With the stress of the current economy, it’s important to properly deal with your anger. Like perhaps using a machine gun!

Just kidding. Forget copywriting, backlinks, campaigns, design, CSS, XML, RSS and other 3-letter acronyms for the next minutes.

Let’s talk about being human and what it takes to be an affiliate marketer in real life.

I have a short one-week vacation so I’ve put together some tips for the lovely MoreNiche blog.

So here’s what you gotta do to be sure you can enjoy your high affiliate commissions for years and years to come.

• Avoid stress. Mental, physical and emotional. Plan and prepare for your activities in advance. Write stuff down. And I literally mean writing down with pen and paper, it’s easier to carry papers around and stick them on things than txt files.

Text files can easily be deleted and edited. It’s harder to do the same with written notes and that is, mainly, a good thing.

• Backup your virtual assets and practice preventive maintenance on your car and household applicances.

• Simplify and automate. Make your online work and your life easier by turning to automation. Don’t fall in love too much with your first commissions. Affiliate marketing is a longterm investment. And remember, what can’t be automated can be outsourced.

• Take care of your eyes. Follow the 20/20/20 rule. For every 20 minutes you keep your eyes on the computer monitor look 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Keep contrast to medium-low values and set dark/grey backgrounds from your desktop and your windows.

Adjust your monitor in such a way that you will look down on it rather than up. This will prevent neck and upper back pain and will also keep your eyes lubricated because you will blink more.

• Get in shape. Start doing some serious physical exercise (jogging, martial arts or going to the gym). And read my weight loss blog for tips and inspiration. ‘Nuff said.

Make a habit of making simple exercises when your back or wrists get sore. The carpal tunnel a is passageway in the wrist through which nerves of the hands pass. Frequent use of the mouse can cause thickening of the ligaments can cause carpal tunnel syndome which is described by numbness, tingling and pain in the hands and wrists. Massage your hands and wrists from time to time and try some simple exercises.

• Improve your posture by strenghtening your back muscles. Sitting too much in front of the computer usually causes your shoulders to become rounded and fall forward and your upper back protruding. It’s time you become self-aware of your posture. Try doing this right now: keep your back straight, suck your abdominal muscles in and pull your chin towards your chest. Inhale slowly using your belly. See how good that feels?

• Spice up your emotional life. Make love and friends. Take time to play and listen to new music. Strong emotions increases your quality of life.

• Boost your brain power. Scientists have proven that eating the right kind of stuff will increase your brain power, beside making you healthy.

I always munch on chocolate chip cookies while working on my sites. Why? Carbohydrates are pure brain fuel.

Inspiration and work power are not some mystical forces, fellow marketer!

Your left brain hemisphere is responsible for rational thoughts, language, reason etc. It even keeps your right brain hemisphere in check. But if you want to connect two apparently unrelated things you don’t want rational part to limiting your ideas.

• Don’t waste your time with irrelevant articles and sites. Subscribe to 3 extremely awesome blogs and stay active in no more than 2 forums.

When in doubt, don’t forget: few issues remain unsolved after a burger and a beer.

To your success,
Cha.