If you are like me, you aren’t necessarily always using your time in the best way you could. Running an internet business can easily turn into running an internet business while watching movie clips, listening to new music, chatting, etc. The internet truly has become something that has been able to capture the interest of almost anybody who knows how to use a computer. We are constantly bombarded with possible distractions while we “work”, and soon working can turn into “pretending to work”.

A while back when I was considering selling off a majority of my online ventures I decided to have a heart to heart talk with myself. It was time to decide what my job title actually was going to be and how many hours a day I was going to work. If you approach your online business casually, you will have a hobby. If you approach it as a career, you’ll have a paycheck. Here are some things that you may need to consider while you work at your computer.

1. Instant Messaging Programs: I love IM. I use all of the big name programs, i.e. MSN, AIM, Yahoo, Skype, and even Google Talk from time to time. The fact of the matter is that IM programs can easily lead to hours of pointless chatting. If you logged onto IM at work and chatted like you do on your own, would your boss fire you? Think about how often you NEED to be on IM, and compare that with how often you WANT to be on IM. Prioritize your chat time and make sure that you are still able to reach your goals for each day.

2. Entertainment Websites: YouTube, MySpace, Ebaums World, Digg, etc. If you like browsing these sites then I bet you haven’t ever tracked how much time you spend there. Try it sometime. First of all, you probably aren’t working if you are watching Lonely Girl videos on YouTube… unless you have a job I don’t know about. Seriously though, it’s called “entertainment” for a reason. Keep it separate from your work time.

3.  Your own failing websites: Does your website take up all of your time and bring you no money in return? This is called a leech. What good is it going to do you if you are putting money into a hole and never getting anything out of it? Prioritize your budget and prioritize your time. If it’s not working, don’t continue to try to make it work. Move on to something that brings in money.

Hopefully you’ve found this information helpful. Tomorrow I’ll write about some things that you can do to move your business in the right direction. So you want a raise? Check back tomorrow and I’ll have some tips for you. Don’t fire yourself just yet. You might actually be capable of becoming a valuable employee for yourself.