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Well, the title of this post is almost too self explanatory, but it’s definitely an important topic for the “self employed” affiliate marketer. Getting stuck in a rut is pretty damn annoying, whether you are spending too much time on things that don’t make you enough money, or are depressed because of the lack of progress, it’s absolutely imperative that you change your situation asap.

I’ve had times where I have been so overwhelmed by internet marketing that it really threw me into a tailspin in terms of motivating myself to get started. More recently though, I realized that I was spending way too much time on this blog, and that I had no other projects advancing.

When you are stuck in a rut, it means your affiliate marketing efforts are being sabotaged, and I URGE you to take action as soon as possible to break free from this mindset!

One of the most effective ways to get out of a rut (and trust me, I’ve been in my fair share) is to change your schedule. Take a really good look at what you do during a normal day. What time do you get up? What time do you start working? How much time do you spend on forums? How much time do you procrastinate? What projects take up most of your day, and are they worth it?

These are really just a few of the many questions you should ask yourself. Now, streamline your operations! Notice where you waste time, eliminate things that don’t need to be done so often, or at all. Maybe you work better during the day, so get up earlier, or vice versa for at night.

Adding physical activity can also really help your mindset, so instead of the couple of hours you watch T.V. everyday, exercise. (Boy, I should really listen to my own advice here :P) Designate your break time in one big chunk, instead of in small doses all throughout the day, causing you to work long and late. Then take those times, and really have fun! Go out with friends, read a good book, play some games, whatever makes you happy and will motivate you to get through your day.

Here’s an example of what I’m doing to get out of my latest rut:

Before:
~11am - Get up
~12pm - Browse the Internet
~1pm - Start working
~6pm - Eat supper
~6:30-8pm - Watch TV
~8pm - “Work” (Although, not very efficiently)
~11pm - Call it quits
~1am - Sleep

This schedule was pretty much all blogging; I never got any other work done. Now, I’m still tweaking, but here’s what my new schedule is starting to look like:

After:
~9am - Get up
~10am - Browse the Internet
~11am - Start working
~1pm - Lunch Break
~1:30pm - More Work
~6pm - Eat Supper
~7pm - Write Blog Post
~8pm - Fun time
~12pm - Sleep

As you see, I’ve mainly been trying to shift my days earlier, because I’ve found that I’m more productive during the day. I’ve also rearranged a lot of tasks to more optimal times where I know I can sit down and get them done right away. As a result, I’ve got a lot of other projects on the fire now and finally starting to gain some momentum.

I’ve also moved blogging to the evening, because that gives me a chance to reflect on my daily findings which I like a lot more than just researching topics specifically to blog, which was a big time sink. Also, I am more creative at night.

So, if you feel like you’re stuck in a rut, do something about it! It can be anything really, so long as you take action and change things to make life better. Consider your schedule as a starting point, and I’m sure you’ll see your productivity levels improve.

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