The majority of people who start their own business have a couple of things in mind. First off, they want to branch out on their own so they can quit working long hours for somebody else’s good. And of course, they are interested in making money. With that being said, there is one very important question to answer: are you comfortable with your online income?
As a freelance writer, my income fluctuates each month. But as you can imagine, this is something that every self-employed individual has to deal with. I do not mind a fluctuating income, and in most cases, it helps me to work harder in the future. But all in all, I am positive that I will never become comfortable with the money that I make online.
After my post earlier this month about making $5,000 in July through freelance writing, I received many emails asking me how I did this, if anybody can get started, and if I am happy with this income. While I knew the answers to the first two questions, I stumbled on whether or not this income makes me happy. If you are asking if it pays the bills, the answer is yes. But I know that there is much more money to be had.
I think that internet entrepreneurs are a special breed. Even if you are making tens of thousands of dollars each month, it is safe to say that you will want to increase this income in the near future. There is something about making money online that pushes people to want more and more. Some see this as selfish, but I see it as a great way to motivate. After all, money is the biggest motivator in the world!
Overall, I don’t believe that anybody should ever get comfortable with the money that they are making online. If you do, you will stop working towards reaching future goals. And when this happens, not only do you lose the chance to make more money, but you may also find out that you are earning less. If you are always pushing forward, there is no reason that you should be looking back!
Every month, with the exception of a few, my freelance writing income seems to build the same way. I always look at my income in three sections: the first, second, and third 10 days of the month.
For me, the first 10 days of the month is always the most profitable. In most cases, by the end of these 10 days I have earned anywhere from $2,500 to $3,000. This is due in large part to the fact that my checks and bank wires arrive during this period.
The second 10 days are always the slowest. This is when I am churning out work for clients, and is usually when I work the most hours. For the most part, these days usually net me somewhere around $1,000 or so.
Finally, the last 10 days is when I make my final push for as much money as I can. While not as much as the first segment of the month, I can usually draw in $1,500 to $2,500 during this period. As mentioned above, a lot of this has to do with the amount of work that I complete during the middle stages of the month. By the end of the month all those projects are complete, and payments begin to roll in. Subsequently, I do not work nearly as many hours as the month winds down.
Of course this can change, but over the past few months when I have been earning just about $5k, this tends to hold true. Personally, I love being able to rely on this sort of pattern. It helps me to chart my progress, while also knowing when certain payments are going to arrive.Â
There are many ways that you can increase your productivity, but I bet you never thought buying a dog was one of them. To tell you the truth, when I recently brought my new puppy home I had no clue how it would affect my work life. In fact, I thought it might take away from it a bit because training and housebreaking a puppy can be hard work. But luckily, this has not been the case. Instead, Sammy has helped me to become more productive, which is something that I am always interested in.
So you want to know the details before you head out and buy a dog, right? Well, here is what I have learned over the first week of caring for my new puppy.
First and foremost, he likes to stay up late. And even when he does go to bed, he likes to get up every few hours to stretch and head outside to go to the bathroom. Instead of sitting around and watching him sleep, I have taken to working while he lies at my feet. This is a great way for me to keep an eye on him (don’t want any accidents on the floor) while also increasing my productivity. All in all, this has resulted to an extra three to four hours of work per day; many of these in the middle of the night.
Sammy has also given me quite a few ideas that I have been thinking on for a few days now. For instance, I have never written many pet articles in the past. But now that I have a bit more experience, this is something that I am definitely considering.
Additionally, I am thinking about starting a blog about Sammy as well as his breed. This would be a great way to dive into a new topic, but of course, I need to assess my situation first.
Are you going to buy a dog in order to increase your productivity? Probably not! While I could have done all of this without buying a dog, this is what it took to open my eyes. And I am thankful for it! I am a firm believer that increased productivity will eventually lead to increased profits.
