I defiantly suffer from this. It is really easy to lose track of time sitting in front of my laptop but I make an effort to take frequent breaks. I also ensure I get some form of physical activity in everyday, whether it be swimming in the lake, utilizing my costly gym membership, or simply walking to the grocery store.

You just have to make sure you're limiting yourself if you think it will become too much. The last thing you want is to get burnt out and eventually give up.

You'll find a lot of people work super hard because they're trying to create a passive income online.

Do all the hard work now, and reap the rewards with less work further down the track

At least, that's what I'm trying to achieve.

- Trevor

This is definitely a problem for me. Before I got into IM, I often spent way too many hours in front of my comp playing WoW or Left 4 Dead, but I also worked an active job where I was constantly moving.

Now I work a desk job, so I'm sitting in front of a comp for 9 hours a day at work and normally another 6-9 at home for my IM business. On weekends, I'll try to cram so much into my "days off" that I'll sit down at 8 or 9 in the morning and, when I realize I'm hungry for lunch, it might be 5 in the afternoon. I'm very OCD about things I am interested in, and this is something I am working hard to break out of.

-- j

I also fall for the same. Before when i was not in IM domain, I use to enjoy my time with my friends, families and colleague, But at that time i was only playing with chillers. Now situation is different as i started to walk on IM track i'm able to make good amount of money but I've to give what I've got. I've to work like an donkey nonstop, restless. But i think its worth the effort and every second, Because to get what we want, we have to lose what we don't want to lose.

Same with me.I love IM so much that I don't have any time to spent on other things. I keep learning more IM stuff although the information are not needed right now.

haha same my condition, I work 16hr a day i don't know when to eat when to sleep, no discipline in my life btw!! i am happy with that

And how does your body react to this a day or two later?

Skipping meals, losing sleep, avoiding exercise - these are never part of a regime to good health and well being. Although there are certain situations where it might be a "normal" response to extraordinary conditions - marriage, divorce, birth, death, etc. - this is not one of those, so learn to pace yourself.

Hello!

Yeah, IM is hard work. But there aren't any jobs that isn't hard. Maybe you just have to try time management. I don't normally encounter this problem, though I also get a little bit too hooked on doing the job. But yes, it's really hard work. More Power.

Best of Luck!

I have days I'm working 14 hours and days I don't do much. I'd say an average of six hours per day is what I'm doing right now.

The hard work pays off. Put in the extra hours and do your best to take care of yourself along the way. It's really that simple.

I remember when I first started IM.

I literally spent weeks 16 hours a day in front of the computer even if I was making $0.

Reason? It was fun.

Now it's a job.

Is that really a problem? I think it is a lifestyle. If you like and are having fun, so be it. Danielle Steel sometimes works for 22 hours and stays for days indoors to finalize her novels.

Yep, but i'm young so I dont mind.

Sometimes I put in 16 hour days and pretty much fall a sleep at my laptop. The only break I get is the gym daily and occasionally a movie a week to get a break.

It all comes down to what your goals are. I want to hit $500k a year so I'm willing to put into the work so I can take it easier later in life. I even have a outsourcing team and i'm still working long hours.

Running on meetings, dealing with online clients, building my list, making products--- it never ends, but like Mary said if you like what you're doing, who cares.

I live, breathe and even think about this stuff in my sleep. IM is absolutely a lifestyle. I figure complain about being broke or bust my ass and live my dreams.

Choice is easy for me ; )

I think IM is to spend our time ....
but we are happy to do so in order to earn money ....

Sometimes I get so involved in work and want to do it the
best I can that I forget to eat, or don't feel tired or sleepy at all.

It's always the same when you do engaging activities you enjoy -
- you get so immersed that you forget about everything else.

I'm guilty of this. I spend a lot of time working on a lot of projects.

Now I'm cutting back my hours online a bit. I used to work 7 days a week. Now it's 5.

I'm takign weekends almost completely off now.



You never hear anyone on their death bed saying they wished they worked more.

before I also have a time to do so, do not forget to sleep forget to eat.
If it's a passion, you will work enthusiastically. But also need to have time to relax, entertain, spend time with family. equilibrium time, driving it will be useful for you

Can you give me some resources to earn money from internet marketing.

i guess it is similar in every business. once you start it you are dedicated to it with all your heart - and the first years in a new business are seldom easy and you find yourself working your butt off.
that said - we need to take time off. i shouldn't say it as i´m not very good at it myself but what i do is that i go for a walk (an hour) every morning. it´s a great thing and really helps me to get fresh air.
also, i think a good resolution would be NOT to eat in front of the computer ;-) i can easily skip breakfast and lunch finding myself sitting here and just working

Sometimes I think we work too hard at it. Sometimes I wish we'd never started it. That generally happens when the 3 of us are together discussing biz and promotion and ideas and then one gets PO'd and then it gets loud. Arguing never solved anything. This yeller is my son, age 24, who is convinced he knows everything. He's got book smarts but no street smarts when it comes to our biz. It got ugly in here the other day, due to him. So once we all calmed down and got back at it, it was better. It is indeed a lot of work to develop your product and try to think of every last little thing you need and have to do before launch. You think you got it all, then you think of something else. It really does require a lot of work and perseverance.

I have the exact same problem. The downside of working from home I guess.

But we need balance in life. So I outsource to free up my time.

I'd say work what ever hours you desire as long as it's not effecting your productivity and efficiency.

There is no point working 16 hour days if you are allowing your mind to get so tired that it is subsequently taking you 16 hours to complete work that could be done in 12. You're getting into a nasty cycle which leads to inefficiency.

Every business needs to strive for optimal efficiency and productivity - that brings success long term.

Cheers

G

If you are in it for the long term my suggestion is to create a routine that promotes a healthier lifestyle. Exercise and eat well to keep your mind healthy and pace and plan your days.

Over time a higher productivity comes from planning, organising as well as taking care of yourself not just putting in big hours.

This is a very serious matter , being adicted to the internet , i call it Adictive Internet

Disorder Syndrome or AIDS for short , this applys to anyone who is on the internet for

longer than 4 hours a day (imo) , i no , as ime a sufferer , yes you may be tittering to

yourself , and think ime insane , but come on have you ever put something off ,

something like going shopping with your partner , or going out with friends , god ive

even been late for work because there was something i must finish on the net .

Is it just me , or is there thousands in the same boat , i work 60 hours plus for my boss

then another 60 on the net trying to free myself from the boss . I realy must cut down

and get my life back , ive been doing this for three years , and have i made any money

urrrrm well about $100 , hardly enough to to tell my boss to take a hike , is it .

Anyway may your god bless you , and if you have not got a god , i will blees mine for

you . Mac .

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balance is the key to life. work your butt off while still making sure to eat well, sleep well and live well. Spend time with loved ones and do things to stay healthy and happy.

Let's not beat around the bush, we are all doing IM to give us freedom in our lives. Well, if we're working so hard and so long to a point where we accidentally destroy that same freedom that we're pursuing then something needs to be done.

I work A LOT. Over time, I have learned to balance that with the finer things in life. There's a reason why Google has a time slot every single day where employees can do what they want. They know that it increases morale and productivity! You need time to yourself so don't sacrifice that!

I heard stories about people around the world dying of starvation because they didn't move from their chair while playing WoW. This could be a rumour and yet I don't doubt it at all. Live your life and make money at the same time! Don't get trapped.

manage your time, and work with intelligent

Some nice comments , some good advice , for the average person , but i feel for some

its an illness , and needs a doctors advice , some need to come out and admit they are

adicts , maybe explain to thier friends and families what is goig on , but most

importantly , get help , and yes even comming on this forum is a start .

May your god bless you , and if you dont have a god , i will bless mine for you , Mac

Ah yes... the bad old days! :-) I remember that. Don't get me wrong, I still put in long shifts every now and again but now it's through choice and not necessity.

Well, that and the fact I'm getting ready to unleash my very first WSO on the world in July. You heard it here first!

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i'm working harder and harder to build my article business and build my sites up. kind of hard when working full time and all but hustling away. hard work eventually pays off

Balance is everything in IM but a lot of times you get carried away in the project you are working on.

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We all do it. I put on my workout clothes when I first get up to encourage a mindset of "getting out to workout" later in the day. And it usually works!

I would much rather work Harder for myself than work for someone else's agenda which I did for most of my life. Wouldn't you?

Kristie from Georgia

probably the simplest thing you can do is get yourself in the habit of using pomodoro cycles.

there are several free software solutions and websites that will help you with these. I can't see working at home without using them

You make a lot of money off your business?

I didn't work too hard, that's the problem. I buy a lot. Lol.

I learned how to plan and manage time. I work full time and I spend at least an hour to work on my IM project at home. I make sure the windows open are only related to my project. No Skype, YM, FB, etc.

Same here. I keep on work and work and work just to expect to see a better result on the next day .
Internet became a world full of competitive and we need to fight in every minutes and seconds.
That why we need keep on learning. Work smart is better and save more time compare to work hard.

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It is really easy to get caught up in the business once you really get ir and are making money. It is important to take breaks and to make sure you make time for other things that matter in your life like friends and family.

Don't let your work come before those - no matter how much money you make online, you won't be happy and content unless you have people you care about around you. I try to keep that in mind when I've been sitting at the computer for 10 hours.

I definitely feel your pain. I too have missed many nights of sleep, trying to work hard at my IM business. And as you stated, it is very rewarding in the end though. So the key is to work hard, but also smarter, and play even harder. Meaning, reward yourself with something, anything! Just do it! I guarantee you'll find like you have employees that have thrown you a boss of the year party.

i used to work very hard, now i work less but when i do its hard. currently i sometimes dont work for 30 days, then grind for 3 days i na row all time, and relax again.

I do work too hard, specially when I'm in the middle of a project: 14-hours-a-day, wake up in the middle of the night thinking about work, having lunch super late, etc.

Obviously, it's not always like that, only when I'm involved in a big project. But that's the way I tick: either at full speed or don't do it. There's never been a "sensible middle point" for me.

Hey All..

What exactly is "hard work" anyway?

That phrase gets thrown around so often that it becomes very confusing. What I see as "hard work" probably isn't what you see as "hard work."

I love working hard on something I am passionate about. It's beautiful when you pour yourself into something...you build...you make sure it works...and you find success. I love it. i love it when hard work feels good.

JoeMack

I think "true hard work" does pay off....But many people this day and are so lazy that they expect results almost immediately...