Success Advice

What Is Your Time Worth? Are You Investing Your Time or Wasting It?

Published

7 years ago

Jun 3, 2017

Everyone has valuable time on their hands, but sometimes people assume that their time is just valuable and fail to remember that the value of time is measured by how successful you are at living life.

In reality, the value of your life is estimated by how much gets done and how you choose to do so. The value estimate of your time is up to you, and what you choose to do with the 24 hours that we all have every day.

Now, we all have different goals and aspirations, so the value of each one of our times is different, but that doesn’t make your life any less valuable than another’s. All that means is each of us has to choose a personal road that will take us to those goals and aspirations, and how we invest or waste our time getting there is what will determine the value of those goals.

The value of the goal will be obvious by what you are willing to do and how much time you are willing to invest to achieve it. How we invest our time is what will dictate that value, but how do we decide what activities are worth more or worthless?

In the book 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey makes an analogy about time management comparing it to sand, pebbles, stones and a bucket. He assimilates the first three to actions, and the bucket to a day. How you fit those rocks, pebbles and sand in the bucket is how you will ultimately fit all of your daily activities in one day.

“If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll end up someplace else.” – Yogi Berra

If one does not pay attention to detail, or is unorganized with the order in which these go in the bucket, all three will not fit. There has to be a thought process in which you analyze which of these three goes first, second and then third, so that ultimately you can fit all materials in the bucket.

This can be applied to the day-to-day activities we all carry out, and how we prioritize them to obtain the most value out of our day. See, all of the activities you need to accomplish today are of value, but not all of them are of the same value. It is up to you to figure out which ones add more value to your day, and in the long run to your whole life.

When you assign value to the things you do during your day, you really see what activities are productive, and which ones are a waste of time. So let’s analyze the things you do during a busy day and categorize them amongst Stephen Covey’s sand, pebbles and stones.

SAND: This is pretty much the details of life. The small things that most people have to do, like dishes, laundry, walking the dog, etc. All of these things are a part of life but they will have the least, if any, return in energy or investment.

PEBBLES: These are the activities with the most ROE (Return On Energy), what that means is they take up the most energy, and the Return Of Energy should be the same as what you put in. These activities can vary from exercising, reading, cooking, and so on.

STONES: Now these tasks are the most valuable of the day. These are the things you NEED to invest in: work, family, spirituality, health; Make sure these actions have the highest ROI (Return On Investment) which means whatever you’ve invested in this (time or money) is returned in the same amount if not more.

“Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” – Abraham Lincoln

Once you have categorized your daily activities you can really see what you do during a normal day. The time wasting ones will pop up once they’re written on paper because you will visually become aware of the fact that there really are activities that can take up our time but really have no return in energy or investment.

These activities are of little or no value to you. Don’t think that you cannot have any leisure time or time to relax, but there has to be a balance. Give yourself a limit of time which can be spent doing the minimal things, give yourself a schedule, and stick to it.

At this point, one important thing to do is to cut out the time wasting activities that will not give you anything in return for your time. Now take a look at your new list, do you now have more time to invest in activities that will bring more ROE or ROI? If you don’t, then it might be time to reevaluate your priorities and see if you are spending your valuable time working towards your goals or wasting it.

If you have successfully found space in your bucket for all three: your sand, your pebbles and your rocks, then you are one step closer to achieving your goals and knowing the value of your time.

Are you investing your time or wasting it? Leave your thoughts below!

Image courtesy of Twenty20.com

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Stephen Dela Cruz

Stephen Dela Cruz is a best selling author, speaker and serial entrepreneur who specializes in helping budding entrepreneurs double their income in their first year. He’s built several 7 figure businesses and in his online school, The Mastermind Experience, he shares strategies around time and money management to help beginning entrepreneurs soar. You can see more about Stephen on his website and follow him on his Facebook page.

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How to Choose the Best Affiliate Programs for Your Blog

If you follow these steps, you can create an affiliate marketing plan that makes money, fits well with your content, and connects with your readers

Published

2 weeks ago

Apr 10, 2024

Addicted2Success Editor

how to choose the best affiliate programs for your blog

Picking the right affiliate programs for your blog is really important. It can make a big difference in how much money you can make and how much your readers get out of your blog. With so many choices out there, deciding which ones to go with can be tricky.

This guide is here to make it easier for you. It will give you clear steps and helpful tips to choose affiliate programs that fit well with what your blog is about, what your readers like, and what you stand for.

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Understanding Affiliate Marketing

Before you start picking affiliate programs, it’s important to really understand what affiliate marketing is and how it works.

Basically, affiliate marketing is when you promote a product or service on your blog, and then you get paid a little bit every time someone buys something or does something because you recommended it.

It’s great for both the person selling the product and the blogger, because the seller gets more sales with low risk, and the blogger can make money from their blog.

How to Choose the Right Affiliate Programs for Your Blog

1. Assess Your Niche and Audience

The key to doing well in affiliate marketing starts with really knowing what your blog is about and who reads it. Consider the following:

Your blog’s content: What topics do you cover? Ensure the products or services you promote are relevant.
Your audience’s interests and needs: What solutions are they seeking? Choose affiliate programs that offer products or services that solve their problems or enhance their lives.

2. Research Potential Affiliate Programs

Once you know what your blog is about and what your readers want, start looking for affiliate programs. Choose ones that are well-known for good products, great customer service, and helpful support for affiliates. Resources to find these programs include:

Affiliate networks like ShareASale, Commission Junction, and ClickBank.
Direct searches for “[Your Niche] affiliate programs” in search engines.
Recommendations from other bloggers in your niche.

3. Evaluate the Commission Structure

The commission structure is a critical factor to consider. Look for programs that offer competitive rates that make your efforts worthwhile. Consider:

The percentage of commission per sale.
Whether the program offers a flat rate per action (e.g., per sign-up).
The cookie duration, which affects how long after a click you can earn commissions on sales.

4. Consider the Program’s Reputation and Sureness

Join affiliate programs with a solid reputation for quality and sureness. This not only ensures that you’re promoting good products but also that you’ll be paid on time. You can:

Read reviews from other affiliates.
Check the program’s history and background.
Look for any complaints or issues reported online.

5. Analyze the Support and Resources Offered

A good affiliate program gives you things like ads to use, training on their products, and helpful managers. Having access to these resources can really help you do a better job at promoting their products.

6. Understand the Terms and Conditions

Before signing up, thoroughly review the program’s terms and conditions. Pay close attention to:

Payment thresholds and methods.
Any restrictions on how you can promote their products.
The program’s policy on affiliate marketing on social media platforms.

7. Test the Product or Service

If possible, test the product or service before promoting it. This firsthand experience allows you to offer genuine charge and build trust with your audience.

8. Look for Recurring Commission Opportunities

Some affiliate programs pay you again and again for subscriptions or services that charge fees regularly. These can provide a more stable income compared to one-time sales commissions.

Implementing Your Choice

After choosing the best affiliate programs, the next step is to smoothly include your affiliate marketing in your content plan. This includes:

Creating valuable content that naturally incorporates affiliate links.
Disclosing your affiliate affairs transparently to maintain trust with your audience.
Tracking your results to understand what works best for your audience and adjusting your strategy accordingly.

Picking the best affiliate programs for your blog involves careful planning, research, and making sure they match what your audience likes and needs.

If you follow these steps, you can create an affiliate marketing plan that makes money, fits well with your content, and connects with your readers.

The real key to doing well with affiliate marketing isn’t just about the products you talk about, but also how much your audience trusts and values your advice.

With enough time, patience, and hard work, your blog can grow into a successful space that earns a good amount of affiliate money and helps your readers choose the right products.