Being a parent is hard. Working a full-time job is hard. Starting an online business….also hard. Now add all three together……majorly hard!
But…..you can do it!
I want to share my story. A little bit about me: I’m a young momma to three teenagers. I was pregnant with my first son at 17 years old and managed to do what it took to graduate from high school. Life has never been easy. There is always an obstacle to overcome. I’m sure you know what I mean. This is what makes us tough and defines who we are as people. This is how we can juggle everyday stress and still manage to wake up the next day and do it all over again.
If you are anything like me, you want the best for your kids. You want your children to have more than you ever had in your childhood. This is one HUGE reason I decided to start my online business. I am now a blogger and freelance writer. I’m working my butt off so I can quit my full-time job and work tart-time online. I’m going to share with you, how to FIND TIME to start up an online business so that you can QUIT your full-time job (or bring in extra income as a stay-at-home parent)
FIND YOUR REASON
You may be thinking, “why is that important?” Well, you see, finding your reason “why” keeps your focus, motivated, and has a purpose.
These things are so important because when you are missing your “reason why” you are doing all this, outside factors and hard times will come, without a reason the chances of you giving up are very high.
For me, my top reason why is to quit my full-time job and be home when my kids get home from school. It’s also to show my own kids what is possible and that there are other choices besides going to college and working a corporate job if they choose so.
- Freedom
- Make the world a better place
- To travel full-time
- To educate others
- Tell your story
- Be home with your family
- Quit your job
- Make money
- Help others
The list goes on! Everyone is different and your reason why may not even fall under any on these, but you get the point.
First, find your reason so when times get tough, you know why you are doing this and why you must continue and NEVER GIVE UP!
Time Management
Mamma and dadda, this is huge for us!
When the heck do you find time to sit down, write, research and all that other business stuff when you are either stuck at your job, running the kids to football practice and then you have the house to clean, cook dinner then by that time your exhausted and It’s about bedtime.
Yeah, I know how that is. This is where Time Management will need to come into play. The good news is, you can still work a full-time job, juggle a few kiddos, workout, walk the dog, clean your house, cook dinner and still have time for your home business!
I know this because I’m doing it myself!
The key is to manage the time you do have very efficient and prioritize your day’s event. There will be some give and loss so it’s important to remember the reason you are doing this.
Take-a-look at these strategies for managing your time:
#1 Write out your day
Make a list and jot down everything you want to get done. After you have made your list, go through it and organize your list from highest priority to lowest.
Check out these 9 Tips For The Busy Entrepreneur
#2 Set specific goals
Use the SMART goal strategy.
#3 Set time blocks
This is where you will turn off all distractions and work the whole entire time block!
In my blog post, I talk about using CRUSH HOUR. This is where you work for a solid hour without any distractions and utilizing your best time of day to do it. It’s amazing how much work you get done this way!
#4 Use a work-flow calendar
My favorite is Trello! A free workflow calendar where you add drag and drop cards to add lists and categories.
#5 Stop wasting time
Do you find yourself streaming through Facebook, Youtube, etc. Or watching a few too many Netflix shows? Be sure to use your time wisely and not let these things take over.
#6 Learn to say No
You can’t please everyone all the time.
#7 Stop multitasking
Whatever you are doing, pour yourself into it.
I found it very helpful to stick to one main goal at a time.
I was never really big on watching TV or movies, but if I’m just sitting on the couch drinking coffee or just relaxing then I make sure I have my laptop right there.
Blogging is also something I absolutely love doing! So, even tho there is a loss in other things, there’s also a huge gain and I feel so accomplished the way my time is spent.
If I had to choose one thing from the list above, I would defiantly choose to Write Out Your Day, this is basically most of the list combined into one!
By writing out your day, you are eliminating distractions, not multi-tasking, deciding when you will be on social media, watching movies etc…
It’s important to make quality time with your kids and family. With my kids, if the weather is ok’ish, we will go for a hike or even just a walk. I like to schedule a time for us to do board games, my favorite!
I also know when the best time is to stay focused and use the most of it! For me, it’s waking up at 6:30 am starting the coffee and taking the dogs out, then I work on my blog stuff for about an hour before I go to work.
Find what works best for you. Comment on this post what you can do to manage your time wisely.
Getting Organized
One thing you will learn quickly when you have your own business is, you must get organized, and the earlier the better!
It’s amazing how much being organized saves you time.
I started organizing everything in my business early on, and I’m thankful I did because, without organization in your business, you are essentially just wasting time trying to figure out where stuff is located (both on your laptop and papers!)
When you are a mamma and working full-time like myself, you need everything to be as simple and stress-free as possible.
Here are some of my super doper helpful organizing tips!
Straighten up your home office
Do this with files, folders, and labeling everything. I have two big binders that I keep for my small business.
One is for all the notes I take and the other one is personal to my business. I keep all my password hints, emails, affiliates, accounts info all in there. You could also do this in an excel file too.
SELF-DISCIPLINE
Let’s just save the best for last! Self-discipline is a valuable skill we need to practice in order to become consistent and successful.
The secret to self-discipline is mastering your mind. Okay, when you think of self-discipline, professional athletes may come to mind.
Why is self-discipline so important?
- Keeps us motivated
- Clear-headed
- Focused on our objective
Self-discipline is about changing our old habits and creating new habits that will benefit us.
Start with these 6 strategies to help yourself become more self-disciplined.
- List your weaknesses
- Start slow and work up
- Create healthy habits
- Use rewards for small goals
- Check your standards
- Avoid your weaknesses by eliminating the temptation
- Use moderation
Conclusion
I hope this post helped you realize that if you want to change your situation and work from home, you can do it!
Consider applying some of these tips and share with us some tips you find helpful!
