Analysis Paralysis - How Do You Rid This Disease

Guys I'm pretty new to the forum, few weeks since I joined.
But, I'm not new to IM - been in the game for around 5 years.

I have had some small success with affiliate sites(mainly CB) but the big G ALWAYS shoots me down. I know there is other traffic methods but Google & Youtube have been the best for me so far.
My sites always seem to convert pretty well but lately I'm just to scared to put effort into them because I know they wont last long.

I've also picked up some really bad habits lately and that is checking analytics and stats like uncontrollably! 5 to 10 times a day maybe even more!!
I find myself checking cb stats, google analytics, youtube views the lot over and over again. I guess lately because my earnings have dropped to the lowest they have been since I started.

Is anyone else here in the same boat or have you had Analysis Paralysis before but cured yourself??

I really want to be more productive but need a HUGE change or kick in the BUTT to do it.

Get off the computer.

Honestly.

Just focus on a task and accomplish it day by day, the rest of your time should be spent doing other things that make you happy. Give yourself something to look forward too, be busy with things besides IM.

I actually gave this a try a while back, it did kind of work but some how I always end up back where I started
I work 12 hour shifts so really I'm only on the computer for 2 -4 hours a day then prob 12 or more hours on weekends.

Think you're right though about setting out one task and accomplishing it before I move on to another.
Thinking I'm just scared to put in effort because I know what happens when I do, if that makes sense? = My sites cop a penalty or lose ranking..

If you know your sites get penalized due to your effort, you're putting in the wrong effort. And I think you know that. Checking the analytic data becomes wishful thinking and hope instead of an actual A/B test.

It's ok to go slowly. You're rushing yourself too quickly, and I understand how rushing feels like barely keeping up in today's world. Build at your pace.

And when you do work, no distractions. It might feel like you are "bored" or "not getting anywhere" but that's what is known as "work"

I'm doing the same thing...checking stats, earnings...100000 times a day That's a really bad habit. Ofc, because my earnings dropped in the last month...I think after i will manage to get back on feet again, i will get rid of that.

LakeForest said:

If you know your sites get penalized due to your effort, you're putting in the wrong effort. And I think you know that. Checking the analytic data becomes wishful thinking and hope instead of an actual A/B test.

It's ok to go slowly. You're rushing yourself too quickly, and I understand how rushing feels like barely keeping up in today's world. Build at your pace.

And when you do work, no distractions. It might feel like you are "bored" or "not getting anywhere" but that's what is known as "work"

Click to expand...

^ EXACTLY how I feel and what is going on. Definitely spending to much time on the wrong things I think but these days because of all the changes pretty much all big sites(Google, youtube bing ect...) are making I just don't know where to start any more? I honestly feel like I'm back at square one....but paralyzed..

Cheers for the input definitely made me think

Everytime you get the urge to check analytics and stats, DO SOMETHING ELSE more productive.
Limit yourself to checking twice per day at MAX, as soon as you wake and just before going to sleep. (Be careful with this as sometimes it plays on your mind and you won't be able to sleep.)

Experiment with something new.
Learn some new skills that you can use in your IM career, Landing Page Design, Article Writing, Video Production etc.

You have the exact problem my girlfriend has with her fashion blog, but she has ocd and that makes it really worse because she freaks out when her adsense earnings drop and blames it on herself... Her blog was really starting to control her so what really helped her was checking her earnings and making posts only on the weekend and focusing on college for the rest of the week. You already work 12 hour shifts so you shouldn't have this problem, you probably should just update your content regularly and only check for earnings once a month, that might help.

There's nothing wrong with what your doing. Judging from your habits, you might have obsessive compulsive behaviour, which leads you to constantly check and see if everything is going as "expected".

Keep doing what your doing - but make sure to take your efforts in a new, higher direction. This will permit your obsessive checking and analyzing to be useful because there is good reason to do so. I know this feeling very well, as I do the exact same thing.

The key is to compliment it with the right actions and EMBRACE your OCD. Not doing so will just create unnecessary discomfort.

Working out is part of it. Building your internal and/or external bodies builds confidence reflexively. The
result is you become more assertive and less passive aggressive, like most people.

Take small steps by focusing on one part of what you need to do and nothing else for around 80% of the day.

Sometimes it is better to leap before you look. As long as you won't be physically or financially hurt
and you could face life improvements. Leap First & Look Second. Feel the fear and do it anyway. Enjoy the fear. Shame the Devil! irate::saint:
Analyze and refine moderately after you take action.

W130SN said:

Everytime you get the urge to check analytics and stats, DO SOMETHING ELSE more productive.
Limit yourself to checking twice per day at MAX, as soon as you wake and just before going to sleep. (Be careful with this as sometimes it plays on your mind and you won't be able to sleep.)

Experiment with something new.
Learn some new skills that you can use in your IM career, Landing Page Design, Article Writing, Video Production etc.

Click to expand...

I fully agree with this. Having something new to be excited about gets your mind off the "income" mindset and more on "I'm enjoying this" mindset.
Have fun with what you do, because in the start, money will not be coming in often or at all so that's NOT a useful motivator.

What also helps, separate your personal life from work. Some people take their laptop to free wifi cafes to get homemade distractions out of sight.
Something about working in a different setting makes you feel like when you're at home, it's relaxing time.

Check this and get back to work!

I got rid of analytics and don't check stats that much any more. Staring at your stats won't change them, but you can change them by trying different techniques. But there was a period of time that I obsessed too. Don't drive yourself crazy. It's not worth it. Let it go. That is hard for people with Type A personalities like myself, but it can be done.

Wow thanks everyone for all the great tips and comments.
Most my sites get very little to no traffic now because of G smacking em down.

SOO, my thoughts are to set some new goals. Start a new site - no analytics and no monetization. I would try and fix my existing sites but I have no idea how to(one site I disavowed ALL links)
Think I will concentrate more on content and not worry about anything for 3 months?

I don't suggest getting rid of stat counting/rank checking, but rather set your work schedule for the day/week and accomplish it, and check them on a pattern like every 3 days or once a week. Purely my advice of course.
Think of it like this; if you had a regular job, you'd have chores to do and be EXPECTED to finish them before leaving right? Act as if you have a boss who's going to fire you if you goof around and you're set! Within your work timeframe, do work and nothing else. When work is done, enjoy yourself. Checking stats is part of work, but only when it's necessary (on schedule).

If you were on table duty but started washing dishes instead....you'd be canned. Same thing.

funkybunker said:

I don't suggest getting rid of stat counting/rank checking, but rather set your work schedule for the day/week and accomplish it, and check them on a pattern like every 3 days or once a week. Purely my advice of course.
Think of it like this; if you had a regular job, you'd have chores to do and be EXPECTED to finish them before leaving right? Act as if you have a boss who's going to fire you if you goof around and you're set! Within your work timeframe, do work and nothing else. When work is done, enjoy yourself. Checking stats is part of work, but only when it's necessary (on schedule).


If you were on table duty but started washing dishes instead....you'd be canned. Same thing.

Click to expand...

Good point. That's the thing - I need to take this more serious ans start treating it more like a business rather than a hobby. The other thing I am missing is a proper plan. I'm always just going with the flow.
Man, I need to pull my head in!!!!

It sounds to me like you just need something new. Sometimes the well just runs dry, ya know? It might be the end of the road for what you have been doing and you may have gotten out of it all that there was to get.

I remember buying a desk chair from Ikea a long time ago. It was cute, small, compact, and it fit in perfectly with my desk at the time and it was pink! I loved that chair. Well one day it started to hurt my back when I sat in it for long periods of time. Even when I put a pillow on it, my back and butt would still start to hurt. It also began to fall apart in certain areas. I was frustrated with it because it was a favorite chair and it was so cute. One day my cousin was at my house and I was sitting the chair and part of it had come loose. I told my cousin how mad I was at the chair for falling apart and hurting my back. She said, "Well how much did you pay for it?" I said, "$20". She said, "Well you got your money's worth out of it!"

I will never forget those words. It made me realize I was trying to get something out of the chair that it was not made to do and it had reached it's expiration date. I was trying to pull out of it something that it did not contain. Maybe had it of been a better quality chair, like a leather desk chair you find in corporate offices, it would have lasted longer and been more comfortable, but this was a small, little, plastic chair that was really and truly only meant for decoration and for looking cute. It was not really made to last years and years. Especially if you are sitting in it every day like I was.

So the point is, your websites may be the little pink chair that you have already used up and gotten your money's worth, but you are still trying to make it work like how I kept trying to make my chair last. Your business is now causing you pain like the chair was causing me pain in my back. It is time for you to upgrade your business to the next level or get a new business altogether, like I had to get a new chair.

I wound up getting a new chair that was way better than that pink chair. It was padded on the back and on the seat area. It was much easer to glide across the room, it was bigger, and it was just A BETTER CHAIR!

So try upgrading your business the same way I upgraded my chair. I am so happy I did!