WAHM Archives - Page 2 of 3 - Affiliate Marketing with Missy Ward, Affiliate Summit Co-Founder & Co-CEO

Let Structure Set You Free

by Missy Ward

Ahhhh… the first day of your new entrepreneurial life – the day after you’ve left your full-time job for the last time, the day you no longer have to don business attire and full make-up – is a heady day.

You can sleep in late, start working in your pajamas while curled up on the couch, and there is no boss to tell you to stay off of Facebook or turn that music down. It’s an exhilarating, one-of-a-kind experience.

However, it isn’t too long before you realize that as an entrepreneur, you actually need to be more organized instead of less. Without structure and good self-discipline, your multiple visits to Facebook during the day mean you’re still working late into the evening, often to the detriment of both your family and your sanity.

So how do you go about setting up a plan for your independent work day? Here’s what I’ve learned the hard way.

1. Make a Schedule

This might seem obvious, but it’s critically important for long term success. First, pay attention to when you are most productive; are you a morning person, or do you do better in the afternoon? Once you know your most productive times, schedule your more challenging work during those times. Leave your less productive hours for more routine tasks, such as checking email or updating spreadsheets.

2. Use Good Tools

There are some great time-management tools out there; find the ones that work best for you and use them. One of the best free tools I’ve found is Podio.com. It is incredibly flexible and allows me to manage my schedule and projects very easily. For tracking my time on the web and social media, I like RescueTime.com which offers a weekly productivity report. My first report really showed how much time I waste on social media and helped me build better habits.

3. Batch Tasks

I can bust out a ton of work when I get into a groove. But, starting and stopping different tasks makes me lose momentum very easily. So when I decided to start batching my tasks, it became much easier for me to focus on work instead of getting derailed each time I got a new Facebook or email notification ping.

My four favorite tasks that I like to batch are email, social media, content creation and administrative duties. By blocking off time each day to focus on each batch of tasks, I’m able to accomplish much more, without working longer hours.

4. Consider Outsourcing

Why torture yourself doing things you don’t enjoy and don’t do well when you can easily subcontract out tasks like payroll, taxes, data entry, etc. to other entrepreneurs. Hiring people to do these things will free you up to do what you love and build your business.

In order to be successful over the long term and grow your business in a smart way, you need to do more than work hard – you need to work SMART. After all, you are your own boss now, and you want to give your boss your best, right?

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3 Tips to Avoid the Solopreneur Rut

by Missy Ward

Years of laboring in the salt mines as you wonder what the specific ramifications of physically attacking your supervisor might do to your career are finally over.

Not only are you self-employed, you're the only place the “buck” stops.

But after a while, life as a solopreneur can become very routine. You may begin to feel isolated, easily distracted and then finally… bored.

These are the warning signs of what I call, “Solopreneur Rut” and if left untreated, it can be very damaging to the business you've worked so hard to build.

Here are 3 tips that I use to avoid the Solopreneur Rut:

Learn, Establish & Practice Effective Time Management Skills

In a solo office, it's easy to adopt a “Whack-a-Mole” mentality towards managing projects, emails, social media, phone calls and administrative issues that arise during the day.

While you'll certainly feel that you've been busy at the end of the business day, you probably won't feel that you've accomplished what you set out to do that day. Unexpected issues will always arise, but the time you spend dealing with them should be the exception, not the rule.

Instead, maximize your productivity by practicing effective time management. Establish deadlines daily, evaluate any progress (or lack thereof) on each project and prioritize your tasks in order to get the job done efficiently and effectively.

Maintain Communication with Colleagues, Old Co-Workers, Mentors and Mentees

Regularly schedule meetings and keep in touch with individuals who support your vision. The meetings might range from a simple call, grabbing a cup of coffee at Starbucks, a lunch or joining a like-minded local group that you found on Meetup.com. (Here's one that I organize here in Orlando: http://www.meetup.com/ASMCOAFF/)

Not only will the contact keep you from feeling alienated and lonely, it can also help you professionally by establishing or strengthening your business network.

Best of all, it gives you the opportunity to troubleshoot things going on in your business and provides a chance to hear other opinions aside from your own.

Practice Regular Evaluations

Practice regular self-evaluations in the same vein as you probably received during annual reviews from your supervisor at your old job.

I like to schedule my self-evaluation quarterly as it gives me enough data and history to review without being too shortsighted. I set it for the same date that I pay my Quarterly Estimated Taxes so I can get two distasteful tasks over at the same time. 😉

If you have a mentor, it might be good to set up a time for them to review your self-assessment and provide feedback.

Adoption of these tips can help you work smarter keep you going on an optimum trajectory.

What else helps you avoid the Solopreneur Rut?

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3 Step Guide to Self Care for Work At…

by Missy Ward

Tell me I’m not the only one who takes care of herself last.

After a particularly harried day last month, I found myself staring at the pile of work on my desk, and I could only think about how tired and burnt out I felt.

It happens to the best of us — even the ones who love what they do for a living.

Parents notoriously take care of everyone but themselves, and that’s especially true for work at home parents. Yet, our businesses, relationships and health suffer when we ignore our needs.

In order to attempt to establish balance and order in my life, I came up with the three steps below to use as a guide. I definitely haven't figured it all out yet, but I'm trying!

1. Figure out what you really need.

You know you need a break, but what does that look like? For me, during the day, I love being outside — whether it's at the beach or simply taking a walk. In the evenings, I love trying new restaurants and sampling a wine I've not yet tried.

For you, a pedicure or massage, an evening alone with a good book or a night out with your real live friends may be the prescription that makes you feel relaxed, renewed and rested.

So, how do you figure out what you need? Think about the perfect day, and list what you would do, where you would go and who you would see. That dream day includes the activities you need to include in your schedule as you care for yourself.

2. Prioritize and schedule self-care.

Most of us have strict deadlines. Miss one, and risk losing a valuable customer. So, why are we negligent in scheduling a deadline for ourselves? By not taking care of ourselves, we jeopardize our health, relationships and income.

Open up that Google calendar of yours and make an appointment at least once a day to do something nice for yourself, even if it’s only a 20 minute nap, a short walk around the block or a quick telephone chat with a friend.

In addition to your daily break, schedule a longer break once a week, and take at least one day a week off. Don't even walk through your home office door. Turn off your phone, shut down that iPad and simply recharge.

Yes, your deadlines loom, but you won’t be able to function at your best if you’re burned out. Prioritize and schedule self-care!

3. Set boundaries.

If you struggle to say no, join the crowd. I’m a sucker for saying yes when my kids need a ride somewhere or when a client asks for a last minute help. Then, I wonder why I’m working past midnight trying to get everything done.

Self-care is not a luxury. It is a necessity that I need to do for myself. I’m learning to set boundaries and say no, and I hope you can too. The next time someone asks for something you don’t have time to do, try this technique.

Pause and say, “Let me check my schedule.”
Close your eyes and envision yourself enjoying your favorite free time activity.
Quietly but firmly tell that person that you have other plans.
Give them a time when you would be able to accommodate them or suggest two or three alternative providers.
Move on with your day and reward yourself for saying no and firmly sticking to your boundaries.

The nurturing, protecting and parenting nature in us wants to take care of everyone. As a work at home parent, make yourself a priority and find the balance and order that improves your relationships, health and job performance.

I hear my morning walk calling. Which self-care step will you implement first?

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Google Apps for Your Business [Review]

by Missy Ward

This post originally appeared on itsaWAHMthing.com, where I regularly contribute articles about affiliate marketing, productivity and technology tips for small businesses and work at home moms.

If you're a business owner that's looking to the cloud for business solutions, you may be overlooking an enormous opportunity to capitalize on new innovations. Cloud computing has finally come into the mainstream, and its proponents are well aware of the numerous benefits that can be found in the virtual realm.

Those offerings come in a range of forms, such as virtual backup, improved file-sharing and other handy collaboration tools. It has also opened the doors for cloud-hosted applications to take the business world by storm. These applications can serve to replace traditional software that is loaded onto work computers and purchased at a considerable cost — and without much flexibility. Read more “Google Apps for Your Business [Review]” →

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