Not many people would disagree with me on that point. However, it’s the implementation of this idea that is difficult.

It is easy to lose focus when we are out of balance. The Internet marketers that I know work harder than most traditional employees. Many of us work full time jobs outside the home, then begin our internet marketing activities after hours. There is this image of the internet marketing lifestyle: fancy cars, big houses, long vacations, etc. While those benefits certainly can be a reality, the work that goes on behind the scenes is hidden to most of the world.

For those of you who work outside the home, finding a balance is important too. Life-work balance is now considered to be the second most important driver in employee attraction and commitment ahead of compensation. Importantly, people who work for companies that understand this blanace work twenty-one per cent harder.

Many of you are stay-at-home parents with young children. This situation presents unique challenges. Children have needs that are immediate and unwavering. Often I am in the middle of a webinar or conference call and I have to run to attend to a scraped knee, a crying child, or an all-out brawl over the TV remote!

We are tired!

It can be exhausting trying to accomplish everything we need (or want) to do in a 24 hour period.

The preoccupation with work-life balance is no surprise in today’s busy existence. Gone are the days when leaving the office meant actually leaving work behind. Blackberries, laptops, iPhones, Twitter and Facebook mean our availability and our access to work topics is constant. This easily gets out of control.

The consequences of all this, not surprisingly, is more stress, ill-health and exhaustion. Women especially have greater opportunity, higher levels of achievement, more influence and financial independence yet face increasing levels of depression.

Personally, I find it nearly impossible to balance my life.

I started this process a few months ago when I began thinking about balance. What do we mean by “balance”? What does it even mean to balance work and life?

Does that mean I spend equal amounts of time working and playing? Or does it mean I feel a vague sense of satisfaction with my life? I don’t know what it means for you. I do know that by my definition, my life is way out of balance.

I’m out of balance. Is that bad?

Who cares if I am out of balance? I am passionate about what I do. I love my job. I don’t want to do anything else. When I am resting, I am thinking about new marketing ideas, new ways to promote my websites, new PPC ad headlines and images to test, blog post topics, and new opportunities. Even when I am resting, my mind is racing with possibility. I am excited and pleased with my accomplishments thus far and I’m eager to get stuck into the next big project!

The other part of the story is that I am a mother of three young boys. I love my kids and I love spending time with them. I don’t want them to remember their mother as the lady who had her nose in the computer 24/7. I am a wife, a friend, a sister, and so many other things to so many people.

How am I meant to find “balance” between my excitement and passion for online marketing with the joy and love of being a good friend, wife, and mother?

I’ve done some research into this topic and I’d like to share it here with you.

7 Secrets to Balance Work Life

1) What are you passionate about?

We leak energy and become drained and frustrated when we get into a pattern of pleasing others and living in accordance with their standards rather than our own.

• Are you clear of your motives and your underlying passions and purpose in life?
• What are your values and are they in sync with your actions?
• Are you being truly authentic and speaking your truth?

Getting clarity on what you truly want from your life is the first critical step to leading a more balanced and meaningful existence.

2) Who is influencing you?

• Are you supported by your peers, colleagues and clients?
• Do you have true friends who have your best interests at heart?
• Are you in the right environment to best utilise your talents and skills?
• Do you have a personal development plan or life/business coach to provide objective guidance?

3) What are you saying to yourself?

There is substantial evidence that the way we think can have a profound and a lasting effect on our mood and motivation levels. If you are one of life’s pessimists then you will need to re-program your thoughts to expect the best – not the worst - and to swap those habits for more encouraging self talk. Focus on what has been going well rather than how far you are from your goals. See obstacles as opportunities, remain flexible and open to possibilities. Recognising and being grateful for what you have is a great way of getting things in perspective.

4) Listen to your body

Self care is essential to restore and maintain well-being and balance

• Are you sleeping well?
• What are your eating habits?
• How would you describe your energy levels?

Taking time to exercise and look after yourself is an essential component to balanced living.Listen to your intuition as it never lets us down and provides the subtle nudges to move us in the direction that is right for us.

5) Set healthy boundaries

Real life and business can be integrated but that does not mean you need to give up your privacy. You need boundaries so you can feel generous without feeling depleted and available without feeling drained.

One trick that works for me is to get a kitchen timer and use it to set limits for myself. On the weekends, I will set the timer for 45 minutes and I will work to accomplish as much as possible during that time. When the timer rings, I go and play with my kids, bake a cake, do something fun. Then I can go back to work knowing that I have spent some quality time with my family, building memories to last a lifetime.

6) “Start to Profit”

My friend and mentor, Lynn Terry, has a catch phrase “From Start to Profit” which means to stick with one idea until it makes a profit. Too often we start projects and don’t finish them. This leaves us with an uneasy feeling that we have so many projects on the go and none of them are near completion. The stress this creates can be enormous. Instead, take Lynn’s advice and focus on one project at a time. Then follow that project through to completion. This takes patience and tenacity, but it’s worth it in the long run.

7) Keep the end in mind

Although this may seem morbid, it has helped me keep my priorities straight many times. Keep the end in mind. What do you want to be remembered for? Do you want to be the guy/girl who made the most money? Had the best car? Built the best website?

Clearly identify what your purpose is, and follow that purpose.

When I am on track and aligned with my purpose, I have more energy, more enthusiasm, more positivitiy than I could possibly use. It’s a great feeling to be “in the zone”! Try to get yourself in the zone and stay there, loving life, working hard towards your goals, and living with joy.

Does this mean there is no way to balance work and life? Maybe a better phrase is to “integrate” your work with your life.

That’s the way I see it. What about you? Add to the discussion in the section below…

The main thing I keep hearing is that a bad video is better than no video. So, I have decided to publish my first ever PpcMom video here for your enjoyment. It’s ridiculous, I know.

Please provide any feedback and suggestions for improvement below. I’m still a beginner, so be kind (but honest).

Thanks!

Yes – you’re expecting me to talk about PPC campaigns, Search Engine Ranking Software, Facebook Advertising – but NO! I’m taking a break for a minute!!  I am not going to talk about making money or ROI today.

Now, before you give up on me and hit the “back” button, just hear me out. This is a cool idea and I think you’ll like it.

QUESTION: When was the last time you gave something away – an unexpected gift – an you wanted nothing in return? How did it feel to do that for someone else? OR Perhaps you have been the recipient of an unexpected, generous gift? How did that feel?

ANSWER: It feels pretty awesome, and you don’t forget it quickly.

SOLUTION: 29 Day Giving Challenge at http://29Gifts.org

What is it? – This is a 29 day challenge where you agree to GIVE something (anything) away each day for 29 days. Your “gift” can be ANYTHING – a smile, a note or card, a phone call, a gift card, a check, a thoughtful email, etc. You can decide what you can afford to give, and what those around you need to receive. That’s the fun part!!

The challenge is to find something to give to someone each and every day for 29 days in a row. That part is not so easy. (Eek – Consistency!)  Do you think you could do that?

This challenge caught my eye because I was reviewing my Google Analytics and I saw that someone from www.29Gifts.org has been visiting me here at PPCMom.com. I wanted to check out the site that has been sending traffic my way, and I was immediately hooked! (This is another big lesson in gaining traffic, isn’t it? Comment on blogs in your niche and they will most likely check out your blog in return.)

I have registered to complete this challenge myself and I am excited about it. I believe by focusing on “giving”, we change our energy and the world around us changes too. Imagine the lives we can change, the impact we can have, if we take the time to look for “giving” opportunities!

What do you think?  Want to join me?

Click here to read more about the 29 Day Giving Challenge at 29 Gifts and leave your comments below!

PPCMom has had a makeover and I am eager to hear your feedback.

What do you like?

What’s not so great?

What am I missing?

Obviously, I am still ironing out the final adjustments and if you find something that is not working, please let me know.

On a different note, you have been so helpful and supportive since I took over PPCMom in early September. I appreciate all the feedback, emails, tweets, advice, and suggestions I have received. Blogging is new to me and I absolutely love this experience so far!

A huge, special, enormous, thank you to Karrine at HerMedia for all her help! You are a star!

So, please, leave your comment below and let me know your first impressions…..Thanks!

P.S. Karrine ROCKS!!  If you need any kind of design work, social media help, Twitter profile update, etc – Karrine is awesome!

Okay, so they’re not “Jedi Mind Tricks” but here are a few things you can do when you’re feeling annoyed, frustrated, or overwhelmed with things.

These 5 little steps help me stay motivated:

1. Focus on the positive – Getting bogged down in negativity will not help you. Avoid it at all costs. Focus instead on possibilities, potential, and opportunity.
2. Network with other internet marketers – Make friends, get involved in forums, answer some questions for newbies, read and post on IM blogs.
3. Learn something new – if you’re into PPC, try SEO. If you’re stuck on Facebook, try Yahoo for a change. Step out of your comfort zone and shake it up a bit.
4. Look how far you’ve come – Chances are you’re a long way from where you started, and you’ve learned a lot. Give yourself credit for your accomplishments.
5. Set an exciting and challenging goal for yourself – It should be something exciting, yet achievable within a relatively short period. Get excited about it!

These simple tricks can be used to brighten an otherwise gloomy perspective.

Good luck to you! Keep things fresh, new and excting!

We all hit major (and minor) roadblocks along the way. Everyone gets frustrated in this business. Perhaps you just don’t know where to start. Maybe your polls aren’t getting traffic. Perhaps your offer stopped converting. Or your Facebook ads get disapproved more often than they get approved. Whatever your drama is – you are not alone. Feeling “stuck”, overwhelmed, irritated, frustrated – it’s all part of the territory.

I am feeling “stuck” today. I have several projects on the “go” right now. Some are doing well and others are not. Although I have a clear plan of what needs to happen, I just feel like I need a break.

There is so much going on in my life and in my business. I am the mother of three young children. I’ve been helping several people with their polls. I am learning a lot of new things at AffiliIT. My head is spinning with possibilities today. I sat staring at my “to do” list this morning feeling overwhelmed.

The good news is that I know this won’t last long. Whenever I get this feeling, I take a step back, walk away from my desk, and do something fun.  I know that later today, I will return to my office with renewed energy, enthusiasm, and positivity. I know that this feeling will pass. And when it does, (probably in just a few hours) I’ll be back to work with a vengeance!

Hope your day is a great one!

These are the wise words of a friend of mine. I thought it was worth sharing.

It’s true though, isn’t it?  Sometimes things get tough. Campaigns don’t go as we planned. Offers don’t convert like they used to. The rules change. That’s the nature of our business. It’s the nature of life.

Our success lies in our ability to “roll with the changes” not fight against them.

It’s so nice that I have received a lot of support in the internet marketing community as the new PPC Mom, and I am so grateful! Thank you.

Here is a recent blog post from Chris, the co-owner of the new affiliate marketing training site AffiliIT.

Thanks for the kind words and warm welcome, Chris!

- PPC Mom

My name is Jennifer and I am very proud to be the new “PPC Mom”!

My affiliate marketing journey began on this very website back in January 2009. Like many of you, Mary helped me get started and I am so grateful for her help and guidance.

First of all, let me introduce myself. My husband and I live in Australia with our three young boys. I am a busy mother and a pre-school teacher who has now become a full time internet marketer. I was able to resign from my teaching job in August 2009 and I now work from home full time. Thanks to the information I learned here, my life is so different now than it was just one year ago.

I am an active affiliate marketer and I am committed to helping you reach your goals. I believe in this website and see it as a guiding light through the “minefield” that is Internet Marketing. You can count on me to continue to provide the honest, valuable information you’ve come to expect from PPC Mom. If there is something specific you’d like me to address here, please let me know. I have a lot of information to share and I’m excited to get started.

If you need to contact me, please don’t hesitate to send me an email : ppcjen@gmail.com

Alternatively, I’d love it if you could leave a comment here! I look forward to getting to know you too!

Have a wonderful day!

Jen

***UPDATE***

The site has been sold September 4th, 2009 and Jennifer is the new PPC Mom. Please read more about Jen here.