Working on a new business venture can be both exciting and overwhelming, especially if you are doing it part-time from home. As an entrepreneur, you often feel the pressure to juggle multiple tasks and make the most of your limited resources in order to grow your business. But how do you do that
So today, I'll look at 12 ways you can use your limited working time to maximum effect. From setting clear goals and automating processes to utilizing focused blocks of time, find out how you can make the most of every second!
#1 Keep Yourself Motivated - You Need It!
"Follow your dreams!" "Never give up, keep going!" You've heard these slogans many times and thought, yeah, I will. It's easy for you to say that though... When you actually work at home on your own, with your cat sleeping on the sofa, there's only you who can motivate and be motivated by yourself, you know.
Whereas at work, motivation factors are everywhere, created by synergy with colleagues, goals set by your bosses, tomorrow's agenda, and your contribution to business plans. It's an employer's responsibility to ensure their employees are reasonably motivated.
Money is one motivating factor. But there's no one else who can give you a kick-ass encouragement, so you do need to set your goals yourself, and don't say "yeah, yeah", actually tell yourself you're following your dreams and you're never giving up. Every successful business owner is doing that!
#2 Setting Goals
So within whatever hours are allocated to your part-time online business or even just a few hours a week of side-hustle, find a quiet time to write down your goals, any obstacles, and why you're doing this. For example;
Goals To Achieve:
- I will write at least three web posts a week.
- By the end of next month, I will master how to use Hootsuite.
- By this Christmas I will earn enough money to buy myself a new *** (iPad, garden furniture, car, etc.)
Obstacles:
- During the 2 weeks vacation with my family this summer, I will not have much time. But I will read and learn about the new niche as much as I can.
Always write your obstacles with possible solutions. A negative statement will only get you in a negative direction, you know that?
Why You Are Doing Your Online Business:
- Because I want to quit my day job, I want to earn passive income and spend more quality time with my family.
- Because I want to pay off my mortgage earlier.
- Because I want to earn and save more money for my retirement.
You can write these down while commuting. More importantly, you should read these back every now and then. Every day if you can, remind yourself you are going to make it.
#3 Set Aside Time for Yourself
This can be difficult to do if you are a single parent, if you have a family or other obligations, but it's important to make time for yourself.
- Try to set regular hours for working. This will help you create a schedule and stick to it.
- Take breaks during the day. Get up and move around, even if it's just for a few minutes. This will help you stay focused and avoid burnout.
- Make sure you have some downtime each day. This can be used for anything from reading or taking a walk to simply relaxing. It's important to have time when you're not working so that you can recharge and come back refreshed.
- Try to get out of the house at least once a day. If possible, take a walk or visit a nearby park. Getting some fresh air can help clear your head and give you energy.
- Don't forget to schedule some fun! Make sure you have time each week to do something that you enjoy. This will help reduce stress and keep you motivated.
#4 Create a Workspace
Creating a workspace - this can be as simple as setting up a small desk and chair in a corner of your living room or taking over an entire spare bedroom.
Having a dedicated workspace will help you stay focused and organized, and it will make it easier to "leave work at work" when you're finished for the day. If possible, try to keep work-related items (like your laptop) out of your main living space, so you can fully relax and enjoy your time off.
#5 Keep a Schedule
When you're at home, it can be tempting to let work slide in favor of other activities. But if you want to be productive, it's important to set aside specific times for work and stick to them.
Think about what time of day you're most productive and try to block out a few hours during that time for work. If possible, avoid working in the evening or late at night when you're more likely to get distracted by family or other obligations.
If you have trouble sticking to a schedule, try setting alarms or using a timer to help keep yourself on track. And don't be afraid to ask for help from your family or roommates if you need it.
Scheduling Your Time
Your priority is to update your website - writing your blog, or create a video blog, creating affiliate links and publishing it.
But (a) you don't have much free time and (b) there are many distracting factors. So it's important to schedule your tasks throughout the day, and you may want to change your routine, too.
For example, when I was working as an accountant, starting an online business was a real struggle. I only had 2 hours maximum of free time a day at home. My partner was watching a TV loud the whole evening - quite rightly. And we had a dog and a cat. There was no way I could concentrate in the evening. I started to go to bed at 7:30 pm, got up at 2:00 - 2:30 am to work online. Still the pets got up early and needed attention, but at least I was able to use the very early hours for my new online business.
I'm a "morning person" therefore it worked for me that way. My mind is clearer in the morning, and I would be less focused in the evening and waste a lot of time writing low-quality content. But if you are a night owl, you may find it the other way around.
Scheduling Your Tasks By Type
There are 4 types of tasks to do, and you can allocate your time to each type according to your daily schedule. The 4 types are;
- Preparation for your post (article, YouTube video)
- Creation (writing the article, creating the video, resizing and pasting images)
- Promotion and social media engagement
- Engagement with others and learning (read useful articles, post comments, learn new techniques)
The actual creation of your work may be the most important element, but without researching the products or niche, obviously you can't write about them. You have to promote your work so that it will reach as many people. And you need to learn new skills to improve the quality of your work.
I'm sure you'll agree that by time-allocating each element throughout the day, you can work through efficiently. What I used to do when I had a full-time job was to;
- Read useful articles and post comments while commuting.
- Social engagement during the lunch break. I would schedule-post using Hootsuite to Twitter.
- Research my niche before dinner.
- Bookmark any useful articles before going to bed (read them the following morning while commuting)
- And start writing my article early in the morning.
#6 Manage Your Time Wisely
Managing your time wisely means creating a schedule and sticking to it as much as possible. Of course, there will be times when things come up and you have to deviate from your schedule, but try to stick to it as much as possible.
Create a daily or weekly To Do list
Write down everything you need to get done in a day or week, and then work on checking items off the list. This will help you stay focused and on track.
Batch similar tasks together
For example, if you need to make some phone calls for work, batch them all together instead of making them throughout the day. This will help you use your time more efficiently.
#7 Avoid Distractors!
Surfing the net, watching trashy TV programs, playing games and chatting on the phone are all distractors. You need as much "work home" time as needed, so stay away from the distractors as much as you can.
Did you use to have to declutter your entire bedroom just before the college exam? (Or was it just me?)
If you are like me, that personality needs to be managed too. I need to submit work to my client by Monday first thing in the morning. And all of a sudden I can't concentrate unless I clear my wardrobe and decide which clothes to donate to a local charity shop.
I decided to schedule the time for decluttering as well (yes, seriously. don't laugh!) I could do these things while watching TV with my partner.
By all means, it's essential to have your work-from-home environment as comfortable as possible so that you can only focus on your job.
#8 Get Dressed for Work
Even for a part-time work, there are still some basic things you should do to get ready. Just because you can work in your PJs doesn’t mean you should! Getting dressed for the day will help you get into the right mindset for work.
Even if you don’t have to leave the house, it’s important to get out of your pyjamas and into something else. Maybe it’s a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt, or maybe it’s a sundress – whatever makes you feel put together. The goal is to avoid working in your pyjamas all day, as this can make it harder to focus on work tasks.
If you have young children at home, getting dressed for the day can also help them understand that it’s time to start working. If they see you sitting at the kitchen table in your pyjamas, they may think it’s time to play instead of time to work. But if they see you getting dressed for the day, they’ll know it’s time for mom or dad to start working.
#9 Keep A Healthy Lifestyle
Get an adequate amount of exercise and eat healthily.
I am a keen runner and vegetarian - that doesn't necessarily I'm healthy. Too much exercise often exhausts me (the good thing about working from home is I can have a nap any time of the day!). I stuff myself with junk food, and that's not good either.
#10 Prioritize Your Tasks
When you work from home, it can be easy to get caught up in household chores or other distractions. To stay on track, it's important to prioritize your tasks and make sure you're spending your time wisely.
Start by making a list of everything you need to do in a day. Then, rank your tasks in order of importance. Make sure to include both work-related and personal items on your list.
Once you have your list, take a look at your daily schedule and see where you can fit in each task. If you have some flexibility, try to group similar tasks together so that you can work on them more efficiently.
And don't forget to leave some time for breaks! Working from home can be isolating, so it's important to take a few minutes here and there to stretch your legs, grab a snack, or just step away from your desk.
#11 Take Breaks
It can be difficult to stay focused when working from home, especially if you are doing it part-time. One way to help manage your time and stay on track is to take breaks. Get up and walk around or go outside for a few minutes to clear your head. Take a break every hour or so to avoid burnout.
In addition to taking physical breaks, you should also take mental breaks. Step away from your work and do something that relaxes you or takes your mind off of things. Read a book, listen to music, or take a nap. Taking breaks will help you stay refreshed and focused so that you can get more done.
#12 Take Action!
Juggling your day job and your part-time work at home can be easier with good motivation and your organising skill. Create a plan now, take action, and be persistent to be a successful internet marketer! Always be positive. If you never give up, something will happen. Remember that!
(Real Time) Affiliate Income Report Last Month
February 2023: $5,760.00
