How Many Hours Do You Work?

54 replies
How many hours do you actually put into your business per day?

I've been doing the 13 hours-a-day thing for about 2.5 years, it was great when I started, that's the sort of thing you need to do just to get a handle on the whole IM world.

However, it feels like it's starting to work against me. I'm thinking of focusing on chunking my day in to 2 or 3 hour spans, consisting of ONE money-making method per hour.

As of now, sitting at the computer for 13 hours doesn't allow me to be as efficient as I could be, and could possibly allow for everything I learn on a daily basis to digest itself, make sense, and formulate my own ideas from it.

How are you guys handling this? If you are working 13 hour days, how many of those hours would you say you're actually WORKING?

Thanks,

James
#hours #work
  • Profile picture of the author nichecloner
    Personally, I spend 3-4 Hours a day doing real work along with another 2 hours doing research, learning, or testing..
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  • Profile picture of the author TimK06
    Well to be honest I only have about 5 hours a day I can spare for now but I really get a lot done. When the 5 hours are finished however I can't help but feel like I really wished I had time to do more.
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  • Profile picture of the author PolicyMaker
    When you love doing something - You don't count hours...Is 20 Enough?
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  • Profile picture of the author Mr. Ken Russell
    I don't really call it work.. I like to think of it as going on the computer and "getting stuff done".. I don't count the hours as long as I get what I need done, done.. which usually takes up my entire day (on and off)
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    • Profile picture of the author WeavingThoughts
      Originally Posted by Nio93 View Post

      I don't really call it work.. I like to think of it as going on the computer and "getting stuff done".. I don't count the hours as long as I get what I need done, done.. which usually takes up my entire day (on and off)
      This. Exactly.
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    • Profile picture of the author mikebrooks
      I spend a ton of hours working. I have 3 different businesses so it's even more challenging than ever before.

      I believe the person who works hardest wins. Be willing to work harder than the best and you can be the best.

      Of course, you have to work smart. Just working fast and furious is not going to get you anywhere. You have to have a strong mission statement and goals to guide you. Every external distraction gets measured against that. Anything that doesn't move me towards my goals and align with my mission... see ya!

      With that said, chunking is a great strategy. Like chunking distractions out. A lot of folks I know will complain about not having enough time but they are always on Facebook. Or email. Or any other distraction you can think of.

      One of my favorite Dan Kennedy quotes... He was talking about his friend Tim Ferris' book the 4 Hour Work Week. He said if he wrote that book the title would be 'Rich People Work'.

      Ok, back to work for me.
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  • Profile picture of the author Ledux
    I spend a lot of time in front of a computer, but I only spend like 3+ hours working on marketing, but I'm trying different kind of strategies to improve my productivity.
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  • Profile picture of the author Mohit Anand
    Often I wish if we could have more than 24 hours in a day.

    P.S.: That doesn't mean that I can go on to live at North Pole.
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  • Profile picture of the author DotComBum
    As I earn money by selling ad space, so I spend as little as 1 hour on my online business.
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  • Profile picture of the author wilder1047
    I understand some of the guys on here saying that 24 hours simply isn't enough because of the passion you have for it.

    I'm right there with you! These past 2.5 years of hour packed IM hours has not been done grudgingly at all! (Unless an opt-in form or something isn't lining up like I'd want it to, glad to say I've had enough will power to have NOT thrown my computer through the window countless times!)

    I'm more interested in productivity, while sitting in front of the computer for countless hours everyday SEEMS like it's productive, it's far from it, and with a wife and kid, it seems like it's time to focus more on getting the most out of the smallest amount of time possible.

    With that said, I really like the approach of the first post...

    Personally, I spend 3-4 Hours a day doing real work along with another 2 hours doing research, learning, or testing..
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  • Profile picture of the author John Romaine
    I did a rough calculation the other day.

    14,560 hours over 4 years.
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    • Profile picture of the author angshuy2k
      It goes from 5 hours to 16 hours a day if it is very hectic then sometimes, get a headache and still keep it going as long as it takes to complete a marketing campaign. Me and my team do always complain ( I wish we have 36 hours a day ) :p.

      Interesting question but true, like many other warriors, I do as well spend rest less nights like many here.

      Regards,
      Swrajit
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    • Profile picture of the author fin
      Originally Posted by John Romaine View Post

      I did a rough calculation the other day.

      14,560 hours over 4 years.
      Did you feel any different when you crossed the 10,000 mark? Like more expertery?
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      • Profile picture of the author John Romaine
        Originally Posted by fin View Post

        Did you feel any different when you crossed the 10,000 mark? Like more expertery?
        I felt less noobery after about 12,000
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  • Profile picture of the author Mitchell H
    Concentration is a very difficult thing to get a handle on because the length of time a person can concentrate depends on many different factors. In my personal opinion and from personal experience after 3-4 hours of concentrating on something the productivity rate of my work starts to diminish so its good to take a break. Check out this link it will probably help with your question! Concentration
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  • Profile picture of the author pinakin
    I am becoming lazy, I think I need to block few sites like FB, YT and WF for more productivity
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  • Profile picture of the author FirstSocialApps
    I work 14 hours a day M-F. Even though I love what I do, I can understand what you mean in that it can become monotonous. The best thing to do then is to say screw it once in a while and take a day off, I mean isnt that what the grind is all about, so you can have the freedom to enjoy life once in a while.
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  • Profile picture of the author CathyAnn
    I don't keep track of it. I'm working on two new programs right now that require a great deal of writing. Some I'm outsourcing. I'm working at developing a schedule which will allow me to be better balanced. I love to write, so that's not an issue, I just have so much to write. I'm testing out a new ghost writer I found here. I also have my office job which still brings in 2/3 my income.

    But... I'm excited. I can see it all coming together. I have two wonderful coaches who are keeping me focused.

    Maybe I should keep track of the time. It might result in me being more focused!
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    • Profile picture of the author CassAngel
      Anywhere between 2-5 hours per day is about average for me.

      It depends which of my methods I'm using on any given day (I'm a multiple-streams, eggs in several baskets kind of person).
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    • How Many Hours Do You Work?

      Last year? A lot.

      Now? As many or as few as I want.

      Since my main income is from sales and since another entity does all the traffic generation, advertising, money handling and product fulfillment, I could take a month off without it making much difference. Sales will still happen, money will still be coming in.

      I've worked full-time for nearly a year to get to this point and now it's just maintenance.I can take the time to research and add new products, and even do some traveling to find new talent.

      2013 is going to be very interesting. If the economy doesn't collapse completely, that is.

      fLufF
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      • Profile picture of the author Vanilla Gorilla
        Originally Posted by fluffythewondercat View Post

        How Many Hours Do You Work?

        Last year? A lot.

        Now? As many or as few as I want.

        Since my main income is from sales and since another entity does all the traffic generation, advertising, money handling and product fulfillment, I could take a month off without it making much difference. Sales will still happen, money will still be coming in.

        I've worked full-time for nearly a year to get to this point and now it's just maintenance.I can take the time to research and add new products, and even do some traveling to find new talent.

        2013 is going to be very interesting. If the economy doesn't collapse completely, that is.

        fLufF
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        I'd be lying if I said I wasn't envious.
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        • Originally Posted by Vanilla Gorilla View Post

          I'd be lying if I said I wasn't envious.
          I left out the part about the last year being very tedious work: wrapping, boxing and shipping big cartons of stuff, every day.

          But I'm not good at putting in a lot of effort for a "maybe, someday" payoff, which is why I don't do AdSense or affiliate sites. More power to the folks who can make 'em work. That's just not me.

          fLufF
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          Love microjobs? Work when you want and get paid in cash the same day!
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          • Profile picture of the author SEOSteveO
            I use to spend atleast 5 hours a day between building sites, seo, backlinking, testing and researching and now after creating a system that I follow it spend maybe 2 hours a day tops. I used camtasia to create videos on exactly what I do and why I do it and I was able to outsource the brunt of the work such as article marketing, website building, backlinks. I still do my own seo because I feel like do a better job than an outsourced assistant that gets paid $6 an hour.
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            • Profile picture of the author goldmineberry
              Banned
              I follow the 4 hours work week and it is very good. Cheers.
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  • Profile picture of the author SeoDemon
    i sleep 5 hours and the all the rest i'm WORKING!
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  • Profile picture of the author MarketingMinded
    It's not some much how hard you work or how long, it's about how smart and what you are able to produce in your time.

    I usually work about 3-6 per day on average. Some days I work more, other days I don't work at all. It's all about focused, intention action though.

    Turn everything off, tune out all the distractions and getting work done.
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  • Profile picture of the author ceenote100
    I work for 3-4 hours a day doing IM.
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  • Profile picture of the author RichSerafini
    I try to be consistent and work when I have the time scheduled. It doesn’t always work out that way, but otherwise I tend to get lost in what I’m working on and lose track of time. Being organized is imperative for me.
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  • Profile picture of the author Mousumi
    5 hours a day which includes the hours spent on learning PHP
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  • Profile picture of the author Darren Money
    Let's see...24 minus 4 hours of sleep, minus 1 hour total eating a bathroom breaks...um, 19 hours. I count in the 19 hours, researching, learning, thinking, mapping out ideas, planning etc. because to me, those are all essential tasks of getting to my goal.
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  • Profile picture of the author sarlat
    14 hours a day!

    I make $10,000 per week working only 30 minutes a day....which I outsource to India anyway...........
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  • Profile picture of the author SuperDJ
    I don't know why anyone would sacrifice their physical health to achieve their 'monetary' goals.. especially if you're not struggling to pay the bills or anything..

    I map out all of my time.. I never work more than 8 hours a day.. making sure I also get ample rest, eat well and exercise 6 days a week. I personally can't succeed without it.
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  • Profile picture of the author locke815
    With websites, I work from home though. Is that even considered as work? Pretty abstract right?
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  • Profile picture of the author SEO Haven
    Waaay too many
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  • Profile picture of the author sdentrepreneur
    I have been Full Time with Internet Marketing since 2007. I work about 6 to 8 hours per day during the week and sometimes a few hours on Saturday mornings. I do play around on this Forum, Facebook and Twitter but don't really consider that work.
    I have a small team in the Philippines at work 20 Hours a week for me as well.
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  • Profile picture of the author Sarevok
    To be honest I work around the clock.

    I'm a huge computer nerd, so I'm always at my computer anyway.

    Whether I'm gaming or writing a guide for my email list, I'm always planning an brainstorming.

    So, I work around the clock.
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  • Profile picture of the author Bill Jeffels
    Depends on what I'm doing. If I'm working on my own
    business it's on and off through out the day.

    If I'm writing copy I'm working more than I sleep.
    I love what I do so sometimes I lose track.


    Bill


    .
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  • Profile picture of the author elperuanito
    It's difficult to quantify. I make sure I make a thorough list every evening, so that I am ready with the 'musts' for the next day. I make sure I get at least 40 minutes to an hour of exercise daily and that my diet isn't too unhealthy. I think that's a decent basis. Otherwise, I don't count the hours. Why? Plenty of it is fun. I like reading new things on forums, blogs, WSOs, etc. Research gives me a lot of new information that I use both in my freelance web development work as well as my IM opportunities. It sounds ridiculous but I find doing IM work quite fun and relaxing in the evenings. I usually put a game or movie on in the background and wind down by doing a bit of work. Lol. If I have a deadline on with my web dev work, I spend a full working day on that and then spend focused 3-4 hours on IM. It depends. I like the lifestyle though as it gives me the flexibility to do social stuff whenever I want...
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  • Profile picture of the author Michael Oksa
    I used to be a machine operator in a factory. I hated it...

    It was boring.
    It was hot.
    It was potentially dangerous.
    It was uncomfortable.
    It was working for a boss.
    It was getting up at 3 AM.
    It was monotonous.
    It was a lengthy commute.
    It was noisy.
    It was dirty.

    IT WAS WORK!

    Compared to that, IM has never felt like work.

    All the best,
    Michael
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    "Ich bin en fuego!"
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  • Profile picture of the author KriiV
    I typically spend about 3 hours a day working on my sites, products etc. After that, whenever I get free time, I check out the Warrior Forum, listen to podcasts, read SEO news etc to keep up to date.
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  • Profile picture of the author nelum8
    I work on my IM every free minute that I have. Of course, I am still in the beginner's stage of everything so it makes sense for me to be putting all of my free time into things. I have other work though so it can be hard finding a nice balance.
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  • Profile picture of the author Silas Hart
    Probably 100ish hours a week.
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    • Profile picture of the author MartinBuckley
      Well with me I work between 10-12 hours a day and try my best to devide my time between my pizza card business, computer business, online business and my fast food card business, but there are some day I have worked as much as 14 hours a day.

      All the best,

      Martin
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  • Profile picture of the author jessiem
    I work more than 8 hours a day and it’s like a matter of life and death..
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    • Profile picture of the author PCH
      I work at it full time and into the evening as well most nights. It's all for a better future I keep telling myself
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  • Profile picture of the author howtogurus
    I work at least 10 hours a day. Wish I could put in less. This year I am working on setting up as much automation as possible. Let the computer work while I take some time off.
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  • Profile picture of the author webtolight
    As much as I am free from the necessary thing of life!

    Success is important and can work all day if I have to!
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    • Profile picture of the author Archimedes
      I typically work at my govt. contracting job 10 - 11 hrs a day, sometimes 6 days a week. After spending time with family after coming home and putting my toddler to bed, In have about 1 - 2 hrs a night to devote to catching up on my emails, doing reviews, looking over WF and a couple other forums, and working on my offline biz that has IM tied into it. Actual time devoted to my offline/online biz is approx. 30 mins - 45 mins a night and generates an extra $8k - $12k sideline income per month.
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    • Profile picture of the author thomas52cq
      About 4 hours per day on average. Hope to work less hours, but get more done.
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  • Profile picture of the author Fazal Mayar
    I dont do IM anymore because of dry eye. I would suggest buying a filter lcd for you guys. I usually worked 8+ hours a day and a good 30 min cardio workout everyday would help. If i ever go back to IM, i will make sure to improve productivity.
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  • Profile picture of the author denysapu
    Work, it's usually about 3-4 effective hours. 4-5 hours I used it to browse forums, reading, learning, etc.
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    Don't worry be happy!

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  • Profile picture of the author Archimedes
    Of course, I purchase WSOs and other new IM programs to see if I can utilize any of it for what I do offline and "try" to keep up to date with the ever-changing face of IM. Thank Goodness, offline biz is slower-paced. I don't think I can keep up with the blistering pace of IM with the limited time I have... and I don't plan on giving up my well-paying daytime contracting job with this poor economy affecting so many people not only with their jobs, but with their online/offline businesses as well. I have intentionally played it safe with the revenue streams coming in from completely unrelated fields - one in technology-oriented govt. contracting, and the other in a health-related field.
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