Who wants to go to the trouble of driving yourself into the ground? It’s highly unlikely that anyone will raise their hand in support of such an idea! 😄
We all want to relax and unwind, but the reality is that we need to be working. To work smarter not harder, to be happy and productive.
Here are ten pointers to help you master the simple concept of smart working, so you can work smart not hard.
This isn’t to say that you should start chopping heads like the nobility of old. It means being a visionary leader with innovative ideas for getting things done while also ensuring that the process is enjoyable.
There is a definite knack when it comes to getting things done for you and you need to be able to delegate with a light touch.
Do this right and your productivity will skyrocket!
You must be the ruler once again. Treat yourself properly, but don’t fall into the trap of doing things that aren’t necessary.
Decide what requires your undivided attention and focus on it before moving on to the next high priority.
And whatever you do, DON’T be tempted to multitask; it is a productivity killer. Focus on one task at a time, and don’t be tempted to move on until that task is finished.
Have you ever witnessed someone attempting to construct a backyard deck without a blueprint? It doesn’t go smoothly does it?! 😳
Few people have the ability to complete high-priority activities without thorough planning. Following a well-thought-out plan will assist you in properly managing your time and achieving your objectives.
You know what they say, “If you fail to plan, then you plan to fail!” Do not be that person!
Slow typing is inconvenient and reduces the amount of time you have to complete all of your high-priority activities.
If you are unable to type quickly, it is probably a good idea that you take a typing course to learn how to type quicker. Keyboard shortcuts can also be extremely useful, so make sure that you learn them.
Many people use speech to text software, such as the one included in Google Docs or Microsoft Word, to speed up their writing.
It’s a good idea to take breaks. Even if you’ve been working hard in short spurts or for lengthy periods of time, you still need a break.
When you’re stressed and exhausted, you’re more likely to make mistakes in your work.
Short breaks will keep your health in control, and you will be less likely to become ill and miss work.
In today’s environment, most people rely on email to communicate with others, even within their own company.
You’ll get a sense of who is available to take calls and who will never answer. Keep note of those who are responsive, and only email or text those who will either not respond or who have a tendency to become irritated.
You will find yourself completing repetitious tasks throughout the day. Put a stop to it by working smarter rather than harder.
You can programme mini-programs in your computer to handle repetitive activities for you.
Wherever feasible, look for templates. You can just load and fill in the blanks. Templates are available for download for free or for a modest cost and can be used for recurring writing or visual assignments, such as sales pages.
Set and stick to deadlines for everything, not just your top priorities. You will need to work harder if you procrastinate.
You must first work to break free from procrastination, and then you’ll need to work even harder just to catch up.
Set a firm deadline for a task and then work toward finishing it on time. Give yourself a tiny reward before getting back to work and meeting the next deadline.
You must softly but firmly communicate to family, friends, and coworkers that your time is valuable. Distractions must be avoided in order to avoid working harder.
They will steal your focus away from you, and it will be difficult to regain it.
Keep an internal punch clock in your head to keep track of time. When the job is done correctly (and smartly), punch in and out.
You must move it, a bit like that famous song from Disney. Doing all of your work in one place can lead to boredom. Use a combination of your regular work desk and a standing desk next to it.
Switching between the two will help your body stay strong and prevent you from becoming drowsy. If feasible, alternate between those and taking the laptop into an empty conference room for a while.
It will help you stay alert and concentrated if you move around. You have an endless supply of ideas for the same thing at home. There are numerous workstations, comfortable chairs, and other items that you can shift from one location to another.
As you can appreciate, working smarter not harder requires a lot of self discipline, and if that is something you struggle with (don’t we all?) then please check out the featured resource below for a free report which will help you; download, read it and take action 🙂
A common question that comes up for affiliate bloggers is…
“What kind of products or services should I actually promote?”
Of course, this is dependent on your niche. The short answer is that you should promote things that your readers actually want, and hopefully, need!
Yes, items that people just “want” are also excellent choices, but if you want your site to rock out the sales, focus on the aforementioned.
Sticking with products that have worked for you, that you’ve tested for yourself, that come from reputable brands, and that are evergreen (unless you have a seasonal blog) are also good “rules of thumb” to follow.
All of the information I’ve given you thus far is useful in general, but now let’s speak about specific product types.
This is listed first because I want you to go find as many of these as you can. Being an associate for items that pay recurring commissions is fantastic because you sell it once and get paid again and again. This is the closest thing to passive income you can get.
Now, depending on your niche, you will be able to find these types of products and how many there are, but for most niches, you should have at least a few possibilities. Because certain niches have numerous alternatives, you could have several of these functioning for you at the same time. Consider having three, four, five, or more of these programmes paying you every month.
Make a list of all the services you think that individuals in your niche would want to use. You may also do a Google search for “your niche + service” to find some that you might not have considered.
Once you’ve compiled your list, look for affiliate networks that offer those services and start promoting them on your site.
I just got you all pumped up about recurring commission affiliate programmes, so let’s move on to another type of programme. The membership type.
Again, depending on your niche, this may or may not be a possibility for you, but you can find these by searching on Google for “your niche + membership site or “your niche + membership.”
Find as many as you can and start promoting them for many recurring income streams.
This is my favourite type of product to promote because the commissions are usually the highest. Whereas a lot of physical products (which we’ll speak about next) pay extremely small commissions (like 1% to 5%), digital products can pay you anywhere from 30% to 100% of the transaction in some niches.
Return to Google and begin searching for digital products in your niche. Look for all of the product kinds I described above, and then check if any of them offer affiliate programmes.
You can uncover a number of these types of products to promote as an affiliate in a lot of niches.
Even in this digital age, many people like to hold a physical book in their hands and read it. If you have written a blog post about a particular topic, see if there is a book about it that you can recommend.
This is a terrific strategy for popular topics for which you want to develop content but can’t find a product to promote and profit from as an affiliate.
Because there are so many physical things out there, and so many affiliate programmes for them, this is a really broad product category.
Only promote physical products that you have personally used and liked, or that have benefited you in some way. There’s no need to promote a tangible product merely for the sake of promoting it when there are so many other options available.
There are now a number of affiliate marketplaces where you can look for physical products. ShareASale, CJ Affiliate, and the ever-popular Amazon Associates programme are just a few examples.
Do a quick search on these or go back to Google, and you’ll find that there are many options to choose from.
One thing that we all have in common is that we all eat food, and most of us enjoy eating, therefore this is an excellent product to market.
Aside from obtaining your Amazon Associates connection for different sorts of food you write about or recommend, many businesses now offer cooked food delivered to your door, food boxes with everything you need to cook, shopping boxes, and speciality food boxes.
So there you have it! As an affiliate blogger, there are just six ideas of products you can promote. Although not every product type may be available to you due to the type of niche you’re in, you should always be on the lookout for new things to promote in order to keep the money coming in from your site!
Follow these affiliate marketing tips, and you’ll be on the way to becoming a successful affiliate marketer in no time. And if you want to know more about affiliate marketing check out the featured resource below for a free report; download, read it and take action 😊
What scares you the most? Is it the loss of someone you care about? Is it having to go to the dentist? Perhaps you’re afraid of thunderstorms, heights, or elevators.
Fear is normal, no matter what it is. It’s how our bodies alert us that we’re in danger and that we should be cautious.
However, our concerns can sometimes become so overwhelming that they prevent us from reaching our greatest potential. They fill us with so much fear and uncertainty that we become continually concerned and anxious about the tiniest details.
As a result, we’re here today to assist you in making fear your ally. If you follow the tips below, you’ll be able to change an enemy into an ally.
If you don’t understand the mechanisms of fear, learning how to conquer it can be a daunting task. Recognize that fear is a natural evolutionary response before you chastise yourself for feeling terrified.
Your body and brain are attempting to communicate with you, even if it doesn’t feel like it right now. You can permanently overcome fear if you learn to read the signals.
Let’s get started.
When we are confronted with a threat to our mental or physical well-being, our bodies go into survival mode, triggering the fight-flight-or-freeze reaction.
You’d be vulnerable to danger if you didn’t have the fear reaction. Despite this, our bodies react with dread in many instances where we are not physically threatened in the modern world.
When you’re scared, your heart will race, and your breathing will become more rapid. A “pit” in your stomach, dizziness, sweating, or a dry mouth are all possible symptoms. You can feel stiff or weak in your muscles. All of this is a result of your body sending signals to the outside world.
So, you need to…
This is perhaps the most difficult phase, but it’s well worth it. However, in order to conquer your fear, you must first come to grips with the basis of your anxiety.
Being conscious of the root reason will be challenging at first, but it will strengthen you. You won’t have to live in the shadow of that huge, overpowering fear anymore.
You’ve confronted your apprehension. It’s now time to accept it.
But first and foremost, you must recognise that such-and-such terrifies you. This can be accomplished in a variety of ways. To begin, speak it aloud, preferably to another person in a natural context.
It also feels better to get it off your chest and tell the world about it. You’d be shocked at how many people are terrified of the same things you are.
Fear causes us to panic, and panic causes us to make poor decisions. Our prefrontal cortex, in fact, shuts down when we panic, according to various studies. This is the part of our brain that controls rational thought.
So, despite your anxiety and terror, you need to be able to learn to think rationally. Make terror your ally, and you’ll be able to do much more in life.
Fear, tension, and anxiety are all handled differently by people. Some people thrive under pressure and really enjoy being challenged. Others like to work at their own speed without the pressure of imminent deadlines.
Whatever method you choose, the most essential thing is to avoid allowing fear to overcome you. Let’s say you’re terrified of speaking in public. But then a colleague suddenly became ill and asked you to step in and deliver the presentation you’d been working on for weeks.
The latter will be difficult, but it will be well worth it in the end. Keep an objective mindset and remind yourself that others have given presentations before and survived to tell the tale. So, what exactly is the big deal?
Remember that your mind has a tendency to exaggerate things. So, find a strategy to cope with the tension and assess the situation. It’s the only way you’ll be able to control your anxiety and finish the work.
With a robust support system, no one has ever failed. Surround yourself with people who will motivate you to achieve your goals. These are the ones who choose to love you unconditionally despite listening to you scream about your concerns and anxiety.
A great deal of research has been done on the advantages of having a support system. It improves your self-esteem and overall well-being by giving you effective coping abilities.
Furthermore, having a strong support system can help to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression.
When you’re afraid, you’re more likely to dwell on negative ideas and feelings. Then, in your mind, things fester and grow into this huge, hideous beast that you can’t control.
You can overcome your anxieties and live to tell the tale if you think positively. All you have to do now is believe it, and the rest will take care of itself.
You can increase your comfort zone and confidence by celebrating tiny victories when confronted with fear, switching to positive self-talk, and imagining positive outcomes. People handle worst-case events significantly better than they expect, according to fear research.
Dedication to a greater cause, whether it’s a spiritual conviction, altruism, or personal ambitions, can help us overcome fear and stay on track when we’re feeling down.
It isn’t a problem if you stop thinking of it as one.
As you can appreciate, changing the way you think can have a huge impact on your life, and if you want to know more about developing an inspirational mindset for success, please click on the featured resource below for a free Strong Mindset report; download, read it and take action 😊
You have a fantastic lead magnet on your hands. You provide your subscribers with helpful, engaging content. All you have to do now is inform your leads about the advantages of joining your mailing list. Setting up a landing page is one approach to achieve this (also known as a lead page or opt-in page).
Your landing page functions as a mini sales page, since it persuades visitors to subscribe to your mailing list.
The better your page is at achieving this aim, the quicker you’ll build your list (and the more money you’ll make). As a result, you can understand how crucial this step is in the email marketing process.
Let’s have a look at how to do it step-by-step…
While the majority of this lesson focuses on writing sales copy for your landing page, we can’t overlook the page’s overall design.
As an example, look at this sales page…
https://www.earncome.com/content-creation-u/.
The design is simple, yet professional, and it doesn’t detract from the message on the page.
It’s not a problem if you’re not a designer. If you want, you can hire someone. Alternatively, you might use a content management system like WordPress.org, which offers thousands of professional designs (many of which are absolutely free).
The next step is to come up with a list of all the advantages that a subscriber will receive if they join your mailing list. To put it another way, you want to come up with as many reasons as possible for someone to join your list.
Here are some questions to consider when brainstorming these advantages:
Move on to the next step once you’ve learned about all the benefits…
To write copy that truly connects with your target audience, you must first understand who they are, what they want, and how they think and feel. You can get this information by looking at demographics, monitoring niche conversations on social media and other platforms, and surveying your target group.
For example, what is the average age and gender of your target audience? Where do they call home? What are their most pressing niche issues? What are they looking for? What niche-relevant hopes and worries do they have? The more you learn, the easier it will be to write high-response copy that talks directly to your target market.
This leads us to the following step…
Now that you’ve figured out who your target market is and what you’re selling, it’s time to put it all together in a sales letter.
NOTE: This page does not have to be very long. A headline, a brief introduction, a list of benefits, and a call to action are usually sufficient. Let’s have a look at these pieces…
Headline
Create an engaging headline that highlights one to three of the most compelling reasons to join your mailing list.
For example:
Next…
Opener
Then, in a few phrases, add a short opening that expands on what you’re offering and/or describes the problem you’re fixing.
Example:
“It’s not fun to be miserable all of the time because of your allergies.” You have swollen eyes and cheeks. People frequently ask whether or not you are crying. And your eyes itch so badly that it’s all you can think about at times.
The good news is that you can start feeling better right now. It doesn’t matter whether you’ve tried every over-the-counter medication. It makes no difference if prescribed medications haven’t helped you. What you’ll learn in this free report will revolutionize the way you think about allergies – and will change your life for the better!”
List of Benefits
You’ll want to share a bulleted list of your top perks after the opener. You have the option of sharing five to ten benefits.
Include statements that pique the readers’ interest in the benefits they’re receiving wherever possible. You can accomplish this by informing visitors of the advantage but not telling them HOW they will receive it. Going against popular belief regarding the benefit will make people curious to know more.
For example, many individuals assume that when they’re on a weight-loss regimen, they need to experience hunger, rumbling stomachs, cravings, feeling deprived, and so on. You can make people curious by telling them that they can reduce weight without these negative consequences. The use of phrases like “secrets,” “find,” and “reveal” will pique people’s interest in the benefit.
For example: “You’ll learn the secrets of safe and effective weight loss – even if you eat a luscious piece of chocolate cake every day!”
Here’s another example: “Are you making a costly copywriting mistake that might be taking thousands of dollars from your bottom line every year? Find out on page 33!”
Call to Action
At this moment, your visitor is eager to join your mailing list. Along with your email opt-in form, you must now include a call to action.
E.G., “Fill out the form below and click submit to get instant access to [the main benefit, lead magnet, or whatever else you want]:”
You know you have a fantastic lead magnet and a fantastic newsletter for your subscribers, but they have no idea.
Your lead page is where you can tell your audience about your free offer and how they can gain immediate access to your lead magnet in exchange for an email address.
Any type of marketing funnel relies on good sales copy and there are many pitfalls and mistakes that inexperienced copywriters can make. If you want to know more about avoiding these and other copywriting mistakes, take a look at the featured resource below where you can download a copy of a free report, Copywriting Blunders, so you will be forewarned and can make your copy more effective. Download, read it and take action 😊
When you work for yourself, you need to be accountable to yourself. When you’re self-employed, you’re all you have. Unlike a day job, when you have deadlines, performance reports, and a boss to report to, you’re all you have.
Even if you have an accountability partner, you’ll have to hold yourself accountable the majority of the time. If you don’t, there’s a good chance you’ll start slacking off or postponing.
Your work-life balance will be thrown out of whack, and you’ll be continually striving to catch up at the expense of other aspects of your life.
One of the most effective strategies to hold yourself accountable is to keep a journal. Make a detailed account of your day. Did you follow through on your promises to yourself? Or did you manufacture excuses and put things off?
Staying on track requires identifying and addressing trouble areas immediately. Your work will improve, and you will have more time to relax and socialise.
A to-do list is an excellent way to keep track of your daily tasks. Write down three of the most critical chores that must be completed that day.
Your goal is to complete those three things first thing in the morning. In his book “Eat That Frog,” Brian Tracy discusses this. The remainder of the jobs will be a breeze once you’ve completed the challenging ones.
The essence of life is time. It’s a good idea to start by writing down what you’re doing every hour in a notepad. This personal time management will assist you identify where your time is going.
Seeing how many hours are wasted on minor hobbies like social networking or talking on the phone, for example, can be eye-opening.
This amount of discipline may appear to be restricting your life and not enjoyable at all. However, the opposite is true. When you’re disciplined during the workday, you get more done in less time and encounter fewer issues.
This gives you more time to do what you enjoy rather than continuously putting out fires at work.
To make the process easier and more achievable, every main goal should be broken down into smaller micro goals. Break your big aim down into smaller monthly and weekly benchmarks. Make a list of activities you need to do every day to meet that weekly goal.
It’s only a question of time before you achieve the primary objective if you meet the micro ones. This way, instead of being overwhelmed by the mountain of a goal in the distance, you’ll be focused on the task at hand.
Take time each day to praise yourself for doing a good job. You should give yourself a pat on the back to motivate yourself, just like you hold yourself accountable.
Simply assess what went wrong, pick yourself up, and keep moving forward. Every day is another opportunity to improve and enhance yourself. Don’t allow yesterday’s mistakes hold you back today.
Spillover occurs when your professional and personal lives begin to blur. In the traditional sense, this would imply that your spouse or family calls you at work.
While there is nothing intrinsically wrong with a fast 2-minute call, it is still a distraction that might throw you off your game. You want to be on the go when you’re at work.
If you receive a call from home informing you that your neighbor’s child has broken the house window while playing ball, you will be concerned. You might be casual about it or moderately irritated, depending on your personality. A person who is extremely worried may become enraged.
When you work from home, it’s even more difficult to avoid spillage. For starters, you’ll most likely be able to hear distant family members. There will be distractions even with noise cancelling headphones.
What level of overflow is acceptable?
There is no right or incorrect answer in this situation. Generally speaking, the less spillage, the better. You want to concentrate as much as possible. Let’s have a look at a few things to think about.
It’s unavoidable that your career will require more attention at times… and that your home duties will take up more of your time.
If you have a tight deadline looming, restrict your time with your family to an hour and get back to work as soon as possible. Your child may also need your assistance with a school project.
You may decide to work less and spend more time with your child during this time. There are no hard and fast rules or schedules.
All you have to do is keep your cool and remember that these are exceptions to the rule. For the most part, it’s ideal to stick to a set routine with little variation.
This is yet another delicate subject. You are unlikely to have employees if you work from home.
However, if you operate a business and are extremely close with your employees (going out for drinks with them after work), they may lose respect for you, and it will be difficult to set boundaries with them.
This is an example of spillover that has an impact on your work productivity. With your staff, you must draw boundaries.
This spillage can be frustrating and distracting if you work from home but can’t get your kids to be quiet while you’re working or if your spouse keeps nagging you to perform chores.
You may rent a modest office to work from during these hours. Working from home isn’t going to suffice. You require your personal space as well as a distraction-free workplace.
To summarise, whether you work from home or have a day job, spillover is nearly hard to avoid. The most you can do is try to keep the spillover to a minimum and discover strategies to lessen it if it becomes too much. It is possible.
Whatever you want in life will require discipline to achieve and maintaining a healthy work life balance is a small part of that. And if you want to know more about harnessing the power of self-discipline, then check out the featured resource below for a free report; download, read it and take action 🙂
