If you’re assuming, use "commit to 30 days".

=> Three: Commit To 30 Days: form new habits

Follow your strategy for one month. Don't think, just do it. For example, if you're marketing your business, work your plan for at least a month, before you change plan.

If you're a writer, and are sending out article proposals, send out at least five proposals a week (more is better) for a month *before* you assume it's not working and stop doing it.

It takes 21 days to change a habit. In 30 days, you've got time to develop a whole new habit. Therefore, when you've created a plan, stick to it for 30 days. After 30 days, your new productivity will be a habit. And you will have results and feedback, which will help you to get over your assumptions.

You will be challenged. If you commit to contacting ten companies a day to offer your copywriting services, I guarantee you that you'll get a cold, your computer will die, or something else will happen to interrupt course that you've set for yourself.

Deal with interruption, and then start your 30 days again, from beginning. Remember, don’t assume, just commit to plan, and keep going.

=> Four: Make It Fun

Are you passionate about what you do? Focus on fun aspects of what you're doing. If you're doing something which has no fun in it at all, like sending out invoices or writing direct mail letters, then give yourself a treat when you complete chore.

=> Five: Schedule Time Off

When you're running your own home business, work will take over your life if you let it. Keep regular office hours.

If you're moonlighting in your own business until you can go full-time, then take weekend off. If you work all time, quality of your output will degrade sooner or later.

You must have downtime, so schedule it into your plan.

Start today, and try above productivity strategies for a month. You WILL become more productive.

***Resource box: if using, please include***

Digital-e: For writers and creatives. Ebooks, free ezines, Creatives Club. Love to write? Turn your talent into a business! http://www.digital-e.biz/

Declutter your space. Cleaning your space clears your mind. It also sends a message to Universe that you are open for more, that you are capable of taking care of what you have and you’re ready for greater abundance.

Journal - get your feelings out. Just write down whatever is on your mind. If you want your journaling to be really effective, continue with next idea…

Be grateful. This should probably be at top of list. Being grateful for something, ANYTHING, in your life has power to magically lift you out of your funk. Make a list of just 3 things you are grateful for. See what happens.

Read - pick up something that you’ve been meaning to read for awhile. Take a look at your community newspaper, connect with your world. Learn something new.

Pick up a hobby - do something that you completely lose yourself in. For me it’s sewing and other needlecrafts.

Cleanse yourself. Physically - take a bath, shower, wash your face. Cleanse yourself any other way you feel fits. Light some incense with intention of cleansing your space, your spirit.

Go see a movie. You get to sit in dark and think of nothing but what’s on screen in front of you.

Forgive. Yourself and anyone you are holding anything against. Just let it go.

Create a positive vision for your life. Imagine, dream. And dream big. Record your vision in a journal, on an index card and keep it handy. Then revisit it when you need a reminder or boost. Your vision should be positive and worded positively. More importantly, it should make you feel very, very good.

Any and all of these can get you out of a funk. The common denominator in all of these is action. Taking action to move you away from your funky feeling is what will move things along. If you choose to stay in your funk, recognize it as your choice, and take full responsibility for it. Don’t make mistake of victimizing yourself. Nobody else is responsible for how you feel. We create our own thoughts and choose how we want to feel about external events. So, if you really want to feel down and stay down, okay, your choice. But know there are alternatives. We just need to reprogram ourselves to think of them instead of wallowing in our funk.