[This post was adapted from an original article published on EzineArticles.com on Redefining Retirement. A lot of readers of varying ages liked this though, so I offer it again here for a wider audience. Enjoy!--Thia]

In traditional jobs–as opposed to those in which we independently make a living online from home–what we do and when we do it is pretty well determined by the demands coming at us–from every direction. Customer needs, deadlines, organizational goals and objectives, project time-lines, current events that effect mission, product distribution, or service delivery…just getting through the bottomless pit of the inbox, the email, the to-do list, and putting out fires. Sound familiar? While all this can be exhausting and a bit much (to put it mildly), the one thing present in this scenario that is missing when you leave the rat race to work online from home, is the structure that comes from others dictating what to do and when to do it.

As an independent business owner–especially in start-up phase–you alone will be responsible for managing your time and productivity. “Ah, Bliss,” you think. Well, yes–after all, that has a lot to do with why you are choosing this path in the first place. But there is a “but” here–a fairly big one.

Friends and colleagues, Gregg Davison and Andrew Cass (who, incidentally, are two of the leading home-based Internet Marketing experts in the world today), are each fond of saying “We can’t manage time; we can, however, manage ourselves IN time.” True, true, true. And that, I believe, is one of the surest keys to success. Smart entrepreneurs will set up their own structures and routines to organize otherwise random workdays and workweeks (as “The Employer”)-and then follow them (as “The Employee”). The difference here is that you–the independent home-business owner–get to call all of these shots!

Here are a few nuggets to get the ball rolling:

1) Go to bed and get up each day at the same time (even though no one is telling you that you need to “or else!”). This is one of the most foundational steps you can take to systematize your new life and ensure that you are taking your new business seriously. You, of course, can decide what those times are. Know yourself: are you naturally a night owl? Up with the roosters? Like a little “siesta” in the afternoon? Here is where you get to decide how to make your new work life fit the lifestyle you want to have as a home business owner. But pick a routine and land on it-at least 5 days/week, if you are going to be doing this full-time. Just evenings or weekends, if that is when you are making a living online. You get to decide!

2) Work in 50-minute increments and then take a 10-minute break. You may be thinking “I can go a LOT longer than that!” I know. So can I. The truth is, our attention starts breaking down after about 50 minutes, whether we realize it or not. One of the biggest challenges about working at home is the constant temptation to give in to distractions. By using an egg-timer and setting it to “50″, every hour, you will find that you can postpone hopping up to straighten the picture on the wall, throw clothes in the washer, or play with the dog, if you know you have a 10-minute break coming up soon. This is amazingly simple, and goes a very long way toward converting your best energy into high productivity. (My timer has another 5 minutes on it right now!)

3) Take control of your diet and exercise. “What does that have to do with organizing my time?” you ask. A lot. It is a fact that the top producers in today’s home-based business sector are all fit and active in their lives-and many are over 60. There are documented connections among body, mind, and spirit. When all three are successfully in balance success will come more readily in all areas of your life. When any two or three are out of balance, then the result will be the same in other areas of your life. So build physical activity, fresh air, and healthy food into your life and routine. If you haven’t been doing that lately, then don’t aim at a 26K marathon as your next goal-be realistic. Simply do one or two things more, less, or differently, than you are currently doing. And stick with those until you experience the difference that they make. That will encourage you to set and achieve yet another goal.

It feels great to take back control of any part of your life; that is far and away the greatest benefit of choosing to work online from home. Building these tips into your routine is pretty quick and easy. Taken seriously–done for even 30 days straight–they can help lead to some of the most satisfying results imaginable.

Brrriiiinnnnnggg! My timer just went off and so I’m outta here! And look–I just finished an article.

Have a great day!

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Thia Hamilton, Ph.D., has created her own successful home based Internet Marketing education and mentoring business after “retiring” from 30 years of leadership and management in the nonprofit sector. In her long and rewarding career, Thia has been mentor, advocate, friend, and career coach to thousands of individuals (mostly women) struggling to overcome huge obstacles in order to live prosperous and empowered lives.

She has carried this new passion to help people succeed into her business and is always interested in meeting others who dare to cut their own paths.

Still scaling the Internet-marketing learning curve, or struggling to get a new online business off the ground? Take Thia’s online Tools For Success survey and qualify for a complimentary 30-minute phone “workout and fitness evaluation” with this Personal Trainer for Internet Marketing Newbies. Learn more about Thia too.