Dynadot

information Time For A Break From Domain Names

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In many things in life, taking a break can be healthy, and domain investing is no different. If you are getting frustrated from lack of sales, or losing your passion for domain investing, one option might be to give yourself a break. Even if you don’t briefly take a complete break from domain investing, it may make sense to take a break from one aspect, such as acquisitions.


Taking a Full Break
Let us first look at the idea of a complete break from anything domain related for a few days or a week or two. Before your break starts, make sure your domains are effectively listed on marketplaces and have landers. Also, any domains that are about to expire should be renewed prior to your break, if that is your intention.

Now take your break and forget about domains for a week or two. Don’t research acquisitions, follow domain news, or do anything with your portfolio during your break.

You may well come back to domaining after the short break more creative and energized. Scientific research supports the benefits of taking a break. For example, an article from Psychology Today covers five mental benefits from taking a break. These mental benefits include better focus, sounder decision-making, and enhanced creativity.

The subconscious brain works without you realizing it. You may develop new insights while you thought you were not even thinking about domain names. I have more than once been stumped in an analysis. When I have set it aside for a few days, and then returned, the solution was then obvious.

At least once each year, I head out camping to a region without cell service, and that forces me to take a break from all online activity. A fair number of Canadian survey respondents reported that they too take an online break each year.

One obvious problem with a full break from domain investing is that you may miss sales due to being unresponsive. It is unlikely that, for your highest-value domains, the delay will result in a lost sale. The potential purchaser really wants that particular domain name. For domains with more modest prices, you may want to set fast-transfer or a registrar marketplace immediate-transfer.

Another option would be to assign a trusted associate to monitor your domain investments while you are taking a break. Providing clear written directives, and having someone manage your portfolio for a week, also means that procedures are in place should you have an unexpected future absence due to injury, sickness, or personal emergency.


Taking an Acquisition Break
Perhaps you don’t want to take a complete break from domain activities, but you feel it is time to take a break from acquisitions. In the article Balance Buying and Selling the idea of assigning certain time periods just for selling activities was mentioned.

I recall once reading about a domainer who set a month in which he never bought domains. I think that is a great way to force yourself to take an acquisition break.

In 2018, @DefinitelyDomains started the topic titled, Time for a Break, which ties in nicely with this topic. For example, @NameSplice said:
You can get caught up very easily in the addictiveness of buying domain names.
Being disciplined is a must.


Taking a Social Break
Because domain investing is, so much of the time, a solitary activity, we can all benefit from online communities such as NamePros. We learn new techniques, stay current in domain news, get help and advice, and find encouragement.

There are valuable debates about many topics on NamePros. I think most of us have learned a lot from these. Sometimes, though, debates can get too heated, and a brief break may help you see issues more clearly and to respond more constructively.

I think this argues in favour of taking a break from domain-related social media, at least now and then. You will probably appreciate NamePros, LinkedIn, or Twitter even more after a few days of a social media break.

If that idea seems too extreme, another possibility is to ration the time you spend on social media. For example, each day sign on for no more than 30 minutes. I find that Twitter is more effective if, rather than being on it continuously, I only sign on for a short period a couple of times a day.

I admit, I seldom leave NamePros for very long. However, I do find that when other priorities have required me to be away for a day or two, I come back to NamePros and appreciate it even more. I am more apt to prioritize what it is I want to interact with, rather than trying to follow every thread.


Tips on Effective Breaks
A few years ago, @James Iles wrote an excellent blog post on Should You Take a Break From Domaining? In addition to justifying why someone might take a break, he provides tips such as notifying important contacts in advance and effectively using autoresponders. He also covers topics like setting maximum bids on expiring auctions a few days in advance.

For those who manage websites or write content, he recommends that you schedule content to appear on different days to have a smooth flow of new content.


What Do You Think?
I would love to hear from you on this topic!
  • Do you regularly take a short break from domain activities?
  • Did you find that it improved your productivity after you returned?
  • Do you regularly take breaks from new acquisitions?
  • What tips do you have on not missing sales while you are away?
  • Do you have a trusted associate who can handle your domain activities in your absence?
 
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The views expressed on this page by users and staff are their own, not those of NamePros.
I am personally not taking any acquisition breaks, but for each domain I now purchase I try to get rid of 2 domain names from my porftolio :)

The quality over quantity.

Btw, guys, if you want to help me with this, in my signature is the link to relevant thread - I will even pay money for 2 of you :)
 
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I did this once. Lasted ~1 year. It was great!
Wow a year! That is incredible! (y) And glad that you found it useful, coming back stronger than ever. Thank you for sharing!

I am personally not taking any acquisition breaks, but for each domain I now purchase I try to get rid of 2 domain names from my porftolio :)
That is a good idea that I will keep in mind @Brands.International Thanks.

Too bad about your March Break @HotKey :xf.wink: - maybe this year?

Love to hear other ideas of various types of breaks or other ways to help motivate you to pursue quality over quantity.

Bob
 
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I took a 4 year break from active domaining, I have no regrets for doing so, I missed being active at NamePros of course, but over all, the 4 year break has served me well and was needed at the time.
 
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Too bad about your March Break @HotKey :xf.wink: - maybe this year?
Thanks. Well it's only two names, so hopefully will be able to take back my DNS (domain name sobriety ;)) month when they're sold. Another option would be to consolidate the names to a new expiration date other than March. GoDaddy offers this, actually. Pretty cool renewal option from them.
 
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I have a very different approach.

I don't take breaks, but I minimize the time spent. Using tools for that.

There are days when I spend 30 minutes at most. Other days when I do say 4 hours, but that's when I feel like doing it and enjoying it at max.

Have other business to watch too (but automated as well) and like to live my life. Besides I don't binge buy - I'm tempered, fortunately and I restrain myself every day without much effort. You definitely have to do that.
 
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Thanks, @Bob Hawkes for writing such an excellent article
 
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@Bob Hawkes - I took a break of good 10 years!

Although I have been a member here in NP for a long time, I got interested in Stock Markets and left domaining until this April 2020. I came back to register a domain for a blog to start during this pandemic and ended up in the domaining world again.


I remember those good old days where I flipped .mobi and .cc for short term/small profits. LLLL.com used to be available for handreg for about $10 a piece. Surprisingly what didnt change was that even during those times CVCV and pronounceables in .com were in high demand. LLLL.net demand was about the same that you see today (not much interest). If one had registered low quality LLLL.coms during that time and held till now - there is no profit considering the yearly renewals - assuming now they sell only around $100 a piece.

Domain Parking was a fun.. Even my expired "proxies" related domains earned $xxx monthly on Sedo.

 
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I usually take long breaks. I use this time to focus on product development and put some digital assets in use.
 
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If names stand test of time renew 6 months ahead and you won't feel so over whelmed or take up some brokering if portfolio isn't too out of hand. Just paying ahead might just be the relief you need. Nobody needs a break from Bob.
 
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In the same boat, I have taken a break, and in the meantime I have started investing in crypto, and I have made a lot of money. This is a good year for crypto, no for domaining.
 
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This thread took a long break and now is back :)
 
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This thread took a long break and now is back :)
I perhaps initiated that by tweeting a link to the article along with a message to my followers that I had taken a few days break from everything Internet a bit ago. But I am back now :xf.wink:.

I would not have predicted that this would be one of the more read blog articles I have written so far, But I think the message that it is healthy to periodically take a break of some sort has validity and resonates with many.

I am personally going to try to take short breaks more regularly, maybe one day per week I don't do anything domain related, or something like that. Why don't some others share their plans for breaks from domaining?

Bob
 
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