The primary reason that most online marketers fail is because of a multitude of distractions which are hampering their progress.
Distractions come in many forms. You may find it hard to resist the urge to check your email account, tough not to chat via Yahoo, or very difficult to focus on just one task at a time. Regardless of the challenge that is causing you to lose focus, it must be eliminated at all costs, unless you want to spend a bunch of time at your computer and be extremely unproductive.
One of the hardest distractions to ignore is a cellular phone call.
Perhaps your friends are calling to talk about the latest sporting event, the movie they saw last night, or the reason that they are feeling bad today. There is a time for each activity which takes place daily. I am not condoning rude behavior, but I am stating that our time should be used wisely. A simple schedule can make a world of difference.
Another vital item to steer you in the right online direction is to put your bills on an auto payment system. Paying your bills on a monthly basis is very easy when you have them automatically deducted from your checking account. Also, this frees up your time to focus on what is going to make you money, rather than having money exit your account.
Internet marketers would also do well to disregard services like Skype until their projects are done. This will also train your callers to realize that your time is valuable, and that you will call them when you are ready. It is amazing how many hours can be wasted by simply speaking on Skype.
The next item that deserves your attention is your Microsoft Word documents. If you desire to be organized, it is a smart business decision to put your files into various folders on your computer. This will eliminate the need to search for things. Searching for items which are lost or misplaced is a tremendous loss of productive time.
Another important step to becoming focused is to have an accountability partner. Accountability partners should be people who are trustworthy, sincere, and timely. You may not always like what they say, but you need to hear it so that your online business can grow. Let your partner know what you will work on each day, and establish a time when you will telephone them once your day is done. There is something about being held accountable which causes us to focus at a high level. Being independent has no place in the life of an internet marketing expert. However, having a separate pair of eyes, ears, and mouth to rely on can go a long way in helping you to change the traits which hinder you and your business.
In closing, we all face a number of distractions when we restart our computers in the morning. The difference between those who thrive online and those who survive is focus.