It seems that pretty much anyone who has something to say on the matter recommends that affiliate marketers work flat out during the seasonal sales lull of July and especially August. The idea, so we’re told, is to work hard and position yourself as positively as you can for the Autumn pickup in sales.

Don’t get me wrong: no affiliate marketer should expect to succeed without some hard work.

But let’s step back for a moment and try to get some perspective on the conventional wisdom that August is a month for work, work, work. Why do so many so-called gurus of affiliate marketing preach the same tired old party line? Is the idea that during the other 11 months of the year, you’re going to rest, rest, rest — so that’s why you ought to work so much in August?

If you’re like most of us, that’s just plain wrong: you’re already working hard for the other 11 months of the year. If you’re like most of us, you’re also attracted to the idea of having some time off when you want it, rather than when some corporate boss allows it; the freedom to come and go as you please may well be one of the main life drivers for getting involved in affiliate marketing in the first place. Yet, all too often, we see both newcomers and old-timers to the field working themselves silly, day in and day out, trying to get ahead. Sometimes these people do really well in affiliate marketing, and they generate large incomes through their hard work — yet in terms of their actual overall quality of life, many of them wind up worse off than their colleagues back in the corporate meat-grinder (while still trying hard to convince themselves that life is better this way, really).

Fortunately, the work-yourself-into-the-ground mentality doesn’t have to lead to quite such a deleterious impact on real life. This August — or, rather, next August, since this one is almost over — I would urge affiliates to reflect on what they really want out of life (not what someone else says you should want out of life), and see whether it might be time for some time off. Take some time off in August, and you may not come back in September with a zillion new web pages, but you just may come back well rested, with the kind of zeal that will help you create some even better work during the other 11 months of the year. You’ll also be able to experience the fun of watching your income stream continue to flow, and your web sites continue to function, even though you may not be lifting a finger to do anything with them!

Here’s a little secret: the quickest way to increase your overall compensation package in life is to take some time to have some fun. How much that is worth to you is a question that only you can answer; it certainly isn’t a question that can be answered by some affiliate marketing guru who thinks they know the best strategy for your life.