February 2017 - Kathleen Deggelman | Network Marketing Leader

We have all been there before. That feeling of guilt when you take a day off or just take some time to disconnect from the world. After our annual convention in Las Vegas last week I was definitely tired! Don’t worry. Most people feel that way when they feel the need to make time for themselves. There’s no need to feel guilty. Guilty is rarely a useful emotion. It’s important to know how to take care of others but just as important for you to take care of yourself. If you don’t hesitate to help friends and family, you shouldn’t feel guilty when it comes to helping yourself. The idea of self-caring can sometimes have a bad stigma attached to it and it shouldn’t. There’s no need to view yourself as weak if you find yourself needing a “mental vacation” or a real vacation. Here are a few items to keep in mind if your stress levels are on the rise.

Learn to recognize the signs of distress in your mood and your behavior: It’s okay to admit that everyone has signs that tell them they’re either close to, or at, their breaking point. It could be fatigue or anxiousness. Maybe your behavior is off and you could be having mood swings or just irritable. If you feel you’re at this point, stop and take some time to regroup and look into what may be causing you to act out of character. Sometimes it is too much work and not enough fun, or a lack of exercise, or not enough sleep or even not enough of healthy food. There is a reason for that new term called “hangry”.

Try to maintain your sense of humor: Humor can often be overlooked to help ease your stress levels. It’s important for our well-being that we laugh and laugh often. I have even set it as a goal for me this year to laugh more, to be silly more. It can also have a way to help put things into perspective. Laughing at your favorite movie or TV show or even personal situations can help improve your mood and release some stress. My Mother has a very funny sense of humor and I am sure that it helped her every day with the raising of 9 children! My Dad always enjoyed my Mom’s sense of humor too. We still do. If you can lighten a mood with a smile, a giggle, a tickle, a silly moment – everyone will be better for it.

Balance your personal needs and work: It won’t do you any good if you recognize your stress but fail to do anything to remedy it. Be sure to limit your work life so it doesn’t take over with your home life. Doing so will allow you to go back to work with a clearer mind and invigorated attitude with just that small extra mental break. The key is to take this time prior to reaching your breaking point, take time to reset yourself by going for a walk or just sitting down and taking a much deserved moment with yourself. We are all addicted to too busy. I know I certainly am!

Find a workplace that encourages self-care: This may not be feasible in all cases but if your workplace environment is causing much of your stress it may be time to find one that won’t. There are some workplaces that encourage stress-free cultures. If you are an employee, try to find a place where they help employees celebrate successes, insist on a work-life balance and provide them with positive feedback. If you are building a home based business full-time, make sure that your office in your home is inviting and easier said than done, set office hours. Treat your home office like you would if you were getting paid by an employer. In our network marketing business, we are both the boss and the employee. When we like our office surroundings, we all work better and more happily!

Spend plenty of time with friends & family: Spending time away from work can be an effective way to help restore you and reestablish a sense of being yourself. Try to surround yourself with people that fill you up, that complement you, that get you and love you and that you can laugh with. The saying we are the sum total of the 5 people we spend all our time with is so true. Think about the 5 people you spend all your time with – is it moving you towards the life you dream about? Do the people you associate with help you meet the needs of others? Just being in the presence of those that you love and admire and that feel the same way about you can help take the stress off as they provide a sense of familiarity which helps most people feel more content in our lives.

Remember if you fail to take care of yourself, this may cause you to make some decisions that could put yourself and others at risk. It could be as small as an email sent to the wrong person or being distracted when your attention was needed or losing some of what makes you vital and healthy. It is actually unselfish to take the time to care for yourself. When we are at our best is when we can give our best to others too. Enjoy your well-being!

P.S. I hope you found my article insightful on Taking Better Care of Yourself. If you liked this blog post, I think you will love my blog post on Managing Overwhelm and Creating Success in your Business.

If you’ve ever considered joining the world of network marketing, ask yourself the question: what has prevented you from doing so? Now might be a great time to make that commitment. Starting your own network marketing business can be one of the BEST uses of your time and money. The most successful members of networking marketing are the ones that know exactly why they’ve joined. Network marketing can have rough patches (like everything else in life!) if you don’t put forth the time and energy required to really build a business. You may be content with where you currently are, so what will your “why” be? Here are 11 reasons why joining a network marketing business can be the best decision you could make. Choose a couple of them to really wonder about and ask yourself the question if I keep doing what I am doing today, how will my life be different in 5 years?

Financial Freedom: A big reason for joining network marketing is the potential for financial freedom for yourself. You have an opportunity to earn money part-time on the side of what you are already doing. And you will get paid wherever you are in the world. Sometimes that will be working your business, sometimes it will be when you are on vacation. In traditional business, once you leave the office, you don’t continue to make money. Network marketing allows you to work anywhere in the world and from home during the time you choose. And network marketing works 27/7 so you can take those vacations and still get paid.

Create Wealth for Yourself: There’s a good chance that where you’re working now, that there is a ceiling on what you can earn. And often it is the big boys making the big money. One of the things I love about network marketing is there is no glass ceiling. There may be a cap on your companies compensation plan but it is usually very, very high. As employees, we are working 40+ hours per week and really we are helping to build up someone else’s wealth. Being a part of network marketing allows you to build, and keep, the wealth for yourself. It is YOUR business.

Increase Your Income Annually: Unless you’re a pro athlete, it can be quite difficult for someone to double their income at their job. In 2016, the average pay raise in the United States was 2.9%. With network marketing, YOU own the business and it can be a lot easier for you to double your customers leading to you doubling your income. Another thing I love about our industry is no two days, weeks or years are the same. It is never boring! And there is always the excitement of who or what is going to happen next. Let’s talk about Job Security: Most people stay at their current jobs for the job security it brings but with more mergers and automations, some jobs are becoming expendable, eliminating the job security many seek. Network marketing can be that extra security you may be looking for.

Capitalize with the Internet: The internet changed the world and continues to change the world. Are you utilizing everything the internet has to offer? The internet has simplified network marketing by connecting you to a truly global audience. It has never been easier to reach so many people and you may regret not taking advantage of it. This is a great way for the “average person” to get to take advantage of what the internet has to offer. It has truly leveled the playing field for what is possible.

Population Increase = Income Increase: The world’s population is growing and it’s growing quite quickly. There are currently 7.4 billion people on the planet with project growth hitting 9.9 billion by 2050. This boom in population will create issues for traditional businesses but it’s a great opportunity for network marketing.

Recognition for Your Efforts: Unfortunately, recognition and appreciation for your efforts may pass you by at your job. Network marketing creates a community full of people that not only want you to succeed, as it benefits them, but they also encourage it. We have great cheerleading skills in this business! You will get and can expect regular appreciation for the effort you put in.

How Long Do You Want to Work?: This may seem like a simple answer. Some people will graduate from university with thousands of dollars of debt and then move towards obtaining employment, earn a living and retire in 35 to 40 years. An alternate route to take is by building your own business through network marketing and giving you the opportunity to retire much sooner. It is possible!

The Company You Keep: Like attracts like and network marketing has the ability to attract the best people they need and as you surround yourself with the best, this new work environment will influence how you operate. People love the community they find with their NM business.

A Rewarding Life: Network marketing provides the opportunity for your own personal development. This actually is the very best part of all of it. You will step into new and bigger shoes as you develop your business. Your business will grow as you do. It is that simple. To be successful, you will need to help those around you and your team be successful. It is a rewarding experience to see other people grow themselves and become better people.

Smaller Job Markets: As technology keeps making things easier for companies to downsize and e-commerce eliminating the need for things that used to be standard (ie. office space), the number of available jobs actually begins to get smaller. And with the population increases mention earlier, it won’t get any easier so why not create your job and no longer be afraid of being downsized? Network marketing makes a great plan B!

The Tax Benefits: If you have a business that you operate from your home, you can be entitled to all sorts of tax deductible expenses. Your office space, car, cell phone, and meals for business are great tax write-offs. As a network marketer, you will be able to utilize some of the same tax breaks that typically the affluent get to enjoy. (Do check with your accountant for what you can deduct and what records you need to keep. You are a business owner now so you have to follow the rules.)

These are just some of the many ways that Network Marketing can be beneficial to your career path. If you were on the fence before, hopefully, this will help you to join the networking marketing business that works for you. Best of luck to you on your new journey!

P.S. I hope you found my article insightful on Why Network Marketing Now? If you liked this blog post, I think you will love my blog post on How To Make Money With Network Marketing Companies.