Working on Your Side Hustle/Business
Finding time to move your business forward
When was the last time you did something for your own business? When was the last time you either a) actively moved the needle forward for your own business, b) devoted your time to chasing new business ideas, or c) used your talents on yourself?
No, really! Do you need a second to think about it?
If you’re an entrepreneur, especially if you’re a service provider, chances are you are constantly working to help other business owners grow. In the process, it’s way too easy to let your own business fall to the wayside!
We tend to say to ourselves, “I’ll work on my business after I finish up with this client”, or “Maybe when I’m done with this project, I’ll do something like this for myself!”
And then the next thing comes up!
Here are some of my best tips and tricks for finding the time and following through on your business goals:
1. First things first, block the time!
If you’re anything like me, your calendar is your North Star. Even if it’s just one hour on Fridays, setting aside that time and marking it as something fun like “CEO Hour” is going to help you get in the zone. Don’t double-book that time, and treat it like an appointment (because it is one)!
2. Play pretend.
Hear me out on this— this option takes a mindset shift. A lot of times, we struggle to work on our own businesses because they feel very synonymous with ourselves. We think “it’s functioning fine, I don’t need to improve anything right now”, and brush it off the same way we may brush off self care! Positioning your business as one of your clients in your mind may help you work on it more easily and more clearly.
So let that appointment that you scheduled feel like it’s for a client. You can even get on an empty Zoom call with yourself if you need to! (Who’s gonna see?)
3. Find an accountability buddy.
Whether this is a fellow entrepreneur friend or a business coach, get an accountability buddy! Include them in your CEO Time.
This is similar to the reason therapy sessions work— when we have that consistent, devoted time to work through something with someone else, we’re more likely to show up!
