Time To Refocus Your Profitable Plan

So now that you have recognized you have gotten caught up and off track, where do you go next? For me it’s back to basics. To the brainstorming ball with pen in hand and ready to write down my ideas and goals. Time to figure out what it is that I want to be focusing on and where I want to be financially in 3, 6, 12 months and beyond.

While I still need to fulfill my agreement for product reviews I’ve already received, I am making it part of my plan. I have it written right in there what reviews I have left, when I will be making them live, and looking at it as a reminder of where I don’t want to be again.

So what else is on my ‘here we go’ plan?

• Refocus Content- as I mentioned before I want content that is respected and read because of the content itself – not because there is a giveaway attached
• Refocus Layout- for me it’s like getting a haircut, a new style can give you a whole new outlook on life and pump up your self-esteem
• Refocus Affiliates- it’s about building that network of income that can continue to grow, even while you sleep, take a vacation, or even head out to the playground
• Refocus Tools- how many times I have kicked myself for not using the tools available to me is just not funny, there are so many great places out there that I’m a member of that I just don’t utilize as I should
• Refocus Time- sitting behind the computer screen 24/7 playing on social networks may gain me a few ‘friends’, but it’s not going to get me anywhere on my path to profits. Being able to focus time and energy in focused places in the proper portions is where I need to be

Next time, let’s break down these refocus goals one by one and together see where we can go! Do you have any additional areas of refocus you are working on?

Getting Caught Up In The Hype

The past few weeks I’ve been getting repeated kicks in the rear reminding me “Where is your focus?“. I’ve lost it. Yes, I got caught up and totally 100% lost my focus and now I’ve got to get it back. So what did I get caught up in? Mommy Blogging Reviews.

I originally started my focus out to talk about healthy living, parenting, and turning our home into a green place to live on Dinker & Giggles. I then wanted to talk about my life and journey as a mom and business owner on my personal blog. I started out strong and focused with goals in mind. I was using tools from the affiliate programs I belonged to. I spoke about products and services that were dear to my heart and that I used and loved because I choose to on my own free will.

Then I started seeing all the wonderful places to join and network and even try free products in exchange for my words of recommendation. I’m not going to lie – it’s fun! It’s great receiving mail that isn’t a bill. However, when you get so caught up and start accepting things that have nothing to do with your focus then you have to realize you’ve gotten caught up! The first time I really was awoken to how caught up I had gotten was when I received a pacifier in the mail with a note thanking me for reviewing this.

Wait a minute! I’m very anti-pacifier – how did I get so caught up that I accepted a review for a pacifier?

I’m not saying that doing product reviews and being a mommy blogger is bad in no means. What I personally am trying to recognize is my original goals and how they need to grow with the new information I am learning. I want to be a profitable mommy blogger. I want to have content that is respected and not read just because there is a giveaway attached to it.

I don’t want to be caught up in the hype! If I’m reviewing a product it should be because I love it (and it meets the requirements of my focus and goals). I also need to accept that I’m worth more than a free product. My time and creative juices go into that review and I should get paid for it too.

So today’s Better Blog journey is all about stepping back and really looking at yourself, your blog, and your focus.

• Are you happy where you are going?
• Are you ready to say No?
• Are you ready to get your focus on and step out of the hype?

Let’s get back to basics and get focused together!

48 Days: Spreading Myself Too Thin

I seriously can’t believe that it’s already thirty-nine days into my own personal challenge. I really feel that I have totally bombed on this challenge and almost need to completely start over. I am no where near where I wanted to be at this point. I haven’t been blogging on a daily basis like I should- I haven’t been practicing proper promotion of my blogs either.

I don’t even know what I have done- there’s some honesty. I have bombed on my personal challenge and I have no idea where I am in the development! Read more

48 Days to a Better Blog: Preparing for Life!

I can’t believe it’s already Day 13 on my better blog journey! This past weekend I had to deal with a lot of “life happens” stuff. My husband had surgery, the kids needed taken care of, and business still had to march on as usual. So what are you to do to prepare for when life happens?

A great step to try is set up Google Adsense on your blog. Then you have a great way to generate some passive income. I have to say I have avoided it for a long time. Seriously. I have always thought that many sites that had the “ads by google” were just tacky and annoying. I’m slowly heading over the fence on this topic. Now with the correct theme layout and not going crazy with your adsense code, you CAN have some money making links on your site without being tacky. Read more

48 Days To A Better Blog: Blog Education

This past weekend were days four and five of my 48 day journey. How did I spend them? Not behind the computer screen that’s for sure! It was a beautiful weekend in Southwestern PA and I had 3 little boys that were in much need of fresh air and sunshine.

Those two days were by far not wasted ones on my journey! Thankfully I have an MP3 player and before we even left for our very long days of public park hopping I downloaded a number of podcasts. I grabbed the latest installments of Profitable Mommy Blogging, WAHM Talk Radio, Adsense System Podcast, and The WordPress Community. I figured, “Hey I need to be educated if I’m going to do this right!”

Read more

48 Days To A Better Blog: Fail Without A Plan

While every plan is not perfect, at least it’s a plan! Typically, plans are well thought out and also have a backup (or two). Now that I have the mission, it’s time to plan the pathways to my goals.

We all know that a successful blog is one that has fresh, unique and frequent content. So on over to my Google calender I hopped and scheduled in time daily that I can just sit down and write. Doesn’t matter what I’m writing as of right now, I just need to get into the habit of making this a daily event; at least 4 out of the 7 days. I know many try to post daily, however as a mom of three children with other activities going on- four is a great goal for me. Read more

48 Days To A Better Blog: My Journey

Inspired by Kelly McCausey’s mission, 48 Days To A Better Me, I am on a mission for a better blog. Over the past few months not one, but three of my sites have received little to no attention from me. I got comfortable with not doing anything in regards to ‘business’ and just spending 24/7 with my family.

No, I’m not saying I regret spending time with my family – not at all! I am though regretting not doing anything to keep my blogs active as well as myself. So why the sudden change of heart, why the urgency to get my tush in gear? Life has changed and now instead of me being able to work when I want, take on project only when I am feeling the need for a creative outlet- now I have to. With a husband off of work for 3-6 months then 3-6 months of light duty, it’s time I stopped procrastinating and Just Do It!

So, today is my official day one of my 48 day journey to a better blog and even a better business me! Some goals that I have now as I being this mission are

• Posting on a regular basis
• Streamline the look of my three sites
• Bringing on the money, baby!
• Learning new tips and tools of the trade

So join me as I document my journey and explain different tasks that I am doing [with the help and advice of professionals] to create passive income and a site that people HAVE to visit the second their web browser loads. It’s just like making a goal to loose weight or quite the soda pop addiction- it needs to be a lifestyle change. I know this isn’t going to happen overnight. I am realistic. At the same time I don’t want it to be hard, I want the overnight change and the overnight income!