Working on Your Startup While Having a 9to5

The startup scene is often romanticized as an all-or-nothing endeavor, where you either go all-in and burn the midnight oil or you don’t make it at all. Well, I think that’s bullshit. It’s important to remember that there’s no wrong way to go about it. Sure, going full-on indie and quitting your day job can be a great way to get things started — but it’s not the only way, and it’s not always the best option for everyone. There’s nothing wrong with taking things slow, and working on your business on the side while you keep your day job. Of course, working on your startup while keeping your full-time job is not without its challenges. I know from personal experience! For many years now, I’ve been working on https://www.resumemaker.online/ while holding down a full-time job. It hasn’t been easy, but it’s doable. I’ve been able to do this because I work from home and don’t have a commute. This saves me around 10 hours a week. But even with a remote job, the most obvious challenge is being disciplined with your time. I wanted to take a moment to reflect on all that I’ve learned during this time. I recently posted a list of quick tips that resonated with people, and I decided to expand on it to make it more comprehensible. So, if you’re struggling to balance a 9to5 and a personal project, here are a few tips that might help you: 1. Block out time You need to have a healthy balance of work, leisure, and taking care of your health. If you’re constantly working, you’re going to burn out. When you’re working on your own startup, there are no set hours. You can work whenever you want, which can lead to working way too much. And if you’re not taking care of your health, you’re not going to be able to work at your best. One of the best ways to be productive is to block out time for each activity. Assign time for your full time-job, your startup, leisure, taking care of your health, and even for doing nothing! The best ideas come to me when I’m bored. I wake up at 6 AM every day and start working using the Pomodoro technique. I take a break for lunch at 2 PM and then go to the gym. This helps me to separate my regular work life from my startup and personal life. Then I focus on my side business for 2–3 hours every day and then I make a rule to stop working at 6 PM. This schedule gives me time to enjoy my some of my hobbies and just relax with my GF after a long day. I have found that I am more productive and creative when I structure my time this way. So, set a calendar and notifications. No more all-nighters or skipping gym. Remember, you can’t recover sleep, but that neat new feature your are working on can wait a day longer. Blocking out time is actually one of the best ways to maximize your productivity. And when you have dedicated time for leisure and taking care of your health, you’re less likely to feel guilty about taking a break. 2. Make sacrifices If you feel like you don’t have enough time, it’s probably because you’re not focusing on the right things. The first step is to make sure you are clear on your priorities. What is the most important thing you need to be working on right now? What can wait? What activities or hobbies should you put aside? There will always be more things to do than you have time for. You won’t be able to do everything. You’ll have to pick and choose what’s most important. Of course, it’s a balance, you don’t want to sacrifice too much. I’ve made some sacrifices in order to focus on my work and not harm my relationships. For instance, I don’t do as many fun things during the week as I would like to, such as playing guitar, reading books or watching movies. I’ll admit that it also helps that I’m an introvert and don’t mind missing some social events, but it’s all about finding a balance that works for you. And sometimes, making sacrifices is necessary in order to achieve your goals. 3. Plan ahead on Sundays When you’re working on your full time job, you’re in a certain mindset and you’re focused on certain tasks. But when you switch to working on your startup, you have to shift gears and change your focus. This can be difficult and it can take some time to get into the groove. If you don’t plan ahead, you’ll likely find yourself wasting time during the week trying to figure out what you should be doing. However, if you take the time to plan ahead on Sundays, you can set yourself up for a more productive week. Sit down and think about what you want to accomplish during the week. When you have a plan, you can execute without getting stuck trying to decide what to do next, which can be taxing on your brain. Of course, there will be times when things come up that are not part of your plan. But if you have a plan to fall back on, you’ll be able to handle those curveballs more easily and get back on track quickly. 4. Stick to your framework I know from personal experience that it isn’t easy to find a system that works well, especially when it comes to productivity. Everyone’s productivity needs are different, so what works for one person might not work for another. The most important thing is to find a system that works for you and then stick with it. 5. Take breaks But if you feel like you’re starting to burn out, take it easy and unplug for a little while. Sometimes, the most productive thing you can do is to take a break. It may seem counterintuitive, but if you feel like you’re starting to burn out, taking a break can really help you recharge and come back even more focused and productive. 6. Be part of a community The journey of starting up your own business whilst managing a full-time job can be daunting and lonely. You often have to sacrifice part of your social life in order to dedicate time to your startup. Belonging to an active community of like-minded individuals, such as IndieWorldWide, can be immensely helpful. You can connect with people who are going through the same challenges and it can be motivating to see the success stories of others who have overcome these obstacles. You are not alone in this journey. I hope this has been helpful in convincing you that starting a startup doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing proposition. Be strategic, take your time, and enjoy the ride! ... Do you agree? Do you have any other tips that you can share? I would love to continue this conversation. You can also follow my #buildinpublic journey at https://twitter.com/Fer_MOMENTO