Managing Work & Your Small Business

When it comes to managing your 5 to 9, (the hours you work on your #smallbiz AFTER you clock out from work) it is no easy task! Want to make launching even harder? Get up, shower, and head to your 9-5 day job! When 40 hours of your time is already taken each week, it can pose unique challenges to maintaining your startup life. We know it’s scary, risky, and sometimes not feasible to quit your full-time job and dive headfirst into entrepreneurship. Try out these small tips below to help you weather the storm when you're maintaining your day job:

Take Advantage of the Courses

Most jobs have continuing professional education courses set aside for you. This can be transferred into your business. Take advantage of these learning opportunities and build up your customer service and computer skills so you can add them to your entrepreneurial resume.

Schedule Time to Work on Your Business

For most of us, the first thing we want to do after a long day at the office is plop down in front of the TV and browse on Instagram – and turning around and putting in more hours on a side business is probably the last thing you want to do. If you’re launching a business, you should be passionate about it. But after 8 hours in the office and another commuting home? No one can blame you for being a little burnt out. Note to self? Schedule at least 30 minutes everyday during that 5-day workweek, to handle some small steps and organizational items.

Have a Plan for Leaving Your Day Job

The rule of thumb is to stay encouraged. It's likely going to take 6 to 12 months of working on your new business before you'll see any real results. Meaning, it's time for you to start setting aside money for the long run NOW, for emergency expenses, and to help cover you when you're no longer working a full-time job.

Make Self-Care a Priority

We have this idea of the die-hard entrepreneur – toiling away at all hours of the morning and night, investing every ounce of blood, sweat, and tears into their passion project.....

The reality is, you can only give to your business as much as you have, and burnout isn’t as sexy as it seems. That means it’s vital to prioritize self-care on a weekly basis. Make a point to replenish your spirit and your sleep tank, take a spa day, go have a picnic in the park, go ice skating, or go on a weekend getaway...anything so you can refresh your spirit and keep giving your all to your business with a full tank of gas.