How To Stay Focused On Your Day Job, While Growing Your Business On The Side
Happy Week of Thanksgiving! I hope you are all ready to enjoy your family, friends, and that turkey-induced coma this week!
I know what it’s like to have a day job and to be building your business alongside it. For many, this can cause a bit of frustration, because there’s only 24 hours in a day and it takes a lot of work and diligence to start and grow a business. While you may love what you do, as a career, the thought of becoming your own boss and using your body of work and passions, to build a business, is very exciting!
Let me give you 3 tips on how to stay focused on your day job, while growing your business on the side.
1. Set your business hours and schedule.
This is SO IMPORTANT! For many women, who work outside of the home, this means that your business hours are likely going to be later on in the evenings or early in the morning, while your family sleeps. Likely, you can work 2-3 hours in the evening and/or in the mornings. Think of setting up your business hours, just like you would if you had a part-time job.
You would schedule your daily activities around your work schedule.
You would show up to work on time.
You would be prepared for work.
You would work with diligence and focus.
You would honor your boss, coworkers, and job.
Right?
Well, the same principle applies to starting and growing your own business. You have to honor and treat your business, like a business and it will grow and pay you like a profitable business.
Take the time to really layout your weekly schedule and then decide what your business hours will be. Take into consideration what you already have on your plate, your family’s needs, and be honest with yourself about the time you can work starting and growing your business. Have a family chat about what your desire to start and grow your business and what it will take to do that. I bet your husband and family will be excited and on board with you!
Once you set your hours, commit to them. Treat your business, like a business. It will reward you greatly!
2. Honor your current day job.
I know how it feels to think that “If I could just spend the hours I’m working at my day job, on my business, then I could get so much more done and my business will be profitable much faster.”
The truth is, your success in business is directly related to how you honor your current job.
Be faithful there.
Honor your boss and coworkers.
Let God know how thankful you are for your job and express that thanks through faithful work on your job.
Many people begin to grumble and complain about their day job, during this phase of starting and growing a business. (Been there, done that!) Do you know what this leads to? Resentment. Then once resentment sets in, it’s really hard to focus on your tasks at work. It’s hard to enjoy the coworkers you once enjoyed. It’s hard to see your day job as the blessing that it is.
So, guard your heart from grumbling and complaining about your day job. Instead, when you find yourself getting ready to “go there,” choose to praise God and fill your lips with thanksgiving. It’ll truly shift your perspective!
3. Be diligent and focused.
This is HARD!! Especially when you’re just learning the ropes of being a business owner and things may not be turning over successfully and as quickly, as you would like them to. Remain consistent!
You’re likely juggling may different things – your day job, husband and children’s needs, extracurricular activities, homemaking, scheduling, cooking, cleaning, etc. and then on top of that you’re trying to start and grow your business. PHEW!
Be faithful and get focused.
Everyday, you should have a list of the 2-4 tasks you need to get done in your business. Focus on getting those done and do them with excellence. Don’t overwhelm yourself with more tasks than you can possibly handle. That will just frustrate you because it’s hard to see your success this way. Instead, be honest with how much time you have to start and grow your business, then be realistic with how much time you actually have and set the appropriate amount of daily tasks.
Here’s a BIGGIE!!
When you step into your “business office” eliminate all distractions and commit to the tasks, at hand.
Focus. Focus. FOCUS!
No TV.
No Netflix.
No Facebook.
No Twitter.
No Texting.
No checking email.
No nothing.
Here’s what I do…
Set a timer for one hour. Head down. Stay focused and work! I get as many things done in that one hour, as I can.
Take a break for 10-15 minutes. Then go again!
You’ll be surprised how much work you get done in this time. Then you’ll look up and you’ve grown your business WILDLY, by leaps and bounds!
I pray these tips for how to stay focused on your day job, while growing your business, on the side were helpful to you!
Please share with me any tips you’re currently using, as you work your day job and grow your business, on the side. I’m excited to hear back from you!
Thank you, Angelica! This is great advice! Especially the part about the no-no’s! I get sucked into Facebook way too often!