calculate how long it takes you to earn that much money.
The point I’m getting to should be obvious – unless you’re going to actually USE the product, then you shouldn’t be wasting your time or your money on it.
4. How many webinars do you attend each week? Again, unless the webinar actually has something to do with whatever it is you’re working on right now, don’t spend your time on it. Many webinars are simply glorified sales letters. Others do give great info, but unless you’re going to use it, then it’s simply a waste of your time.
5. This one is so important I just HAVE to say it twice. It’s a reiteration of what I said before – Only Buy Those IM Products That You Are Going To USE.
Here’s why: First, let’s say you purchase a 12 video package on list building. You make the transaction, you navigate to the download link, and you download, clicking on each file one by one and placing them in the folder you must made. How much time did this just take you?
Now then, you never watch the videos, never use the product – you’ve just spent that time AND money for nothing. It’s not just a waste, it’s a DOUBLE waste.
Don’t get me wrong – I am NOT saying you should never buy another Internet Marketing product. Whether it’s a plug-in, a program, whatever – if you’re going to use it within the next 30 days to build your business, then BUY IT. If not, then pass.
Once I started following these rules I wasted far less time and spent less money – AND I enjoyed less stress because I wasn’t constantly pulled in several different directions at once. I was able to focus on the task at hand, rather than running off to see what was happening on the forums, or buying a product with the intention of ‘maybe someday possibly’ using it.
Try it – and see if you don’t have more time for your Internet business AND for the other things in life – like your family and fiends.
