Smelling the roses and recharging our batteries!
This holiday season marks my 3-year anniversary in theInternet Marketing business. Of course, on suchanniversaries we all ask ourselves: Am I better off now thenwhen I started? My enthusiastic answer is: By far :-) Thatautomatically raises another anniversary question: Am Iwhere I want to be? My answer, thoughtful but stillenthusiastic, is: Not quite ;-)Sound familiar? Or maybe you haven't gotten to the "betteroff" part yet. Regardless of how you answer these twointrospective questions, my piece of advice to you thisholiday season is the same: Take some time off. Relax,enjoy your family, regroup your thoughts and goals anddecide what is really important to you, your personal life,and the lives of those most important to you.This piece of advice, like most advice I give, comes frompersonal experience. I have been running around like crazyfor the past three years growing this Internet business.Granted, it has paid off well, in many visible ways, but atwhat personal price?My children miss their mommy, my husband feels the pressureof his long hours at work, compared to all the work here athome (which I can't always attend to because of my ownbusiness time and focus requirements), and I can feel mygood health slowly diminishing.Many organizers and time management specialists will tellyou that if your life, as a whole, is not running smoothlythen your neglected areas will suffer.
And how true that is!If the kids ain't happy, nobody in the house is going to behappy. If your spouse isn't happy, then how can you truly behappy? If all the ongoing work and resultant unhappiness inthe family cause you to be unhappy, how effectively do youthink you will perform your job? Not well at all!And what do you, as owner-operator of your own web business,think happens when your health fails? Not much! Most jobsin the "real world" include someone who is there to takeyour place while you are out sick. But when you run yourown business, nobody is hovering in the wings, ready to takeup the slack and keep the operation humming.I have personally been putting off having my wisdom teethextracted for over a year. I haven't seen my gynecologistsince my daughter was born three years ago, and myonce-religious exercise routine has ceased to exist aspounds keep getting measured by my unforgiving, depressinglyhonest bathroom scale. All in the name of entrepreneurship.Some people would call that extreme dedication, laziness oreven a unique late-twentieth century form of mental illness!I'm not even sure what I consider it anymore.
What I haverealized is that taking time off can be like recharging dead(but rechargeable) batteries. Accomplishing even thesimplest of tasks with dead batteries can be a chore--nearlyimpossible. But take time to recognize the problem, put in afresh set and you can get three times the work doneeffortlessly.This past Thanksgiving weekend I spent a glorious threenights at the Wilderness Resort Lodge in the WisconsinDells. Just my husband and I and our children, enjoying thewater park, horseback riding and getting away from thestress with other activities we found open in theoff-season. It was great!Am I totally refreshed? No, not yet.
But I plan to be as Iam not going to come back fully from vacation until afterthe new year. One thing this mini-vacation made me realizeis that I am not happy if I miss out on what I normally viewas the "important stuff." I say normally view because when Ihave my entrepreneur mindset on I experience complete tunnelvision. I don't even realize what I'm missing because all Ihave my eyes on are all the opportunities to grow mybusiness on the little glowing electronic screen in front ofme.But I don't want to miss Christmas with the kids this year.I want to truly experience the holidays this season, notjust try to plan them around my busy work schedule. I don'teven want to miss the upcoming, once in a lifetime "turn ofthe century".Now, what does this mean to my business? Does it hurt mygrowth? Probably in the short run. Revenues won't be up butthey certainly won't dip down low enough to really worry me.This, by the way, is one of the nicest things about anInternet business :-)But how will this reaffirmation that I am something morethan a slave to Internet possibilities eventually help mybusiness? Easy...
when I do come back to full time work myhealth will be improved, I'll feel better about myself andmy family, and I'll have a clear head. I'll most likelyreturn to accomplish tasks that I have struggled withpreviously in record time, just because of my recharged,revitalized mental state.So how can you apply this advice in your own life?If you have already burnt yourself out and feel that you arespinning your wheels, force yourself to take a break. Youdon't have to push and push and push yourself in order toprove you can be successful. It will come eventually, andwhen it finally does march into your life, you should wantto be able to handle it. Wouldn't it be a shame if successfinally knocked on your door but you were too tired andmentally exhausted to remember your early dreams, and be ina condition to take advantage of that success? Of course itwould be.History is full of sad examples of people who started outwith a dream, pursued that dream relentlessly, and used alltheir talents and time.
Somehow, when they arrived at theend of the rainbow, they were either too tired, or toobogged down by worries that they were going to lose it, thatthey couldn't even enjoy the colors, much less the contentsof that allegorical kettle. You probably have worked forpeople like that. So you know it's not an uncommonphenomenon. Just don't let it happen to you.If you haven't yet fully launched your Internet business,and you're feeling burnt out just from the pre-launch phase,then I say enjoy this last holiday of the millennium withgusto. There will be plenty of other sacrifices ahead inyour first few years of business.If you haven't already gotten in on this year's ChristmasEcommerce train it is almost too late to do much anyway.Christmas shoppers will be making their online purchasesover the next couple of weeks.
After that they will turn tothe safety of the retail stores for any last-minute gifts.So if you haven't launched by now, chances are the smartthing to do is just relax and enjoy this last 1999 holiday.We receive mixed messages in many of the publications weregularly read. Some writers say stop procrastinating andmake sacrifices or you'll get nowhere. Then you have writerslike me who encourage you to stop and smell the rosesoccasionally. Ultimately, of course, you have to do what youfeel is right for you and your particular circumstances.I just know that for me and a few other well-known marketersI've talked to, taking some time off provides us with amuch-needed renewal of our entrepreneurial batteries..
M2M Announces CompressorAlert a New Satellite-based Monitoring and Control Service for Small Compressors
M2M Data Corporation, a provider of M2M technology based Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) today announced a new service designed specifically for small compressors.
The basic service provides monitoring of run status, with options for first out shutdown code, additional input/output, and remote control.This new service provides a rapid a return on investment for operators of small compressors, paying for itself with one avoided visit to the remote compressor site.Donald Wallace, M2M Data Corporation's CEO, said, "By listening to our customers we were able to determine that operators of these smaller compressors needed a low cost, simple, reliable service, with no capital expense.
CompressorAlert hardware takes about one hour to install and operates for 2 years on its internal battery.
All you need is a pressure switch and some room to install the unit."M2M technology offers a cost-effective alternative to proprietary SCADA and telemetry systems...
Batteries > M2M Announces CompressorAlert a New Satellite-based Monitoring and Control Service for Small Compressors
Up Coming Nokia Releases: Nokia 6101, Nokia 6061, and Nokia 6030 Accessories
(ContentDesk) March 23, 2006 -- 101cells.com, a company of six years have provided their consumers with a reliable source of cellular accessories. Returning customers have given ratings on their site as best source, best price, and fast delivery. 101cells.com is continuously working to give consumers the accessories that they are looking for at the best price possible. 101cells.com offers a full range of products for almost all cell phone models that are out in the market. For each cell phone model 101cells.com will have the full line of accessories for it. This will include faceplates, chargers, holsters, cases, softwares, cables, batteries, and antennas.
The faceplates that 101cells.com carry comes in variety of colors, transparent colors, and designs. Each of them are made carefully in a factory to ensure that each faceplate is the perfect fit for the cell phone model it is made for. The faceplates are made from durable plastics to give the same or better protection as...
Up Coming Nokia Releases: Nokia 6101, Nokia 6061, and Nokia 6030 Accessories
Batteries > Up Coming Nokia Releases: Nokia 6101, Nokia 6061, and Nokia 6030 Accessories
Radio Headsets
Headsets, also known as headphones, are hearing devices that are actually miniature speaker systems. They are stereo hearing systems that can be worn near the ear, thus providing mobility to the user. Traditional headsets were bulky and large with two speakers for both the ears encased in padded ovular ear cups. These ear cups were attached to a headband in the shape of an arch that went over the head. Each of these ear cups had a signal wire joined down together as a single wire, which was connected to the audio player or radio through a headphone jack.
Today's headsets, especially radio headsets, are technological wonders-extremely lightweight with no irritating cords, almost negligible in appearance, sound quality, durability and comfort. They are equipped with superior technologies like push-to-talk and duplex wireless transceivers. These can transmit scrambled digital signals in a spread spectrum format for ensuring complete security and privacy to the user...
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TapeOnline.com Now Offers Bethel CD and DVD Cases
(ContentDesk) May 15, 2006 -- TapeOnline has added a number of products from Bethel Plastics to their online store. Products include DVD/CD jewel cases in a variety of colors such as black, clear and frosted. In addition, TapeOnline now carries Bethel DVD sleeves which can either hold one or two DVDs in protective black locking cases. Prices are competitive and decrease with quantity. We really listen to what our customers want and need and that is why we chose Bethel products , says Napoleon Bissaillon, Product Manager at TapeOnline.com. Why, just the other day this guy called up and wanted Bethel products for all the blank cd and dvds he buys, so now we have them.
And so do you!
Thanks Mr. Customer! Since 1993, TapeOnline has listened to the needs of their customers and the changes in the media industry which is why new products and brands are constantly being added to their online store.
In addition to carrying Bethel products, TapeOnline.com is an authorized...
Batteries > TapeOnline.com Now Offers Bethel CD and DVD Cases
Tips For The Whole Family To Practice Summer Fire Safety
Batteries > Tips For The Whole Family To Practice Summer Fire Safety
Stocking Stuffer Gift Ideas for Teen Girls
It's fun to buy stocking stuffers for teen girls. I always use this time of year as an opportunity to give them the little treats they want and/or need throughout the year but that I don't want to spend the extra money for. Here are some items our teenage daughters will find in their Christmas stockings this year: $5 Starbucks card AA batteries for portable CD player/MP3 player Matching knit camisole/panties Fun fashionable socks Small hoop earrings Chocolates and hard candies I try to find them things that they can use but will also not necessarily expect in their stockings. Listen for clues for what to get when you're out shopping with them. They really make it quite easy! Here are some other ideas: Movie tickets Fast food gift certificates Perfume/body spray Lip gloss Nail polish/manicure set Disposable camera/film CD cleaner/scratch remover Journal/pen Small inspirational book Tear-off calendar Car or room air freshener.
Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom who is the... Stocking Stuffer Gift Ideas for Teen Girls
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