Reflecting On What’s Important…
As we are nearing the end of this year, do you feel like you are moving in the right direction with your business?
Maybe it’s the holiday season and the new year coming up, or maybe because now it’s been a few months since I quit my job, but I am becoming somewhat reflective.
For one thing, I need to get a better work/life balance going. It is easy to get caught up in reading all the latest blogs and reading all the emails I get from all the lists I have signed up with. 
But is that helping my business any?
I think I am going to spend a little less time checking up on all the latest blog posts from the many blogs I read regularly. The basics don’t change anyway, and I can keep up with what’s new by reading a few strategic sites and reading just a few email newsletters from people I trust.
I am going to spend a little more time getting some exercise and taking time for relaxation. Too much work can burn anyone out.
I’m also going to spend a little more time with the people in my physical life, and a little less with the people in my online life (but don’t worry, I won’t forget you entirely 
). After all, this is the holiday season, a time to spend more time with family. In fact, I can’t wait until Christmas time, when my son will be here for a visit from California.
Remember the 80/20 rule? 20% of what you work on produces 80% of your results (as a rule of thumb).
So, find that 20% that is producing the most for you, and get rid of some of the 80% that is not doing you much good.
Do you think about things like this, and what conclusions have you come to?
- Pat Doyle
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“I’m also going to spend a little more time with the people in my physical life, and a little less with the people in my online life”
i like my online friends much better though
I reckon I need to spend more offline time with my online friends then… in 2007 that was 0 so i’ve got plenty of room to improve.
Mark, hopefully you will see some of your online friends in person at Affiliate Summit next year.
For those of you who don’t know - Mark is going to be the Blog Room Captain at Affiliate Summit.
Pat,
Given the tone of your entry, what I’m going to say may seem a little crass. (Believe me I gain nothing.)
As a total newbie to this online business venture I have been signing up to various lists and blogs, visiting and studying various blogs, buying several ebooks and reading them. This has started an avalanche of autoresponder emails aimed at me with a buy this and buy that message for me to ponder.
All of this new flurry in my life got me to thinking about all the work that is involved in a work-at-home-business. It seems to me that if not careful a person might become a slave to an online business and end up spending more time on the work-at-home-dream than they would spend on a 9-5 job.
Then I ran into this person’s site (http://www.JamesBrausch.com) and a software product of his called the FreedomBusinessSystem, and I am now encouraged to see a way to ultimately run my business in a way that affords me maximum freedom. I like to work smart not hard. I am thinking of buying it after I get more educated and experienced. I would love to hear your take on it. I think you might find it useful and coming from an IT background it should make immediate sense to you. If you get time please let me know. Thanks.
Hi Christian,
Your comment is totally on target. You can easily spend a lot more time on an online business than a 9-5 job, if you’re not careful. There is definitely a lot more work involved than I thought, and there are a lot of distractions as well.
I am still glad I made the switch to working for myself.
You definitely need to develop systems in your business. James Brausch has a lot of good products. The Freedom Business System is a good course. It’s probably a good idea that you plan to wait until you have a little more experience before purchasing it. You need to have a business going before you can systematize it.
Be careful with what products you purchase. It is better to find a few people you trust and buy their products than to buy everything that comes along. So far, the people I would recommend most (besides myself
) are Terry Dean and Jimmy D. Brown. I will probably be mentioning some of their products soon. James Brausch’s products are good too. I have already reviewed a couple of them.
Good Morning Pat!
Thinking about quality of life? Yes, all the time. I came back from a short business trip to Continental Europe and the U.K. on the weekend. It was raining (not all the time) and cold up there. Oh boy, I was so happy to be back in the sunny South.
Only reason to go North next year, should be a private one, like to watch some “Aurea Borealis”. Did you ever see one? We might go to Norway, though. There are some nice cruises going up there.
Yours
John
P.S.: Don’t throw away the wrong 80%. I have people seen doing this.
P.P.S.: I am thrilled that my “#1 Success Factor” is still in your Asides.
Hi John,
I would gladly take some rain instead of the snow we have here in Wisconsin. I saw a little bit of the northern lights when I was up north from here in Door County, Wis., but it was just a little bit.
Good tip about not throwing away the wrong 80%!
Hi Pat,
I’ve also been researching online business systems and have come across James D. Brausch’s web site. Not only does the Freedom Business System sound appealing, but as an ad writer, I’m also interested in Brausch’s Glyphius, which compares your ad copy with a database full of other ads, and helps you to create more effective ads to boost your sales.
You said you have reviewed some of James Brausch’s products; is Glyphius one of them, and if so, what do you think of it?
I’m all for having more time to spend on my favorite pursuits, so anything that will give me less time away from my keyboard without sacrificing my income will be invaluable to me.
Thanks,
Sevonee
Hi Sevonee,
Yes, I have Glyphius, and I love it. I have not had time to write up a review of it yet, but I highly recommend it.
I have both versions. The newer 2007 version is more expensive, but it has the added feature that it will tell you what the negative scoring words in your copy are. I think this is helpful, but some people say it is distracting. They use the older version and just keep rewording their copy until they get a higher score.
Anyway, I use it for all my sales letters. Sometimes I use it when I want a more powerful headline for a blog post too.
I have not tested the conversion rates of copy with and without Glyphius, but the copy just sounds a lot better to me, after I have improved it with Glyphius.
My work to life balance is a bit one-sided at the moment and it is frustrating me - work too much and don’t get to see the family and time to blog.
But, I’m aiming to turn that on its head. I’ve got a plan to expand my blog and my business in December and continue into the new year like a tidal wave - doing 20% work for 80% value.
Watching alot of social media areas to boost my online profile and trying to increase my networking with people online and offline.
Only time will tell.
Unfortunately, I think I spend 80% of my time on 20% of the valule. Looks like I need to make some adjustments.
I also want to spend a little less time online. Sometimes, I work so hard for the future, that I’m missing out on RIGHT NOW!
Hi Nathania. I agree, I am facing the same issues too. It is so easy to get caught up in stuff online.
My primary business goal for 2008 is simple: switch from a service business to an information product business.
Good for you, Ryan! I think info products are the way to go.