If you've missed past Expert Briefs, you can click on the undies to see them all –>

A lot of online business owners are looking at the holidays with dread because they're going to be headed into the new year with even more debt. So, my question is this..

“If you (meaning YOU, not someone you were advising) had to double your income in the next 30 days, how would you do it?”

I think you'll find the answers this week interesting and hopefully motivating.

Denise O’Berry of DeniseOBerry.com says:

Well, thankfully my business is not one of those facing more debt but these are some things I'd do to double my income by the end of the year.

• Find my hot products and raise the price a bit — somewhere in the neighborhood of $1 to $5 depending on how well the product performs today.
• Package like products together and run one or more promotions to my list and on my website.
• Find a JV partner who wants to increase their sales for the month and create a promotion that will benefit them and me. This could involve me selling to their audience or them selling to mine or both.
• Include a new one time offer in all of my email list sign up sequences.
• Create a niche report on a timely hot topic, find partners to help me sell it, and put it out there for the world to buy.
• Create some quick videos as a companion to an existing product that is selling well, make it a package for a higher price than the single product.
• Run a retirement sale on products that are good quality, but need refreshing.
• Offer a resale rights package on an appropriate product.

Those are all the thoughts that come to mind as I brainstorm the possibilities. Thanks for asking the question. Looks like I have a good start on a new action plan. I'll do some now and save some for later!

Shannon Cherry of Quick Sales for Quick Profits says:

As someone who has run a completely debt-free business from the beginning, I've had to sometimes really bootstrap in order to make sure I had enough money to pay my bills and not be tempted to EVER run up a credit card.

Here's are the survival tips I've used in the past:

1) Cut the fat. Look at your business expenses. What can be cut? (Be especially critical of those items you pay for each and every month. Are you really using them? I often look at things like SaaS (Software As A Service) as a big money suck.)

2) Hold a sale on old items or some redone PLR. As a matter of fact, my sales have been so successful, I've was asked to share how I get them done. The result after make sure every step works is the S.A.L.E.S. System Formula. Get the free report and ebook to learn how to use Quick Sales for Quick Profits by clicking the link by my name.

3) Make some phone calls. I look for people who have invested with me in the past and get on the call and thank them. Often times this leads to questions from them where I can direct them to products to help them.

4) Ask for help. Sometimes you need extra help, and that's when I reach out to a friend and ask them to promote me to their list. Sometimes, its hosting a teleclass where they interview me; other times I write them some sales copy on a good product I sell and let them send it out.

Connie Ragen Green of ConnieGreen.com says:

If I wanted to double my income during the next 30 days I would create a new product and a new training course, as well as taking a look at other products I have not been promoting recently. The product would be something that would be evergreen, meaning that I could set it up on the Internet and sell it for years to come. I find that a $97 product does best. Then I would promote it using every method and technique that works, including article marketing, blogging, social media, interviews, teleseminars, and affiliates.

Then I would survey my list to see what type of a course they would be interested in taking from me during the next week to 10 days. Just as soon as I figured out what they wanted to learn from me, I would design the course to be taught in three or four sessions. I'd create supporting materials to go along with it, and set it all up in a membership site. Depending upon the topic, I might bring in other experts to teach their area of expertise to my students.

Next, I would take some of my products off the digital shelf and dust them off. Most of us have products or courses we have not been promoting. Sometimes our list has forgotten that we have them, so this is an opportunity to freshen them up, add some new bonuses, and market them more vigorously.

Finally, I would let my affiliates know that I was having a huge promotion. This would bring in even more sales and connect me with new prospects and clients.

I tend to go through this exact process every six months or so, and my income takes a huge jump each time.

Alice Seba of Contentrix says:

What you're asking for is a short term plan…doubling in 30 days, so let's talk about it in that context.

What that requires:

* Full focus – no distractions, no shiny objects. I have to stick to the plan.

Speaking of the plan, that includes:

* Reviewing stats and financial statements. Things to look at include the numbers from last December. What sold well? What was down? I would also look at the stats over the year. What products sold best, which affiliates sold the most, which products didn't do well? What promotions and coupons performed best? Which days of the week were the beat performing?

* Using that information, it's time to come up with a plan for new products and/or special promotions to create in the coming month. This planning would include assigning any work to writers, my VA, etc. Products need to be put together. Promotional copy needs to be written and shopping carts need to be ready.

* Making a promotion/email schedule. The money is in my lists, so that's where my focus lies. Blogs, social media…etc. those are secondary if I am looking for immediate financial benefit. I will focus on my opt in lists, customer lists and affiliates

* Make a short list of affiliates to personally contact and ask to promote the most relevant products for them.

* Make a list of new affiliates with potential in order to contact them with a really great promotion. It would have to be something that truly benefits the affiliate's readers and is lucrative for the affiliate as well.

Next comes execute, which involves:

* Getting contractors ready with full instructions, deadlines and a plan to follow up

* Writing emails like crazy. Write them and schedule them.

Basically, it boils down to having a plan that includes new products and very attractive promotions. Couple that with being fairly aggressive in leveraging my own lists and the lists of others…and we're ready to roll!

Susanne Myers of AffiliateTreasureChest.com says:

I actually had to triple my income for the month at some point last year to cover some unexpected expenses. Here's what I did:

Take a look at your current assets including
– All websites and domains you own
– All products you created
– All articles, plr and other stuff you own that's collecting virtual dust on your harddrive
– All lists that you have.

Next, come up with a plan to bring in some big cash.

Do you have some websites that are still making some money but you've lost interest in? They could use some TLC and have good potential, but you just don't have time enough to work on them? Consider selling them. You can put them on flippa, or offer them to some of your friends, colleagues, and even your affiliates.

You can do the same with some good domain names you have. Be prepared to spread the word and do some marketing to get some decent cash for these sites and domains.

Next, look at the products and lists that you have. Combine some of your current products, use articles you've written and plr to create bonuses for it or come up with some new products. Create a nice combo package and then email your list about it. 4 day sales that create some urgency work best for this in my experience.

Next, email your affiliates and people in related markets and have them offer the same sale to their list.

Scott Tousignant of FatLossQuickie.com says:

If I had to double my income in the next 30 days I would…

Number one, would be to connect with a few Joint Venture Partners who have high quality and complimentary products to those that I offer, which fulfill the needs of my Fat Loss Quickie fans and followers. I would then plan some cross promotions that are win-win-win situations and schedule the entire month on my promotion calendar.

A win-win-win situation occurs when I recommend a Joint Venture Partner’s product and earn a commission, while they gain customers and make money too. Then they return the favor and recommend one of my products and earn a generous 75% commission, while I gain customers and make money. The customer wins because they receive high quality products that solve their problems.

…By the way, that is exactly what I’ve already done to prepare for the month of December.

I particularly like to scope out hot new products that have an irresistible offer, such as a Huge 3 day sale.

I would also consider running a 3 day sale on my own products and run an affiliate contest with big prizes. This has worked extremely well for me in the past, and I believe that I shared one of those instances in my interview on Nik’s Success Cast. I paid out huge prizes, which may sound scary, but the outcome was BIG profits in just a few days.

David Frey of MarketingBestPractices.com says:

Simple.

I would take my best selling information product and turn it into a high ticket ($2,000 plus) live event. Then I would offer it to all of the people who already bought the lower ticket information product.

I would also offer the buyers to become an affiliate for the live event that including some affiliate prizes.

Then I would create a rocking sales video and do a private product launch to my list and to select JV partners.

So the formula is…

Low(er) ticket product -> High ticket event

Nicole Dean of .. here! .. says:

I've created a list of six ways to increase your income.

1. Increase New Visitors (More Traffic)
2. Increase List Size (More Leads)
3. Increase Number of Offers (Create More Products)
4. Increase Number of Offers Seen by Prospects (Better Followup & Funnels)
5. Increase Results (Improve Conversion on my Offers)
6. Decrease Expenses (Cut Costs)

So, any time I want to increase my income – I know that I can do so by tackling one or more of the items above. Some are quicker. Some take more time to see results. But, the cool thing is that they work together. So, if I increase my traffic AND my conversion, for example, that actually multiplies the effect, as opposed to doing only one or the other.

However, the question was what would I, personally, do to double my income in 30 days. And, that's simple because I've had to do it on a few occasions. It wasn't a lasting effect (as far as consistently staying doubled), but I can make it spike when I need to – and, although the “double effect” dips the following month, it's still higher than it was before.

I  know that I could do it by running a sale. However, I don't like to run sales. If you're on my lists, you've probably realized that by now. The reason is simple. When I release a new product (whether my own or PLR) – my LOYAL readers normally buy it right away because they're excited to get it. I feel badly offering it at a discount six months down the road. It just doesn't sit right to  me. So, instead, I normally release my products at a lower price initially to reward my customers and those who are fast-action takers. Then I raise it.  I'm more comfortable with that approach. So, that rules out sales for me.

The only exception to that is running a unique offer that is a bundle – so that my loyal customers can not directly compare it to something they've previously purchased. For instance, I might take two products of mine, add something to it, and sell it for a price higher than each product would sell alone.

So, what would I do?

Actually to be completely honest with you (like I'm normally not? lol!) — I'm having a difficult time writing this blog post. In fact, if I hadn't have already gotten the responses from my friends, I'd probably stuff it back into draft mode for awhile and think a few more days.

I just feel silly writing about what I would do – like “DUH! I you WOULD do this, why AREN'T you doing it right now?”

Even though my income is higher than ever – it could always be higher. And, the more money I make, the more good I can do for myself, my family, my friends, and for charitable organizations. So, why aren't I doing it?  That's a very good question – and the reason why I have my accountability partners to kick my butt when I let fear, procrastination, and self-doubt get in my way.

So, I guess I'll change the question. It's my blog. I can do that.

What WILL I do?

Well, looking at the list above, if I were focusing on short-term results (like the question states), I would, like Alice said, put aside blogging and social media and instead focus on my lists (and leveraging the lists of others) and offers.

* The first thing I'd do is call in some favors. I've successfully promoted a lot of other people who have not promoted me back nearly as much (or at all). So, I'd let them know of some of my hotter products and get them mailing for me.

* The second thing I'd do is write up a plan for my lists for the month. Whenever I do this, it's extremely successful. However, when I fly by the seat of my pants, I stress and don't do as well. So, I'd sketch out a plan for connecting with my lists  – making sure that  I'm putting together a good combination of useful information, fun stuff, with appropriate promotions tied in for products that I  know they'll love.

Just by doing those two things, I could possibly meet my goals, but that's not good enough.

* I would also run an affiliate contest or promo at EasyPLR.com to give people an excuse to talk me up.

* And, I would release a new product – and tell all of my affiliates. I'd then reconnect with the JV partners above – in case they wanted to promote that, too (plus it gives me an excuse to bug them twice without looking like a pest!).

That should do it.

It’s Your Turn.

So, now, I’ll pose this question to you. If you had to double your income in 30 days – what would YOU do? I’d love to hear your comments!

Warmly,
Nicole Dean

PS. I have created brandable reports from several of the previous Expert Brief columns that you can use to earn commissions by giving them away.

If you’re new to expert briefs, don’t miss these favorites:

• What are the Best WordPress Plugins?
• Email List Building Mistakes
• What is the best help desk program?
• Take a look at my home office.

If you've missed past Expert Briefs, you can click on the undies to see them all –>

This week I asked our panel of experts a question that I knew would spur me into action. (I needed to clean my office…)

“People oftentimes ask about my home office and how I've set it up. I thought it would be fun to share pics or videos of our offices this week.  

Give us a tour and show us where you work.”

 

Mark Mason of MasonWorld.com says:

My home office is centered around my 27″ iMac. About a year ago I got my wife an iMac, and I was so impressed by it that I bought one for myself. In the photo, you can see lots of kid pictures, a shot of Kyle Field (Texas A&M University), my podcasting mic, and some harman/kardon speakers. My printer is in the desk cabinet (not shown) and there is a big leather chair for reading on the other side of the room (behind the camera).

The office is enclosed, which is perfect for podcasting late at night. In the past (in my PC days) I had multiple monitors. But with the iMac I find that the single 27″ monitor is plenty.

If you look closely in front of the monitor, you can see my MasonWorld coffee mug. I have a Keurig single cup coffee maker in the kitchen, and that is probably just as important as my iMac.

Nicole's Notes:
– Coffee is goooood.
– Love the pics of the fam!

Melissa Ingold of Internet Marketing Sweetie sent in this video:

Nicole's Notes from watching this video:

– Melissa is too stinkin' cute.
– She likes plants, too.
– Light is super important to me, too.

Too Funny!

When Melissa opened her binder in the video, I realized that we're studying and learning from the SAME private newsletter and we didn't even know it.
Click here to check it out.

Scott Tousignant of FatLossQuickie.com sent in a video, too:

Nicole's Notes from watching this video:
– Scott is too stinkin' cute, too.
– There's no dust on that exercise equipment!
– I love seeing how everyone organizes their days. Love your promo calendar!

Alice Seba of Contentrix says:

Well, I have a lovely home office where I have a nice desk, shelves for my books, a filing cabinet, some white boards and other stuff you'd expect in an office. But I never use it and because it's in a bit of disarray, you're not going to see it.

But what you can see in my photo here is my true home office. I don't like paper, don't really care for sitting at a desk and work almost completely virtually. My office is wherever my laptop and/or iPhone goes. Sometimes that's sitting on the couch, sometimes sitting on the bed (snuggling with my toddler and boys) or in a coffee shop. Simply put…wherever.

Nicole's Notes:
– It's funny how some people prefer the separation of work and family and others do fine in an immersion. For me, I prefer to have my office separate so there's a line between work time and mommy time.  I think it's also partly how my brain is wired. I don't have music playing, podcasts going, or any noise normally while I work. I find it easier to focus. You must have a better filter than I do. Mine is malfunctioning. lol!

Nicole Dean of .. here! .. says:

I recorded a video, too.

Things mentioned in the video…

– Note the dust on my keyboard. lol!

– Get a comfy chair. It's hard to work with a messed up back.

– If you want the “Maverick” Poster I have, it's part of this program: Maverick Learning.

– You'll note we all have planning/brainstorming methods. (I have my whiteboard & my weekly action list that you see in this video.)

If you'd like to post photos or videos of your office on your blog, comment here with links so we can check it out.

Also, let me know what you think of these videos.

Warmly,
Nicole Dean

PS. I have created brandable reports from several of the previous Expert Brief columns that you can use to earn commissions by giving them away.

If you’re new to expert briefs, don’t miss these favorites:

• How Do You Fight Computer Butt?
• Are Internet Marketers Evil?
• How to Get More Traffic from iTunes
• Do Successful Marketers actually use PLR?
• What is a Typical Day in an Online Business?

Yesterday Scott gave us a serious talk about prioritizing *some* exercise into our days. Remember, something is better than nothing. More is always better, but doing nothing is really not an option.

That little talk hit home for a few of us. (Me included.) Go back and read it if you haven't: ROI on Exercise.

Today, I've got a silly little video Scott made that cracked me up as well as a 10 minute ab workout.

First the silly video. (Remember laughter is good exercise, too.) The ab video is below this one.

Is Computer Gut your problem?

Here's a 10 minute ab workout that'll knock your socks off.

Please post your update today. If you missed the first few weeks of this challenge, no worries. Jump in at any time!

((hugs)) to all and thank you!

Warmly,
Nicole Dean

Here’s where you can check out Scott & Angie’s Workouts:

• Sizzlin’ Circuits
• Fat Loss Quickie 10 Minute Home Office Workouts (Excellent!)
• Rock that Body (For a more advanced workout.)

Here' s the workout that I'm doing this month (which incorporates a variety of exercises).

You can grab this program for only $10 here, if you'd like to join me:

http://www.fatlossquickie.com/Sizzlin-Circuits.php

It's a friendly “tough love kick in the butt” from our friend, Scott Tousignant.

The question he asks is “What are you Doing Right Now That's More Important Than Exercise?”

What's your ROI on Exercise?
by Scott Tousignant

Time is our most precious commodity, which is why it’s so important to prioritize the tasks that you perform throughout the day to ensure that you are doing the tasks that give you the greatest return on your investment (ROI). Unfortunately not many online entrepreneurs are aware of the ROI on their daily tasks and they spend their day being busy rather than productive and wonder why they continue to struggle growing their business.

Every business is different and certain tasks may produce a greater ROI for certain businesses compared to others. There is however, one task that will provide an incredible ROI for every online entrepreneur. That task is physical fitness. Ironically, it’s the one task that many online entrepreneurs will brush off and say they don’t have time for.

Let’s take a look at the ROI on exercise:

• Increased energy: Keep up with your kids and live life to the fullest
• Increased focus: Your mind stays on target with the task at hand
• Increased productivity: Get more done in less time so you have more time to do what you enjoy the most in life.
• Increased Creativity: Your mind becomes more open to ideas and solutions
• Increased confidence: The benefits of this are limitless in business and life.
• Increased self esteem: Enhances your belief in your abilities
• Increased networking opportunities: You become more approachable and you are more willing to “get out there” more.
• Increased sense of well-being: Feel great about yourself and your actions
• Improved sleep: When you exercise you enjoy greater quality sleep and wake up feeling rested and ready to take on the day at hand.
• Reduced Stress: It becomes easier to handle the challenges that life throws at you.

With all of these benefits how can you possibly avoid exercise?

Yes it’s hard work, but it’s hard work with a huge ROI.

I challenge you to find any other task in your day that provides more benefits than exercise.

I encourage you not to fall into the trap of, “As soon as I finish this project, I’ll start to exercise.” I’ve got news for you… there will always be new projects and with this mindset you will never make the time for your health and fitness.

Another trap is waiting until you achieve a certain level of business success before you make your fitness a priority. “As soon as my online business takes off and these PPC campaigns start turning a profit I will have the freedom to workout more often and the finances to get a gym membership.” With this mindset, money is more important than your health.

Now let’s say that your ROI on PPC becomes so great that you finally have the freedom that you and your family deserve, but then out of nowhere Google slaps ya! Your income stream stops and you scramble to find another method of traffic. Let’s say that within a few months you find that banner ads become your new #1 profit machine and life is all good and happy again.

But what if LIFE decides to slap you with diabetes or a heart attack, because you placed your health at the bottom of your priority list?

What if life slaps you and cuts your life short by a year or two?

That’s time that you can’t get back. That’s time that you could have spent creating more memories with your family. Sure you had some great trips and vacations in the early days because you focused on business and money, but there was a hidden cost that didn’t reveal itself until it was too late. Was it worth it?

Everything in life is a choice. Your current situation is a result of all the choices that you’ve made in life. Your choices are often influenced by your values. Right now, you have a choice to bump your health to the top of the list of your priorities, or continue putting it off and hope to have the time to make it a priority down the road. Do you value your health? Before you make that decision, remember… time does eventually run out.

This tough love kick in the butt was brought to you by Scott Tousignant He cares about you, your business, and your life.

I've got one word for you. GEEEEEEZ. That hit a little close to home for me. How about for you?

It's funny. I started to mark my favorite quotables in that piece in bold, but had to stop because the whole thing was getting bold.

“Everything in life is a choice. Your current situation is a result of all the choices that you’ve made in life.“

Please post your update today. If you missed the first few weeks of this challenge, no worries. Jump in at any time!

((hugs)) to all and thank you!

Warmly,
Nicole Dean

Here’s where you can check out Scott’s Workouts:

• http://metabolicmasterpiece.com

Check in below.

Also, here's a free report from Scott about how the Diet Industry has failed us time and time again.

Exerpt from this free ebook:

I’m taking a stand on your behalf. You shouldn’t have to put up with this crap and it’s got to stop now! People that are preying on your vulnerabilities have given the fat loss industry a bad name, and I hate to say it but it’s really the large majority of the industry that is doing this to you.

It’s time to shake up the fat loss industry and expose many of them for the frauds that they are. I’m going to go over some of the ways that the diet and fat loss industry has failed you and lead to this mass confusion.

Click here to read this report: The Diet Industry Has Failed You

If you missed the start of this challenge, no worries. Jump in at any time! Everyone with positive attitude is welcome.

((hugs)) to all and thank you!

Warmly,
Nicole Dean

Here’s where you can check out Scott & Angie’s Workouts:

• Sizzlin’ Circuits
• Fat Loss Quickie 10 Minute Home Office Workouts (Excellent!)
• Rock that Body (For a more advanced workout.)

Here's a workout from Scott that will gets you outside in the fresh air and burning calories. If you set a timer for an hour, worked hard at your computer, and then went outside for 5 minutes – did a few of the exercises in the video and repeated that cycle a few times, you'll be burning a bunch of calories – and getting a little fresh air and sunshine, too! Even if you don't have a hill by your house, you can still do this on flat ground.

As for me, I'm really enjoying Angie's Sizzlin' Circuits workout. My favorite part is that I don't have to think about what to do. I do enough thinking in a day. I just get to follow along. It's like having Angie in the room, chillin' and working out with me.  For instance, I really like the standing side leg lifts and lunges. They're easy on the brain, but hard on the legs!

It's only $10.

http://www.fatlossquickie.com/Sizzlin-Circuits.php

Note: Scott has a few other programs if you prefer to choose one of them.

– Fat Loss Quickie 10 Minute Home Office Workouts (Excellent!)
– Rock that Body (For a more advanced workout.)

Please post your update today so I don't have to hunt you down.

((hugs)) to all and thank you!

Warmly,

Nicole “Can't wait to shop for new jeans” Dean

PS. Tomorrow, I will have some hula hoop tips from our friend, Angela Wills, to help you incorporate hula hooping into your workout. Watch for that.

If you missed the first few days, no worries, jump in at any time!

If you've missed past Expert Briefs, you can click on the undies to see them all –>

Here are a few of my favorite Expert Briefs:

• Do Successful Marketers actually use PLR?
• Are Internet Marketers Evil?
• What is a Typical Day in an Online Business?

This week's topic is “Computer Butt” which I've talked about quite a bit on the blog in the past.

Definition: If you don't know what “Computer Butt” is – it's a phrase I coined describing the widening of one's keister (ie. buns, bottom, hinder, or Badonkadonk if you're a Trace Adkins fan) from sitting in front of a computer too long.

So, on that note, this week I asked our panel of experts …

“How do you fight computer butt?

Do you have a schedule that you can share with us?”

I think you'll find the answers this week interesting and hopefully motivating.

Connie Ragen Green of ConnieGreen.com says:

This summer I realized that I had become twice the person I used to be, and that was not a good thing. On top of that, my mentor, Armand Morin, challenged our mastermind group to a weight loss contest. Being super competitive, I decided that this was the time to take action.

I always joke about writing the perfect book on how to lose weight. It would have only 5 words – “Eat less and exercise more“. Even though this is exactly how it works, if this is an issue for you I'm sure you'll agree that it just isn't that simple, especially if you sit at your computer for hours at a time.

My main dilemma was that I do my best writing in the morning, and that's when I wanted to start walking and riding my exercise bike. My fear was that I would spend an hour exercising and then not be able to get back to my writing. I decided to experiment on Labor Day weekend, when I would have the time to spare.

It took me a few days to adjust, but now I am able to walk for 30 minutes around 7:30 in the morning, ride my exercise bike for about 20 minutes around 8, and be ready to write by 9. My writing has not suffered, and I have more energy than ever. I'm proud to announce that I have lost 20 pounds, and I plan to continue this until I am back to a healthy weight.

One additional benefit has been for my Yorkshire terrier, Sarah. She had not been able to go up the stairs since giving birth two years ago, and I had become accustomed to carrying her. After just a few weeks of walking with me each morning, she is now able to run up the stairs with my other dogs. She's gone from 5 1/2 pounds down to 4 pounds, and she is like a puppy again.

Alice Seba of Contentrix says:

Not that I have the figure of a supermodel, but the best way I've found to avoid Computer Butt is to NOT sit at the computer all day. A break is good for the body and the mind. With few exceptions, I generally only work up to a couple of hours at one time. I just can't do marathon work sessions anymore.

For activity, I try to participate in some type of physical activity at least once per day. Whether it's a brisk walk, a bike ride or a gym workout – the goal is to do SOMETHING. I must admit though, while I used to be very regimented about going to the gym, it has lost its charm for me. Instead, I prefer to make activity part of my day, part of my family time and outdoors if possible.

This summer, everyone in the family got a new bike (mine complete with a seat for our toddler) and we actually use our bikes not only for fun rides, but travel in our local area. It's been great for the figure, has saved a bunch of money on gas and hopefully has made our great Earth a little happier.

Mark Mason of MasonWorld.com says:

For guys it's not computer butt. It's computer gut. Before I started working on internet marketing at night, I used to exercise at night. For a long time, I dropped that habit. Over three years, I put on more than 20 pounds.

To combat that, I have added exercise back into my routine during the day, and I try to take runs with my iPod at night when I can muster up the motivation. To feel better about the lost “work time” I load my iPod with internet marketing podcasts, which keeps me current on lots of business issues.

Note from Nicole: If you're looking for good stuff to listen to on walks, Be sure to Click Here to Grab my Podcasts

Kristen Eckstein of the Ultimate Book Coach says:

I used to go to the gym four mornings every week for strength training and pilates – before it closed. Now I have my Google calendar set to give me a break each day – an hour to two hours depending on which day of the week. Instead of “lunch,” I take my break at the time my calendar dings at me to do so.

For at least 30 minutes of the break, I pop in an episode of I Love Lucy, Monk, The Muppet Show, or something else that's sitcom length. Then I break out the hula hoop and hula for the entire duration of the show. (The show preoccupies my mind so I don't get as tired or bored.) Once the show is over, if I have break time left I relax, have a snack (usually popcorn or grapes), and get my butt back into my office chair for more work.

Rumor has it my business is getting me a Wii Fit for Christmas in 2010. That's another way to work the gluteus maximus without realizing you're working it. I think the secret is to make exercise fun, so it doesn't feel like work.

Denise Wakeman of Blog Squad Tips says:

Sadly, I think I'm losing the battle with computer butt!

However, I do actively work to stay fit. On Mondays I do an hour of Pilates. Then, 3-4 times per week I work out at the gym: treadmill, elliptical and weight circuit. I also go for long runs on Sundays, 5-10 miles, with my running buddies.

I also make a point to stand up and walk away from my desk every couple of hours. Unfortunately, I usually end up in the kitchen for a snack, but I'm working on that too and have started actively counting my calories with calorie-count.com which helps me track every food and activity. As long as I burn more than I eat, I should be OK in the long run.

Scott Tousignant of Fat Loss Quickie says:

Simple… I make health and fitness the number one priority by scheduling my workday around my fitness breaks. It’s easy for me to do this because everyday I experience increased focus and productivity immediately after I exercise. Fitness totally improves my business and I’d be crazy to neglect it.

I like to start my day with a brisk walk. I use this time to clear my head and prepare for the day ahead of me. I reflect on the goals that I WILL be achieving throughout the day and I open my mind allowing ideas to flow freely. This is also a great time to become more in-tune with myself and the reasons why I MUST continue to progress with my business, while ensuring that my actions are in-line with my core values.

Often times I will kill two birds with one stone and listen to a coaching call or teleseminar download while I go for a walk. When I do this, the walk is no so much about ‘losing weight’ as it is about educating myself.

Every hour I take a 5 minute ‘health break’ and move my body. I’ll walk around for a minute and then perform a few stretches to loosen myself up and get the blood flowing to my lower limbs. By the way, if you sit at your desk all day, you are restricting blood flow to your lower leg. This often results in knee pain and other health issues.

Four days out of the week around 10 am I hit the gym. I now prefer to get out of the house and change the scenery. My wife and fellow work-at-home mom, Angie, however, still enjoys to do her quickie fitness break at home.

If I feel extra ambitious or need to clear my head around 2 pm I’ll go out on my bike and get the blood flowing to my brain and body. Mind you, this doesn’t happen everyday.

I’m just as busy as everyone else, I just choose to schedule health and fitness as my top priority. As crazy as it sounds, the more active I am, the more I get done in my business and the better I feel about myself and my actions. It’s about balance and that is a major driving force in my life. My daily goal is to experience balance in my life between family, work, and health.

When it comes to nutrition I make healthy foods convenient and unhealthy foods inconvenient. I have a fruit bowl, bottle of water, and a bowl of almonds and walnuts at my desk. There is no junk food in the house… and if there is, Angie has hidden it from me If I want junk food I have to leave the house, which is an inconvenience for me.

Water is a big key to my success. When I am dehydrated I have a difficult time focusing and my mind becomes very inefficient. I have also become aware that when I am dehydrated I tend to rummage through the cupboards looking to eat anything in sight.

Last but not least, I hold myself accountable to being active everyday. I do this in my support community, on my blog, and with accountability partners. I set short and long-term goals and ask my accountability partners to kick my butt if I don’t achieve them.

Nicole Dean of .. here! .. says:

Well, unlike last week where I asked the question because I had the answers, this week I asked because I needed advice. ((Sigh))

First of all, let me give kudos to my buds.

You're all awesome! Whether you realize it or not, you've inspired me.

Let me share a few things that have helped me over the years..

1. My best friend, the timer.

I use a timer for everything in my house. It is my lifesaver. So, for instance, I'll set the timer for 45 minutes of work, then I take 15 minutes to walk around, do laundry, exercise, head outside for a bit, whatever. It doesn't seem like much, but it really works on helping you stay focused — and off Facebook!

When I really need to lose weight fast, I try to break up my day so that I do focused work for 30-50 minutes, then do physical activity (like one of Scott's 10 minute workouts or squats or something) for 10-20 minutes then repeat. If I can do that 4-6 times in my day, that helps to keep my metabolism up all day long.

2. Wearing running shoes.

I find that it's silly, but if I wear my running shoes, I move more during the day than if I'm barefoot. Plus, I can't climb on the couch or in bed for a nap as easily.

3. Don't work weekends.

I try not to work much on the computer (if at all) on the weekends, unless I'm launching a big project (or if something major happened during the week- fun or otherwise).

4. Outsourcing.

I know, it's not directly related to exercise, but it keeps my butt out of the chair, which helps.

5. Freezer Cooking.

Again, I know it's not directly related, but if I have meals in my freezer that are healthy, I'm much much much less likely to order pizza at night or go out to eat.

6. Exercise 7 Days/Week.

I used to plan exercise days and plan my “recovery” days back when I was a gym rat. Now, I aim to work out every day so that when life gets in the way and I miss one, it's  no big deal.

7. Public Accountability.

It helps to have other people pestering me about how I'm doing. Accountability works.

How am I doing with this?

Honestly, I'm not doing so good right now. I've done MUCH better in the past than I am right now.

You are Invited to Get your Sexy Butt Back!

WHICH is why we'll be doing another Computer Butt challenge, hopefully starting next week. Stay tuned. Scott and his wife, Angie, are going to help us to beat computer butt for good!

(No, there will be no butt “before and after” pictures….)

Here's the program I'll be doing – which was designed by Angie Tousignant (Scott's awesome wife) to kick your computer butt in the … well, itself!

It's only $10 so I'm not even using my affiliate link because I think it's so underpriced and I want Scott and Angie to keep the cash.

http://www.fatlossquickie.com/Sizzlin-Circuits.php

Make sure you're on my blog notification list to the right so you don't miss the announcement when we go from Computer Butt to Sexy Butt! I hope you'll join me. (Please don't make me do it alone!!!)

I appreciate my friends who contributed their thoughts above and I appreciate you for sharing my day.

Please share your tips for beating computer butt in the comments below.

Warmly,
Nicole Dean

PS. Our list of Experts is growing. If you think of a successful business owner who is making the web and the world a better place (and making really good money in the process) and you'd love to see them answer these questions, please contact me and let us know.

Or if you're a successful business owner (preferably earning at least six figures) who meets those criteria and you'd like to contribute – tell me a bit about yourself and we'll get you added to the list.

All of us know that Fridays is Squat Day! But, today I'd like to invite ALL of the work at home entrepreneurs to join us in our Friday Squat Challenge.

If you've been lurking and want to try one of Scott's workouts, here you go. You don't need weights if you don't have them. Or you can grab a couple jugs of water or juice or a few books if you'd like.

The trick is to keep up with Scott, bend those knees DEEP, and stick your butt back so far that you can wiggle your toes.

If you've never done squats before, you can set a chair behind you and act like you're about to sit on it, but stop within an inch of the chair before you make contact with it.

Here you go. I challenge you to keep up with Scott in this video and then tell me that 10 minutes — or in this case, SIX minutes isn't an effective workout.

SQUATTY CHALLENGE FOR THIS WEEK:

1. Every Squat = 1 point.
2. Every Squat with Weights = 1.5 points.
3. Every Tweet about this challenge =10 points.
4. A blog post that links to this challenge = 50 points.
5. And, for those who sign up for next month (Here's more info.) = 50 more points!

Prizes for Top Three with Most Points:

Again, you get to choose from these three options.

1. I will donate $50 to the non-profit charity of YOUR choice. (As long as it's nothing immoral or unethical, of course, but I would hope not!)
2. One of my favorite training courses “Free Mind” from my friend, Bob “the Teacher” Jenkins.
3. $15 gift card to Amazon.

And, them's the prizes folks. I hope it makes today Squat Worthy for you!

Plus, you get the bragging rights of beating the pants off everyone else!

FOR THOSE WHO JUST FINISHED THE FIRST MONTH!

Congrats to everyone who is seeing results from the Fat Loss Quickie Program! I'll post in just a minute with a link and some questions (and a bonus) so we can continue on together.

Here's the info to continue becoming a healthier, happier you. (Click here for MORE results!)

If you Haven't Tried Fat Loss Quickie yet, I invite you to check out the Program that Is Changing the Lives of our Computer Butt Challenge Participants.

You'll see several familiar names & faces on the sales page now…

When you're ready to join the Fat Loss Quickie program, click on the graphic below.

It’s only $20 for all of your quickie workout videos, a personal trainer who you can ask questions here, plus my awesome community of kick-butt marketers sweating with you and cheering you on.

((hugs)) to all.
Nicole

PS. If you haven’t listened to my interview with Scott yet, here it is: Interview with Scott Tousignant, The Fat Loss Quickie Guy

Note: You can follow all posts by keeping an eye on the Computer Butt category to the right.

I debated and debated about whether or not to post this because it could easily be taken the wrong way. But, I'm hoping that it will be read in the manner that it is being written. And, it's been a revelation for me, so it may give one of you the “ah-ha” moment that you need.

One thing that a lot of us in our online business do is put off projects that are close to making money in lieu of doing other “more fun” things that grab our attention.

• How many unfinished projects do you have on your hard-drive?
• How many unfinished blog posts?
• How many unfinished ebooks?

One of the things that I've said over and over to my coaching clients is that “UNfinished projects do not make money. You're guaranteed to make nothing until it's out there, live!”

So, one thing that I've done recently, at the inspiration of my friends Scott Tousignant & Bob “the Teacher” Jenkins is to form a small Accountability Group.

I just set it up in my Basecamp account since I'm in there all day anyway.

There are only a handful of us in there, including my mom. Just five of us at the moment. And, we have to post our daily and weekly “Health and Wealth” goals, and we challenge each other to accomplish them.

Well, last week, I posted that I would have a certain project done by 9/22 (Tuesday) and if I didn't, that I'd donate $100 to the charity of their choice. I know, $100 isn't a lot, but I'm new to this accountability thing, so I thought I'd see what happened.

Well, I didn't get it done. And, a few of the ladies were going to let me off the hook, because of … well, I had a headache and things weren't going right, and etc etc. – Yeah, life happened.

So, on Tuesday, when I didn't meet my goal, I was thinking “Well, I almost made it. I'll just be a few days late. That's close enough.” But, that didn't sit well with me, since I SAID that I'd donate the money.

That same day, I interviewed Paul Evans from Nicheology (the interview will be posted in about 10 days) and he was telling me about his organization that helps orphans around the world. And, 100% of each donation goes to the organization. Obviously I found it odd that he spoke to me about this on the same date that I was supposed to donate money to charity. Hmm… a sign perhaps?

As you can guess, I went to the ladies and said “Is this organization ok for me to choose?” They agreed that it was a great mission and that I could, in fact, give my “penalty money” to them.

Before you think that I have to have my arm twisted to give to charities, that's not at all the case. I'm happy to give of myself willingly – my time, my money, my energy, my prayers.

However, I thought it would be kind of pointless to say that if I didn't get the project done that I'd have to shave my head or run naked down the street or eat a bowl of bugs or something. I'd rather give to orphans. (And, not traumatize the neighbors by seeing me streaking down the road!)

However, I did find it motivating to have the goal in front of the ladies and to have to pay up.

So, what are the lessons here?

If you're having trouble getting a project done for your business that'll feed your family – get someone to hold you accountable. It can be a coach or a mastermind group or an accountability group. Heck, just post it on your blog.

If you don't reach your goal, pay up! Otherwise, the next time it'll be totally pointless and you'll let yourself off the hook.

Support is everything in online business. It truly is. Your network is your lifeline.

So, anyway, I just sent the money and wanted to come over here to hear your thoughts. Is there a project that's on your hard-drive that could make you money but you're too chicken (like I was) or distracted (like I was, too) to get it out there? Feel free to publicly post your goal and the penalty for not meeting it by a certain date.

Or recommend a charity for the next goal that one of us doesn't meet.

My goal each year has been to double my income, but I can't do it if I'm playing scared and small. So, this method worked for me. Also, please share some of your ideas for how else my readers (and me) might be able to get over the roadblocks that are keeping them from getting stuff done. I'd love to hear them! I'm always on the look out for better ways to tackle things. Always. I never want to stop learning, and, thankfully we have each other to learn from.

As for the project? You'll be hearing about it next week. And, if you're someone who sells ebooks or has a membership site – you'll definitely want to get on my notification list (to the right) so you don't miss it.

Thank you, again, for putting your trust in me.

Warmly,
Nicole

Recommendations for Finding People to Hold you Accountable:

One of the places that I recommend as far as a great community that will help you to achieve your goals is Lynn Terry's Elite Club.

I also highly recommend going to live events like NAMS where you can meet people in person. In fact, every person but one of the five that are in my accountability group are people that I've met. And, the one that I haven't? I'll be meeting at NAMS in January! Join us there! Come to NAMS 3!

From Mom: Our Remarkable Wrinklie

Today I used my first walk-it time to put away the dishes. I used the second walk-it time to fill the sink to do my dishes afterwards… bad idea. I walked away and forgot. Luckily I remembered just in time to prevent a flood. So, yeah, the walking time is great to get something simple done, but don’t start anything that involves running water or turning on a burner. Yikes!

Tip? If you take your “walk it out” time to do a quick chore – make sure you don't flood the house!

Another one from Mom about productivity.

This one is in reference to yesterday's post. (Day 24: Increase Focus & Productivity):

So, here I was, writing away on an article I have to finish NOW, not taking the 10 minutes I needed to do my workout. Instead, I kept thinking “right after I finish this article I’ll do the workout.”

Now, that wouldn’t be a BIG problem except I couldn’t think! I was writing at about 1/10th the speed and thought process that I normally have! Ah, connect the dots… so, I hopped up and got to work on my weight session for today.

Oh, that felt so good, and I’m thinking again like I need to in order to finish the article. Okay, case closed. This whole Quickie thing works.

As far as setting time limits, that seems very important to me. I, too, work better and more productively when I set a deadline for a project, rather than giving myself all day to do something. Great insight Scott and Nicole… again!

And, from Erica (Lucky Duck!)

Since I got my new weights, I did the whole workout with 20 lb weights and I have found a whole new level of energy.

I think my Marine is starting to get scared. He and a buddy ordered the P90X workout system thing. I mean while I’m perfectly content to sit here and watch 2 Marines see who can do more pull ups….

Woo hoo!

Congrats to everyone who is seeing results from the Fat Loss Quickie Program!

Please share your Home Office Workout Tips below. What are you finding that can help someone in our group?

Ready to Get In Better Shape, and Get More Done During the Day so you Can Make More Money?

When you're ready to join the Fat Loss Quickie program, click on the graphic below.

It’s only $20 for all of your quickie workout videos, a personal trainer who you can ask questions here, plus my awesome community of kick-butt marketers sweating with you and cheering you on.

Please post your updates or I'll track you down on Twitter!

Let’s find 10 minutes every day to get healthier so we can enjoy the LIFESTYLE that we’re working towards.

((hugs)) to all.
Nicole

PS. If you haven’t listened to my interview with Scott yet, here it is: Interview with Scott Tousignant, The Fat Loss Quickie Guy

Note: You can follow all posts by keeping an eye on the Computer Butt category to the right.