Overwhelmed at Wealthy Affiliate?
Starting and managing your online business can be overwhelming, especially with everything else life throws at you. For example, you might have a family to take care of, a full-time job, and enough chores and projects around the house to last a lifetime.
And then you throw an online business into the mix.
I know the feeling all too well. There's never enough time in my home, and adding more to what already seems like an endless list of tasks, is overwhelming.
To make it more manageable and less stressful, I find it helpful to categorize my tasks into two buckets, or categories...
- One-and-done tasks, and...
- Daily/weekly tasks
The one-and-done, or set-it-and-forget-it tasks, are the ones I find overwhelming. There are usually too many of them, and they are often things I've never done before.
So, not only do I have to do them, I have to learn how to do them.
They also don't fit into any of my workflows or systems.
Instead, they're disruptive, and for someone like me who needs a regular routine and schedule to be productive, taking on anything new is frustrating.
So, categorizing tasks as one-and-done takes a significant weight off my shoulders. Of course, it doesn't mean I don't have to do them, but it reminds me that I'm at a temporary stage of a project and that whatever challenges I'm having at that time won't last forever.
In the context of building an online business, if you're new to Wealthy Affiliate... your set-it-and-forget-it tasks are things like...
- Choosing your niche
- Registering a domain
- Building your website
- Installing and setting up your website theme, plugins, etc.
- Setting up your social media business profiles
- Joining affiliate programs
- Learning how to use new software, do keyword research, etc.
This might seem like a lot to do, and it can be overwhelming... but once you know how to do these things, you'll find them relatively easy.
And more importantly, once they are done... they're done.
You might update or revisit them every once in a while... but the setup phase does not last forever.
Once you're on the other side, your online business develops a rhythm and is far less disruptive. It can fit into your life a lot easier because your daily (or weekly tasks, depending on how much time you have for your business) are relatively simple.
It's mainly just keyword research and content creation.
You're just finding out what people are asking online (and searching for) and then answering those questions ahead of time with your content.
And then you do it again... at a pace that's comfortable for your lifestyle and pushes your business consistently forward.
Like anything, the more you do it, the better you get... and the easier it gets. Building an online business and making money online is no different, and that's how it's supposed to be.
So, how about you? What are some strategies you use to deal with overwhelm?
Recent Comments
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Love this Jay! Real insight into the (not so glamourous 😂) day-to-day life of a super affiliate!
Thanks for the practical tips on managing your work and running your business - it's all too easy to get overwhelmed but when you step back it really is simple. I think we just like to overcomplicate it sometimes!
Lol, yeah... not as glamorous as some "gurus" would like people to believe. Of course, I wouldn't trade it for my old hard hat or any of my previous jobs... but it's definitely not kicking back on the beach all day 😄
And without question, I'm a pro at overcomplicating things.
Great to hear from you brother!
Actually, I’m still getting into a good rhythm. I am trying to balance being a part of the community with keeping current with my training. Thankfully, I am nearing the end of it so it’s not as frustrating. I want to get to the end of it so that I can concentrate on how to drive traffic and let this be financially profitable for me. At the same time, I want to be able to help others, and be an integral part of the community. Thank you for letting us know that we all can share the same frustrations. More importantly, that there are ways that we can have victory over them.
Hi Hazel, it can be a tricky balance. I'm always struggling with that rhythm as well. A few years ago, I spent the better part of a year just creating content. That's it.
I didn't do anything else that year... not even an affiliate link in my content, because it was just one more thing to do and one more thing to worry about. I think that was the last time I had that rhythm without interruption for a long period of time.
I've tried to get back to that but I always seem to have multiple projects on the go, which isn't necessarily bad either. It's just the struggle to be a better manager of my time.
But you're definitely not alone. As you said, we all share the same frustrations.
Thanks for sharing :-)
I agree you have to have a well thought out plan going into Affiliate marketing. If not you might quit your job, family, and sleeping just to find out. That if you paced your self you would already be there. Just make a list and make sure you stick with it. Don’t get side tracked.
Definitely, it can also be a battle though. It's difficult to find a balance and fit into your life in a non-disruptive way... especially when you're starting out. I was fortunate to have a supportive family, even though they probably thought I was crazy in the beginning, lol.
Hi, Jay
I like your organizational methodology.
Nice guitar! I hope you're picking it up daily. Just reach over and play it a few minutes for a quick break. If you're a guitar geek like me, you have them on stands all around your living space! Haha 😎
Rock On! 🤘
Frank 🎸
Thanks, I do keep it close for that exact reason, but I don't pick it up nearly as often as I should. In part because once I do, the rest of my day disappears so it is a little bit of a distraction. I also can't listen to the same kind of music I like to play during the day because then I'll pick it up for sure.
But I also can't put it out of sight or I'll never play it. I'm just a casual strummer though... although for as long as I can remember, I've been saying I'll get serious about it "one day".
Haha, Jay
You sound a lot like me. I can pick up a guitar and suddenly 4 or 5 hours have disappeared!
Once I get my big morning session out of the way I can play for shorter periods, like when I’m watching WA webinars.
It is highly addictive!
I don’t feel too terrible putting the guitar down to write content because I have a guitar website.
Frank 😎🎸
I've always thought of starting a guitar site but felt I'd really have to step up my guitar game to do it justice. It's just a time thing... maybe when the kids move out, lol.
Hi, Jay
Yeah, you don’t want to spread yourself too thin. We have to enjoy life, too. 😎
Frank 🎸
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Hi Jay,
This vlog was really helpful. I thought it was good to break down those tasks easily.
Especially when you're starting out, it can be overwhelming. But if you separate those tasks and break them down, you will find they'll get easier over time.
Great post and awesome first vlog coming from you as well.
Loved it! Thanks for sharing :)
Regards,
-Eric
Thanks Eric, I appreciate the kind words, and thanks for watching and taking the time to comment as well :-)