I could not ask for a better occupation. Yeah, I deal with tired eyes, mental exhaustion, and achy hands. But the trade-off is worth it. I don’t have to sit in an office day-after-day. I don’t have to deal with a morning commute. And I definitely don’t have to answer to a boss. But at the same time, I do get tired.

It doesn’t really matter if you work for yourself or someone else, everyone deals with periods of burnout. Varying reasons contribute to these periods. Some people have children who keep them busy, family members who demand their time, and health issues that limit their activities. Hence, juggling multiple freelance gigs creates a challenge.

Lately, I’ve been on a crusade to work less, but increase my income. So far, I’m on the right track.

I’ve experimented with affiliate programs. Although I’ve never been too serious about the business, I’ve placed a few ads on personal websites and promoted products via article directories. I haven’t devoted much time to affiliate marketing, but I have generated some income. Not much…but enough to pique my curiosity.

About four months ago I placed a free classified ad. This single ad generated four sales in less than two months. I know this doesn’t seem like much, so why am I excited? But it took less than one minute to write and submit the ad. Imagine what would happen if I devoted one or two hours a day to affiliate programs.

In addition to affiliate programs, I earn a couple hundred dollars each month from content performance bonuses (residual income from previously published content).

I’ve always been a fan of passive income. And I’ve been equally satisfied with the monthly income I earn without lifting a finger. But I think I’m ready to take it a step further and concentrate on projects that’ll hopefully double or triple my residual income, and knock off a few hours from the work week.

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