It’s so hard to believe that we are coming to a close of this year ALREADY!! But If I were to do the highlights for 2010, I would definitely have to say that these 3 things were the highlight and epitome of this year:’

1. Internet Marketing
2. Social Media
3. Working From Home or Home Based Businesses

I personally admit that I’ve had a fantastic year in 2010, and I can say that I have accomplished a lot of my goals… Yayyy!! However, as I look back on this past year, there are a few areas that I admit to neglecting (that I never hear anyone talking about)….. and I’ve been feeling the negative impact from them every single day.
So as we prepare to close this year out, and establish our New Years Goals for 2011, I felt the need to write this blog entry because I want to help you avoid the same traps that I fell into this past year, and am now trying to recover from.

The first area that I’ve neglected in a major way by being in the Internet Marketing Industry has been “My Body”.

Considering that we spend countless hours on the computer, and even more sitting on the couch munching on some form of comfort food, I can tell that this Internet Marketing Profession is aging me in more ways than one. Not to be negative or anything, because the home based business is a very wonderful industry. But there are several pro’s and con’s to what we do, and I want to make sure that you’re aware of the con’s that will eat away at your time before you realize what’s happening in your life.

Below, I want to share a few things that will open your eyes before you let things get too far out of control.
I’m going to share what I’ve learned thus far about the dangers of what we do!

Here are the con’s of what we do:

1. We don’t get much exercise – considering that we work from home and our offices are only a few short steps away from the bed, we very seldom get any walking exercise in if we don’t have a regular work out regime.
I personally feel as though I’ve always been “trying” to work out, but tend to fall off after a few short attempts, all to feel like I need to get my butt back in shape again, a few months later. This vicious cycle has led me to being negligent of my body, and as an Internet Marketer, this is signs for major trouble… which leads to my next point:

2. Complications & Stress on our body from sitting at the computer all day – I never really took chiropractors seriously, and honestly, I had a very biased belief that they were rip off artists… UNTIL THIS YEAR!!!
After sitting on my couch for the past two years, with my laptop on my lap and feet propped up on the ottoman, I began to experience major pains in my neck and lower back, with stiffness all over my body. I brushed it off for a while, thinking that maybe I had just slept wrong, until one day I found myself home alone, stuck in one position in my bed, hollering to the top of my lungs because I couldn’t move my body without extreme pain, calling my husband and begging him to drive the 45 minute ride home from work to rescue me.

As corny as “ergonomics” may seem, it is crucial in our industry. And now more than ever, home based business owners need to add stretching and working out to their daily schedules to help release the stress that mounts in certain parts of our bodies as a by-product of the poor positions we put our bodies in while working from home.

3. Munch, Munch, Munch – When working at home, I find myself back and forth to the refrigerator like it’s apart of my work routine. What this does is creates poor eating habits, munching on quick convenience foods that add to weight gain and low energy.
I’m finding that I have to create weekly menu’s that are in sync with a workout routine, that will help to counteract eating out of boredom, and instead, will encourage a more enriching diet.

4. Not having an outlet outside of working on the business – As great as it may sound to be so driven that you’re working 12-18 hour days on your online business in pursuit of being wealthy… what’s the point when you don’t get out to enjoy the journey along the way.
They say that Health & Wealth go hand in hand, but I believe that having an outlet falls under the category of Health. It’s very healthy to find something else to do outside of working so that you can give your mind a break. Burn Out is a very common occurence in our industry and if your not careful, you will find yourself bailing out on what was once your “Dream Job”, due to Extreme Burn Out.

I personally felt this way over the summer and it led me to feelings of failure, questioning what I was doing, and slighlty depressed. Why?? Because I didn’t have any outlets, and all work and no play makes Nic a very very dull girl!

I had come to the realization that in the course of 2 years, I went through emotional challenges from a failing career, to trying to pick up the pieces after losing everything. And also adding “motherhood” to my life, while spending nearly every waking hour on the computer in an attempt to create a flourishing online business. It eventually paid off, but the fire was easily burnt out when things began to thrive because I just didn’t have the mental space any more to really give it 100%. Instead, I found myself desperate for a break, dodging phone calls and trying to avoid people all together.

It was then that I realized that I needed to have more going on in my life, than just focusing EVERYTHING on building a business. It’s way more beneficial to give yourself a break from it all more often, and engage in some kind of outlet that you enjoy, that is totally outside of your “business world”.

I’m now seeking to add some new fun things this upcoming year like bike riding, working out, enrolling into a dance class and more social groups locally, where I can engage in more human interaction…. which leads to my next point:

5. Not having enough human interaction – When I first got started online, I thought this would be the best thing in the world, making money from home and never having to leave your house…..The sad part is, I didn’t realize how literally, my social interaction with people would become non-existent.

Who would ever think that one could lose their social skills by working online. After all, Internet Marketing is hugely about building relationships with people online right??? …..

Well, there’s more to the story than just meeting people. The Full Picture is this, people really do crave human and social interaction, and no matter how many people you meet online, YOU STILL NEED TO GET OUT AND TOUCH, TALK AND INTERACT WITH REAL LIFE HUMAN BEINGS…… Seriously!!
As much as I was meeting ton’s of people online, I was neglecting a real social life “offline”, and became deceptively programmed to believe that my virtual world was enough and all I needed… YEAH RIGHT…
Never before, have I ever felt so lonely in my life. I began to notice that these 4 walls, and this extreme level of isolation was handicapping me AND MY BUSINESS…. You heard me right….if you’re not careful, this industry will totally isolate you, and you will begin to lose touch with reality and people. And this my friend will handicap your business.
Internet Marketing is great to connect with people, but you need to create communities offline to establish a culture where people are proud to be connected to you, making them more loyal to continue to do business with you. No matter how many more Social Media Sites are designed, and applications created, human beings need the human touch, and if your not careful, you will lose your ability to relate to people personally, and eventually will see a decline in your personal growth as a result!
Go join a social group “offline”. Hang out with your girlfriends or male buddies being silly and totally off duty. Join a Dance School, or take that class at the local college you’ve always wanted to take. Join the local gym and meet some new people. If you’re a stay at home mom, connect with local Mommy & Me groups, and GET A LIFE, outside of working.

I’ve noticed that I’ve gone from an Extreme Social Butterfly (before Internet Marketing), to an Introvert (post-Internet Marketing), and I’m having to retrain myself on how to interact with people “offline” again.
In closing, I want to begin to open the eyes to my fellow I.M.’ers to have a well rounded balance to your lives so that you can have a long lasting and exciting career in this industry.

With that said, I’m going to begin incorporating my personal journey for Fitness, Social and Professional growth in the upcoming weeks, and want to encourage you to join me in sharing your story as well.
I’m incorporating a new Fitness Category, so we can have “health” added to the “wealth” that we’re all desperately pursuing. Once again, what’s the point of having ton’s of money when your in too bad a shape, to really enjoy it.

Join me as I incorporate the “Total Success Plan” to the blog, and please partner with me for the 90 Day Challenge to getting our lives back on track COMPLETELY!
Please share your comments below on what you think about what I’ve shared in this entry!!

The Mailbox Money Blog – Nicole Cooper

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