It can be hard to remain productive and focused when working a side hustle from home. There are household distractions, family obligations, that voice in your head telling you that you should go to the gym and grocery shop, and the people who think that because you work from home you can meet up with them for lunch any day.
Working from home is still work, and even though your schedule may be flexible, it’s still important to practice good time management. Here are 6 ways to optimize your time so you can better manage your side hustle.
1. Organize
You can either spend a half hour at the start of each week getting organized, or spend a half hour every day bouncing between tasks, looking for things you need, and trying to decide what you should do next. Getting and staying organized is the biggest factor for managing time and maximizing productivity.
There isn’t one best way to get organized that works for everyone. Some people like to write lists on paper or in personal bullet journals, while others stay strictly digital with apps and reminders. You may have to try a couple of different methods before you find what works for you, and that’s okay.
What’s common among all successful organization plans is having a dedicated space devoted to work. It could be an entire home office or just a small space; just having physically organized space around you makes it easier to focus than being surrounded by clutter with a lot of distractions within arm’s length.
2. Prioritize
Between all your side hustle work, your family life and perhaps even other work, it may seem like your to-do lists are multiplying and growing every second. Working from home thrives on prioritization, figuring out what needs to be done this day, week, month, etc.
Starting your workday (or night) with a set plan makes the most of your time. You won’t be staring at a screen wondering where to start, or bouncing back and forth between tasks, not really making progress on either. Those little moments you lose here or there add up to hours over the course of the week.
3. Schedule
Use your priorities as the basis for creating a schedule, so you can know what to do, and when to do it. It can be tough to stick to a schedule when you’re working on your own, so make sure to find a reminder system that works for you.
It can also be helpful to theme your days so you always know what you will be doing. For example, Mondays can be for scheduling social media, Tuesdays can be for meetings, Wednesdays can be for drafting marketing materials, and Thursdays can be for reporting.
Don’t forget to schedule your downtime, too! Although that seems counterintuitive to what downtime is, it’s important to make sure you give yourself time to relax. Go ahead, make Fridays for binge-watching your favorite TV shows or catching up with friends!
4. Analyze
Take some time to examine your work on a larger scale. Talk to people who do the same kind of work that you do. Find out what they’ve been able to accomplish and what they plan on accomplishing in the near future.
That way, you can set goals that may push you outside your comfort zone, but aren’t too lofty for your reach. Remember that this is a side hustle; you can’t expect to progress as quickly as a full-time job at first. Once you understand what can be realistically done based on industry standards, your individual ability, and your personal motivations, you can set meaningful goals.
Set long-term goals, broken down into multiple short-term goals. Write them down where you will see them often. Track your progress and work hard for them.
5. Own
Working a side hustle can be a blessing and a curse; you get to set your own schedule and work at your own pace, yet there is nobody to hold you accountable throughout the day.
You can take this role on yourself by learning from your mistakes, adjusting your priorities as they shift, and not letting yourself make excuses for not achieving your goals.
If possible, work for a company that allows you to work independently, but also as a part of a larger community that supports and motivates you. For example, the company Viv lets its Life Consultants work for themselves, but never by themselves. You can be your own boss, but still have the support and accountability factors that you need.
6. Live
Don’t forget to slow down from time to time and appreciate the things that really mean the most to you. A good work-life balance leaves you plenty of time to spend with friends and family, pursue hobbies, and just plain relax.
To maximize time management and productivity, it’s essential that your side hustle provides an exceptional work-life balance; it lets you work when you want to so you can maintain your other responsibilities and desires. For example, as a Viv Life Consultant, you’ll sell useful products and services that better the lives of your friends and family, while doing the things you love.
At the end of the day, you need to ask yourself a simple question: am I living my best life? If you think that you could benefit from doing things a different way, learn more about a side hustle with Viv and take a look at the great Viv reviews from its Life Consultants and customers so far!
