Creating and operating your own online business can be very enjoyable and fulfilling, and it is also a lot of work! Updating websites, adding content to blogs, researching and implementing new SEO strategies, and tracking results can be a full time job. I think that the most fulfilling part of it all is that I know that whatever task that I complete, there is usually a direct benefit. For example, if I create a new post on my blog, and then notify all of my social bookmarks, I will likely get an upward spike in traffic. Some of the visitors may even bookmark my blog, or subscribe to my newsletter or RSS feed. This type of direct, tangible result is very fulfilling.
This is a contrast to a traditional 9-5 job, where you work hard trying to add value to your company, attempting to make a mark for yourself. Many times the direct result is a comment from your boss like “Good job!” or “Way to go!” but sometimes there is no direct feedback at all. I personally like to see the result of my actions and to learn from them. I realize that no matter how much experience I have, if I want to continue to grow, I must become a student, and continue to learn and modify my strategies.
As I mentioned before, I do enjoy operating my online business. Recently, I discovered a way to enjoy it even more! This may seem like a no-brainer, but when I started to integrate it into my daily work schedule, it made a huge difference! What is this discovery, you ask? Well, I’m referring to ITunes. Yes, I know iTunes is not exactly brand new. The new part for me is creating playlists and listening to specific types of music that are suited to the project that I’m working on.
For example, when I’m creating a blog post or a newsletter, I’m in a deeper thought process. For this type of creative project, I’ll listen to ambient music that can stay in the background. It is relaxing, and not distracting. In contrast, if I’m on a roll notifying my social bookmarks of a new article or post, I’ll listen to faster-paced rock or pop.
This may seem like common sense to most people. But here’s the key. With iTunes, I pick every song. Then I put it into a playlist and I’m set. It’s a quick and very easy! Very rarely do I enjoy every song on a CD,regardless of the genre of music. And forwarding through tracks is distracting and takes focus away from my work. In my ITunes music library, I have my hand-picked songs saved in various playlists. Whenever I start a project, I select the appropriate playlist for the work at hand, and I’m off and running! I have found that my productivity has increased and my overall working experience is even more enjoyable than it was before! Give it a try!
