Real Happy Mom

Practical tips and encouragement for moms

Tips for Working Your Side Hustle Alongside Your 9 to 5

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You have thought about starting a side hustle. But you wrestle with if you have time for it or not.

Sometimes you feel like you aren’t ready and would fail if you started now.

But the truth is, you can do it.

Do you have a dream of starting a business, but you feel stuck with your 9-5?

Check out these tips to get your side hustle started and profitable alongside having a 9-5.

How can you find time to start your business?

As moms, we are juggling a lot.

We have to keep up with the house, work, the kids, and our partner.

Many times you feel like no time to get your to-do list done, much less get your business start.

But there are ways to find pockets of time so that you can finally get your side hustle up and running.

Make your side hustle a priority

Charlotte shares that it first starts with making your business a priority. Once you build your business a priority, identify your nonnegotiables.

Of course, you have your duty as a wife and a mother that you are not going to give up.

But what about volunteering at your child’s school?

Or helping with the children’s program at church?

You don’t necessarily have to give up volunteering or participating in activities, but maybe you can press pause for a while so that you have the time that you need to get your business going.

Pockets of time

Also, utilize small pockets of time like the 15 minutes that you have before your child wakes up from a nap.

Or the 20 minutes you spend in line waiting to pick up your child from school.

Another significant pocket of time that is underutilized is the lunch hour, instead of working through lunch or eating lunch at your desk, get away from your workspace.

Take your lunch hour and work on your business.

Utilizing these small pockets of time have combined effects and can move your business.

Have boundaries

Also, set up boundaries with yourself and your family.

It’s so easy to say yes to everything, and then you are left with no time to get the things done for your business.

Charlotte suggests explaining to your kids what you are doing if they are old enough to understand what you are doing.

Let them know why you are starting this business if it’s to make extra money so that you can go on vacation.

Or so that you can buy a new car.

Also, set up boundaries by having working hours. Just like you go to work and have set hours that you work each day, do the same thing with your business.

Those around you will treat your business the way that you present it. If you take your business seriously, your family will begin to take it seriously too.

Charlotte’s method of 1 hour a day to make an extra $1k

Even with a small amount of time, you can make your side hustle one that makes you an additional income.

Start by focusing on the income-generating task.

Yes, it’s nice to have a pretty website and beautiful pictures for your Instagram feed. But those things aren’t generating income.

Instead, focus on connecting with brands or finding new customers or clients.

Once you start to generate income, you can outsource the task to a virtual assistant to help leverage your time even more.

Automate

Find ways to automate as much as you can in your business so that you can free up more time.

If you can’t automate a system, make sure to streamline the process so that it doesn’t take up chunks of valuable time.

Evergreen content

If you are building an online business, prioritize things that will grow your business online.

This includes content that’s evergreen.

Meaning content that is relevant at any time of the year and not subject to holidays or seasons.

Make connections

Also, spend some time making new connections.

Connect with others so that you can find ways to tap into new networks or audiences.

Or see was to collaborate with others. Make sure that you are intentional with your connection.

Charlotte suggests starting a connection as a giver.

Going in giving or sharing something with the person you are connecting with no expectations of receiving anything in return.

Another way that you can start a connection is by being a connector.

Let’s say someone in a Facebook group you are in is looking for an accountant.

Your best friend is an accountant but is not in the Facebook group.

You reach out to the other person and share that you know someone that is an accountant and would like to help make an introduction.

By being a giver or a connector, you are at the forefront of the person’s mind.

It’s more likely that the person you connected with will come back and find ways to support you in your business.

Organization tips to help you with starting your business alongside your 9-5

The way that you are going to get the most done with little time is by being organized.

Charlotte has a few tools that are essential for keeping you held so that you can get the most done.

But before we jump into the tools and tips, start by looking at your daily or weekly routines and how you integrate these tools and tips.

Google calendar

First, you have to have a Google calendar (or calendar app) on your phone.

More than likely, you are either reading this on your phone, or your phone is close by.

You always have your phone. So keep your calendar up to date with your activities and appointments on your phone.

Also, schedule time to work on your business on Google calendar.

Schedule everything from your development time, income-producing time, and your power hour.

And make sure to add reminders.

As moms, we have lots of things on our minds. And you can’t rely on memory to remember everything.

Office space

Have a decided space conduct business.

You don’t have to have an entire room to call an office in your house.

But at least have an area that you dedicate specifically for working on your business.

Even if it’s a desk in your room. You can create an environment so that you start to take your business seriously.

Trello

Trello is a free business and home organization tool that you can use to visually see everything that needs to get done in your business.

Charlotte uses Trello for her home and business.

And also uses Trello to communicate with her business partner.

Try Trello and see if it can work for you.

Create a routine

Develop a routine where you plan your week.

Whether you do it on Sunday like I do or on another day of the week, expect your task for the week.

You don’t want to rely on your memory when it comes to what tasks need to get done each day.

Charlotte’s encouragement for starting your business now

Take action on the reason being that you can only get better when you’ve taken action.

Even if you don’t have a website, take action.

You don’t have resources that you think you need to get started, take action.

Especially if you have been sitting on your dream for a while, take action.

Sometimes we overthink, and we get stuck in her head, and then that’s when procrastination happens. So you must take action.

Remember, there’s no such thing as a perfect mom or perfect businesswoman.

Once you let good of the idea that you have to be complete or you are not good enough, you will be able to take action without overthinking things.

In addition to taking action, prepare, and have accountability.

About Charlotte

Charlotte is a wife and mother to two girls and lives in London.

Charlotte is a business strategist, start strategist and digital marketer.

Charlotte co-founded Business Growth Agency with her partner and best friend.

To learn more about Charlotte or to connect with her, check her out on Instagram and Facebook.

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