Time Managment

Microsourcing: Here’s How to Get REAL Results with Outsourcing…

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We’ve all heard about the benefits of outsourcing.

It’s a great dream…

You sit on a sandy beach sipping Daiquiris while an army of workers create passive income.

Unfortunately the reality is much different than the dream.

Done incorrectly, outsourcing can become your personal nightmare.  Often it’s a waste of money, time, and your sanity.

My main problem with outsourcing is the idea that you have to employee a full-time worker to run an aspect of your business.  Sometimes it’s hard to keep a single person occupied for 40 hours a week – Especially when this person is limited in their particular skill set.

Even worse, there’s the risk of a “single point of failure.”  Hiring one person to manage an aspect of your business means you’re relying on one person.  Basically… you’re screwed if things don’t work out.

I tried different types of outsourcing from 2007 to 2010.  Then in 2011, I took back full control of my Internet business.  And by the end of 2011, I was completely stressed out.

Now it’s 2012 – A new year full of dreams and major goals I want to accomplish.  That’s why I’ve decided to get back into outsourcing.  But this time I’m using a technique called micro outsourcing or microsourcing.

So let’s talk about this concept…

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Managing Email Overload: How to Stop Being a Slave to Your Email Inbox

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Overcome Email Overload

Overcome Email OverloadIt’s easy to suffer email overload with an Internet business.

This is when you spend the majority of your “work time,” answering pointless messages.

That’s why it’s important to have a plan that helps you managing email overload. 

In today’s guest post, Alan gives a simple step-by-step solution for mastering your inbox.

What I like about this article is he gives a simple solution that anyone can implement.  Use this plan and you’ll experience a dramatic increase in your productivity.

Take it away Alan…

For a lot of people these days, email is an integral part of their lives.

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The Pomodoro Technique: Internet Productivity 25-Minutes at a Time?

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The Pomodoro Technique

The Pomodoro TechniqueLately I’ve been experimenting with a productivity method called The Pomodoro Technique.

At first, I wasn’t sure if it would help.  But I’ve tested it for the last two weeks and I can honestly say it’s had an amazing impact on my personal time management.

So today we’re going to talk about The Pomodoro Method; specifically showing how this technique can help YOU get more accomplished on a daily basis.

Why You Need to Keep Track of your Time

Last week I asked a simple question:  How Many Hours Do You Spend on your Online Business?

I was amazed at how hard people work on their online business.  On the other hand, I was a little shocked that some didn’t keep track of their time.  They’ll work hour after hour; never knowing what they’re accomplishing.

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How Many Hours Do YOU Spend with your Online Business?

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Online Time Management

Online Time ManagementLately I’ve been streamlining how I use my time.

The goal is simple.  I want to get more accomplished without working longer hours.

To get started, I had to first determine how many hours I work in a given week.

I determined that my average is about 38 hours of work during a typical week.  But this depends on what I have going on in my life.  For instance, I’ve worked little in the last few months because I’m constantly traveling.  And before that, I cranked out 50 to 60 hour weeks to complete my affiliate marketing product.

Overall though, I usually put in a standard work week like most Americans.  (Just without the hellish commute.)

What I’m wondering is what’s a *normal* amount of time for an online entrepreneur?

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The Dark Side of the Internet Lifestyle

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I’d like to start with a humble apology.  I really haven’t posted much in the last month.  There are many excuses I could make.  Instead I’ll simply say that I wanted to enjoy a month-long trip in Europe; without feeling pressure to do work.

Darth VaderyThis leads us to the topic for today’s article…

Much has been said about the concept of the Internet Lifestyle.  For some, it seems like a dream come true.  With a laptop and a wireless connection you can work from any spot in the world.  Take a look at any advertisement for a ‘home based business’ product.  Odds are you’ll see shots of ordinary folks “working” while living in a warm, tropical paradise.

With all that said, I think there’s a dark side to this lifestyle.  What’s not talked about are the many hassles that occur while running a business out of a backpack.

I’ve traveled for about 11 months in the last two years.  That’s 46% of my time working while being on the road.  During this time I’ve learned that are certain negatives to this lifestyle:

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Yelling into a vacuum- The importance of online promotion

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“Without promotion something terrible happens… Nothing!”- PT Barnum

Importance of online promotionFor the past couple of weeks I have spent a lot of time on an important subject: productivity.

Productivity is all about getting things done.  In the past few weeks I have discussed:

Hopefully these articles have given you some inspirational ideas AND actionable tips on increasing productivity.  So now you have free time.  (Yeah, right!)  It is time to take all those free hours and turn an eye toward online promotion.

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How a Single File Manages an Entire Internet Business

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Excel LogoHaving trouble tracking all of your content?

Don’t know what type of email to send subscribers?

Need a place for the links relevant to your online business?

In this post, I’ll show how a single file is the answer to all three questions and SO much more…

The “Master Document” Principle

For many years I’ve used a simple technique to manage each of my Internet businesses.  I call it a “master document.”  (Yeah, not very original.) This file saves me lots of time while writing blog posts and emails for my business.

How does it work?

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Weekly To Do List – How to Make a To Do List that Works!

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It’s been a year since I’ve discussed my weekly to do list.  So let’s talk about the importance of this document and how it helps me successfully run three Internet businesses.

An Example of My Weekly To Do List

To Do List FunnyLet’s start with an example.  Below is a copy of my to-do list for last week (This post was written over a week ago, so even though this stuff is “in the past” to YOU, it’s actually the future to ME.)

1)      Click Here for the PDF Version

2)      Click Here for the Excel Version

(Both are the same document.  Simply click the version the weekly to do list version you prefer.)

Why Most “To-Do Lists” Fail

Before we get into the “why” of this document, I’d like to talk about the single reason why most people fail with to-do lists.


The reason they don’t work is they’re structured around a single day.

It’s been my experience that it’s hard to know how much you can get done in a single 24-hour period.

Usually the day ends in disappointment because you weren’t able to cross off ALL the items.

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Information Overload? YOUR Blueprint for Turning Information into Action

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Information

It’s the cornerstone of any successful Internet business. We all need information to learn what techniques are currently working.  Without it; you’ll get left behind.

Odds are you’re in the information business.   It doesn’t matter if you’re a blogger, affiliate marketer, product owner, or complete newbie; your Internet business is based on information.  The question is how to synthesize information without wasting a lot of time.

The Trap of Too-Much Information

Like I said in the article about fighting overwhelm it’s easy to get caught in the information overload trap.  We all want to succeed.  And sometimes it seems like the best way to do it is to read everything that pertains to Internet marketing.

How to Fight Information OverloadToo much information can be a bad thing.  It’s one of those creative excuses we all make for why we can’t more forward with a project.  Often it’s easier to say you’re learning about a technique than it is to try it and make mistakes.  If you let it… information overload will cause paralysis by analysis.

So what’s my point?

It’s simple.  While information is important, it’s also an area where people waste a lot of time.  Today I’d like to talk about my method for synthesizing information and taking action.

What I’m about to discuss is important because it teaches the exact steps to become a mini-expert in any topic.  After this post you’ll be able to learn ANY new concept and immediately apply it to your Internet business.

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How to Fight Feeling Overwhelmed with Internet Marketing

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There are a lot of obstacles to achieving the Internet lifestyle.  Sometimes it seems like you move one step forward only to get pushed back two.  In the seven years I’ve had an online business, I’ve seen countless people give up on their dreams of Internet success.

Why?

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THE #1 Internet Business Time Management Tool

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Every single day I use a sophisticated tool that allows me to perfectly manage my time and ensure that I’m only working on the things that bring actual results.

This tool helps me do important things like:  Create content for this blog, increase my affiliate income, manage my information product, use social media to network with people, and write my forthcoming affiliate marketing course.

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How to Earn Full-Time Internet Income… Even if you Have a Full-Time Job

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I want to talk about something that’s always annoyed me.  In fact, sometimes it really pisses me off.

Working from Home- Full-Time IncomeWhenever I meet someone and talk about my Internet business, I often get the “It must be nice to work at home and lounge around” comment.  Recently I even had a person say that there is NO way I could replicate my success if I was forced to work a full-time job and earn an income from the internet at the same time.

Holy sh*t, this comment angered me!

I actually had someone tell me that a successful online business is NOT possible for anyone who works full-time.

So today I’m going to throw down the gauntlet!

This post contains the secrets to making a full-time income from the internet even if you have that regular 9 to 5 job.  As I wrote it, I imagined what it would be like if I only had ten to twenty hours a week to focus on my Internet business.  The result is I’ve included only the absolute critical steps to your success.  I’ve eliminated all the crap and left you with the bare essentials for creating a full-time income.

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