by Mike Flanagan | Internet Marketing Tips 101 |
Do Something About Time Management And Create A Schedule
“If you don’t manage your time, your time will manage you”
Do you know who said that?
Well, actually, it was me – although I didn’t really say it, because I wrote it right here.
Time management is the main topic of this post, although you’ll see further on that I am not exactly practicing what I am preaching about at the moment. The reason for this seemingly hypocritical statement is because of the breakdown I suffered in August 2010, of which I have previously written about in this blog. Also check out my About Page.
Now, a couple of days ago I created a blog post, which was the first since February 2016.
So, why such a long hiatus, as it is now getting on for six months since that February post?
Well, that’s a question I really don’t have a simple and straight answer for. I could say that I’ve got nothing to write about; I don’t like writing; I couldn’t be bothered because I’m a lazy so-and-so.
Each response could be an answer; an excuse; a reason.
But the real answer is that I simply do not know why I do things or don’t do things and I guess it’s just all part-and-parcel of the slow breakdown recovery process, that has actually started to reveal some answers six years after the event. That hiatus-breaking post is somewhat of a milestone as far as recovery goes – check it out here.
Writing has not really ever been that much of a problem for me as things do start to flow after a short time, but it still remains something that I sort-of have a love/hate relationship with. It has been worse since the breakdown and I guess a lot of that comes from part of the responsibilities in my previous job, where I had to write responses to tenders, bids and other documents which always seemed to have tight delivery schedules and meant – more often than not – working through the night and weekends to hit deadlines.
It’s something that really invokes bad memories for me and has become one of my hurdles to overcome. To do it, I close my eyes and meditate for a short time, getting into a relaxed state and telling myself that there is no deadline or target and no failure for late delivery – because there is no late delivery!
Once I get through that, I’m OK.
That recent post has broken my blogging drought and I’ll be posting more regularly, but I have to avoid creating anything that remotely resembles a schedule, deadline or target. Which probably does put me at a disadvantage, especially when other bloggers I know use various systems for mapping and scheduling every hour of every day of every week.
Not doing it myself is also why I indicated in the opening paragraphs that I may seem hypocritical, but my own current avoidance at doing it is strongly connected with my condition. Taking a broader view, I definitely agree that it is an efficient thing to do, as you know where you are and what needs to be done at any given time on any given day.
I’ve personally used various processes for doing this over the years, which have included manual paper-based systems as well as stand-alone and networked software programs and enterprise-wide dedicated project management systems.
This is because I was responsible for all technical aspects and budgeting for several projects at any given time. Managing and controlling available time is essential for every executive level employee in today’s corporate world, as one missed meeting or deadline could jeopardize multi-million dollar contracts.
Some Tips For A Time Management Schedule
Before doing anything else, make sure you set up a nice clean and organized working environment. Spending time finding things or becoming distracted by something on your desk or on your computer screen all results in wasting a lot of your time. So the first thing you should do is to clear away anything you don’t need.
- Clear away anything on your desk or on your screen that are not required for your tasks.
- Shutdown any programs or websites, such as email and Facebook, that can suck away your time.
- Create a list of tasks to be done, either handwritten or on your computer.
- Always audit what you have or have not achieved at end of each day, identify why things were not done.
- Prepare a fresh list at the end of each day for the following morning and carry over the tasks outstanding from that day.
- Do the small tasks first. Seeing a large number of tasks done will give a great sense of achievement at the end of each day.
- Close the door or put up a sign showing that you don’t want to be disturbed for a couple of hours.
- If you have any phone calls to make, schedule them back-to-back.
- Choose a time of the day to check emails and Facebook. Do it at the same time each and every day and set a time limit.
- Take regular breaks away from your computer, so that you can come back refreshed.
These are the type of things I used to do in my old job and also started doing when I first began my Internet business. But I found it to be too stressful and overwhelming to be confronted with a task list, even though I created it for myself!
So, until I can start to become more comfortable with planning and scheduling my time again, I will just continue to do things the way I am doing them now. But, for everyone else I would definitely recommend using some form of scheduled time-management system.
Any good mentor will always advocate the use of such a system and it’s a good idea to get into the habit of scheduling your time right from the day you start your own Internet based business.
And if you are looking at starting an on-line business of your own, you’ll already know from some of my previous posts that I am an iPro partner member. I’ve made no secret of it and without bias, I can honestly recommend the Business Commission Blueprint as the training to start you off with your own on-line business.
Alternatively, if you’ve already had some success with Affiliate Marketing, may I suggest that you take a look at the Affiliate Club.
Mike
by Mike Flanagan | Interesting IM Stuff From The Web |
After reading it, and thought it worthy of sharing here as the traits are not just for small business success.
I would say that the high profile and very successful billionaire entrepreneurs we all read, see and hear about started out with a small business – and maybe just by themselves.
In various interviews, a lot of them have listed some, if not all, of these very same traits and not just for past success. They often attribute their current, on-going and future business successes to them.
A lesson to everyone then.
When achieving great success in business, we must never forget where we came from and what it was that made us so successful in the first place.
To carry on reading the original article, click on this link to their website –
10 Traits That Will Help You Succeed in Small Business (And Maybe Life)
I hope that you found inspiration from that story.
Anything I find on the Internet that inspires or motivates me, I will share here on my blog.
Mike
by Mike Flanagan | Internet Marketing Tips 101 |
Affiliate Marketing & A Hidden Agenda
Image 1 – Illusion or Fact?
Affiliate Marketing is supposed to be an easy way to start generating income on-line and provide the foundations to grow a successful on-line business. From Amazon Associates to promoting a new IM product launch, the way to start earning a sustainable living is to just pop-up a website of your own and successfully apply for affiliate status.
If only that was all there was to it.
I thought it would be easy and I guess you did too.
After all, it’s supposed to be a sure-fire way to get some income, through promoting an offer and receiving a percentage in return. All the ad’s you see follow a familiar theme. In some form or another, they show money falling into the hands of some excited person who is just sitting on their couch – with a laptop – eagerly raking in all the commission dollars after making a ton of amazing sales to a huge number of people.
They all suggest that this is the route to financial freedom. Just simply promote one product after another and receive large stacks of cash in return.
All well and good, but the problem with this image (Image 1) is that it is only an illusion. It is the preferred outcome that everyone wants to see and instantly expects and of course, it’s the reason why images like these are used! What is missing from that picture is all the hard work that needs to happen before the illusion shown becomes reality. In fact, being accepted as an affiliate is certainly not some kind of ‘right’ and cannot be expected as a ‘given’. Vendors do not offer their products to sell through just anyone, they want to be certain that their chosen affiliates either have a proven track record of successful sales or if new to it, their on-line presence portrays them as someone who is serious about establishing a real business rather than just a ‘hobby-blog’.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that it is impossible to make a living as an Affiliate Marketer, this is certainly a valid business model that has stood the test of time. It has existed as long as there have been shops, stores, door-to-door and mail-order businesses. Anyone who is promoting any type of product, whether it’s a toaster; washing machine; vacuum cleaner or car is acting as a representative for the company that makes or supplies those products. A commission payment is made for every successful sale, which could be as a percentage of profits made or the sales price agreed with the customer.
In the context of this post’s subject, this is the same model deployed in the on-line world for Affiliate Marketers. Of course, it is still used successfully in the ‘real’ or ‘off-line’ world. There are some very good people working in sales who do indeed earn massive commission payments.
Consistent performers in the corporate world quickly get promoted and those that take their on-line businesses seriously do indeed make rapid ascents. These high-fliers in the on-line world are granted ‘guru’ status among their own followers and quickly recognized as-such by others. However, it is often a fact that their success is the culmination of hard work and determination coupled with a strong vision and clear goals of what they are actually aiming to achieve. They treat what they do on-line as seriously as if they are running a bricks-and-mortar business, focused on the need to succeed in order to grow and continue to thrive.
So, does this mean that success is the exception rather than the rule? Otherwise, everyone would be as equally successful, or is it something else that makes these people stand-out from the rest of us? Maybe they are just ‘lucky’ people, or just good at selling stuff?
Well, it could be that they have an element of each of those things. Some people are indeed ‘lucky’ and I’m sure that a lot of us have come across individuals that just seem to somehow attract good fortune and favor for themselves.
- But, is there something else?
- Are we all missing something?
- Is there something that is real, tangible and in plain sight?
Well, there is actually something and I have only recently stumbled across it myself. It’s true that 97% of people fail on-line and it’s all because of a little shocking secret. Guaranteed to be the main reason why the majority of people who try on-line will never make it.
I do know what it is, but I’m not at liberty to divulge just yet.
The day when this Secret will be released has been set at November 16 2015, which is less than 7 days away at the time of this writing.
I’m certainly not going to let ‘the-cat-out-of-the-bag’ before then, as it is the realization of a very successful and highly rated, multi-millionaire marketer. And I, for one, intend to keep ‘mum’ until after the Secret has been exposed. I also want to keep on the right side of him because this blog is a real business to me and I want it to become successful!
Actually, I just want to go off-track for a moment…
Now, I know that I haven’t written anything here in my blog for a long time and I don’t want to be judged as a someone who is just lazy, or a ‘hobby-blogger’. My reasons are related to my health condition, which I have freely written about in my About Me section. I need to state here that I am serious, I am determined and I am focused. It’s just that my condition overcomes me from time to time. Fortunately, it’s nowhere near as bad as it used to be and is getting better all the time.
Right, with that said I’ll just re-iterate that on November 16, a top Internet Marketer will release – free of charge – the reason why Affiliate Marketing isn’t really the pathway to riches for most of us.The headline for this release is D.A.M.S (Dirty Affiliate Marketing Secret).
By clicking the link below, you can be part of an EarlyBird group that will be the first to know about it on the release day and also get to know about exclusive updates on this Major Revelation in the Internet Marketing Industry.
And remember, the information being released is free. So click the link to find out more and join my DAMS EarlyBird Access
D.A.M.S – Dirty Affiliate Marketing Secret
by Mike Flanagan | Internet Marketing |
In this video, I talk about the recent problems I have had with my computer, initially started by a virus/malware issue that caused hardware damage to an 8GB stick of RAM & a 2TB Hard Drive.
I then go on to discuss anti-virus/malware and backups, both local & cloud-based.
At about the 06:15 point in the video, I mention a link for Copy.com .
With Copy.com, you get 15GB to start plus an extra 5GB if you get it through my link.
20GB is not bad for a free account!
Of course, you don’t have to go through my link, but if do, just Click Here
I also talk about a continuous on-line backup solution I use called Backblaze. Click Here to go there and check it out.
PC Problems, Virus, Firewalls and Backups?
The dreaded BSOD (Blue Screen Of Death)
You may well ask what all of this has got to do with Internet Marketing or running an On-line Home Business.
Surely this topic belongs in a blog focused on IT or computer related stuff!
Well, yes, it is ” IT or computer related stuff”, but without a computer of some description it would be impossible to access the Internet – let alone run a business on it. Admittedly, there are tablets and smartphones, but it is generally easier and more efficient to use a desktop or laptop computer for this task.
However, if a tablet or smartphone is your preferred device, then please forgive my impertinence. But bear in mind that any device that accesses the Internet is potentially vulnerable and requires protection.
Also, this post concerns a PC, because that is what I use and what was attacked. But don’t get too smug if your ‘tech’ of choice is made by Apple Computers.
So, welcome to my latest post that unashamedly focuses on the computer or other devices we all use every day and maybe even take for granted.
The Computer “Thingy” That Gets Me To My Website
Taken for granted and mostly overlooked, except when needed, that box of electronics that sits on your desk or lap is under constant threat when connected to the Internet. Unscrupulous people all over the world are always on the lookout for a vulnerable computer that can be exploited to gain access to your personal and financial information. They can also use it to launch attacks on other vulnerable machines, or even relay spam and phishing emails through it so it looks as if the messages are coming from you.
There’s no need for paranoia, just an awareness of the fact that threats are always out there.
The crowd of sniveling under-rock-dwellers that spend their miserable little lives writing malicious code for the purpose of causing maximum disruption or stealing sensitive information, have been busy expanding their repertoire of coding mayhem into the realms of Apple’s OSX & IOS as well as Linux and Android Operating Systems.
During the course of my career, I have met a lot of very intelligent and talented individuals, who live and breath hardware and sof tware design. Most of them are still working very happily writing software and/or designing electronic products. Unfortunately, some have been led down a darker path, donning a “black hat” and wasting their considerable talents, by focusing on malicious software creation, cracking and hacking. I don’t know why – maybe some kind of traumatic incident in their personal or business life acted as a catalyst and triggered a vengeful mindset.
But who really knows the reasons why? Except, maybe, the individuals themselves.
The takeaway here is Vigilance .
Don’t become a sitting duck by thinking that it’s only Windows based PC’s that are vulnerable. There are always people, somewhere, actively working on exploits and thinking up different methods to gain access and take control of all popular operating systems, including OSX, IOS, Android and the more popular distributions of Linux.
Always ensure that the computer or device you work with, has known and respected Anti-Virus and Anti-Malware programs running, that receive at least daily updates to their definitions databases, so they are always prepared for the most current piece of nasty coding lurking out there. Also, always try to work behind a firewall, whether it’s the one built into your broadband router, as most are these days, or a software version installed on your computer/device.
Remember that everything is secure and robust before someone decides to launch an attack.
It’s only after the event when weaknesses are exposed. But, by that time, it is much too late.
My PC suffered a virus attack, although it didn’t look like that was the problem at first.
But, after a lot of investigation, research and diagnostics, I tracked all the problems down to a file with the magnificent name of zlibwapi.dll.wwbak that was sitting very nonchalantly in the system32 directory.
Now, there is a file called zlibwapi.dll which is associated with the zlib data compression library (zlib.dll). As ‘wapi’ is contained in the name, it would suggest that this file is a Windows Application Programming Interface (WAPI) that would act as an interface to an application requiring access to the library of functions contained within zlib.dll (dll = Dynamic Link Library).
So it’s quite normal to find both zlib.dll & zlibwapi.dll files on a PC, as there are many applications that use the compression functions in the library. Those that immediately spring to mind are any that manipulate photo, video or other graphics files. A quick search on my PC shows the files used extensively within Adobe applications as well as Camtasia and various video conversion programs.
I’ll be writing more on this in future posts, so stay tuned!
