5 Ways to Make the Time to Start Your Business

Many aspiring entrepreneurs run into the same problem: time, or a lack of it. Many who want to start their own business already work full-time jobs, care for their families, and try to find some time to themselves in the meantime. How can you find time to start your business? A few time-saving tips, changes to your routine, and organizational hacks can help you make time to start your business.

Ways to Make the Time to Start Your Business

Finding time to do any task can be a problem. With little free time and to-do lists piling up, aspiring entrepreneurs have to set aside time thoughtfully and deliberately to make their business plans a priority. Approaching your business plans and your routines with a planned-out strategy can help. Let’s take a look at a few ways to help you make time to start your business.

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1. Embrace Your Working Style

As you’ve tried to find time to start your business, you may have struggled with time management, focus, or attention. All of our minds are unique, and the routines or organizational strategies that work for one person might not work for you. Instead of forcing yourself to work according to someone else’s working style or schedule, embrace your own. Ask yourself the following questions to determine how you might best make time for your business. Answers to these questions can help you determine the best organizational or time management strategies for you.

• Are you most creative, focused, and productive in the morning or in the evening?
• Would you prefer to block out large chunks of time infrequently, or smaller chunks of time more frequently?
• Do you prefer routines, or do you prefer more flexibility in your schedule?
• Where do you work or think best? In your office? In your parked car? In your living room? Somewhere else?
• Do rewards help motivate you? Do you prefer small pick-me-ups throughout the day or larger, long-term rewards?

Consider the answers to these questions and how you might make small changes to your organizational strategy to incorporate your own working style. We’ll discuss this in more detail later in the post.

2. Find Your Excitement

Forcing yourself to sit down and make a business plan, conduct market analysis, start a website, or take on other challenges is tough if you’re not honed-in on why you want to start a business in the first place. This is especially true if you find yourself forgoing enjoyable or relaxing activities so you can take on business challenges. Intrinsic motivation is powerful, and that’s why it’s important to have reminders about why your business is important to you.

Answering these questions about your business idea can help you stay focused and remember why you’re making time to start your business. It’s helpful to write these answers down, though don’t feel pressure to write a long essay. Instead, make a series of short reminders that you can keep close by.

• Why did you decide to start a business?
• What will it feel like to be your own boss?
• What most excites you about having your own business?
• Are you excited to work with your passion?

3. Make a Plan

Now that you have some considerations about how you work best and what excites you about your business, it’s time to make a plan. A clear list of main tasks will help you then divide these tasks into smaller ones, which will make them easier to tackle alongside a busy lifestyle. These tasks will also make it easier for you to see your progress and enjoy a sense of accomplishment as you move forward.

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The steps you take to start your business will depend on what type of business you want to start, and where you are currently in the process. Here are a few of the tasks you might make in your plan.

• Business concept: If you haven’t yet decided on a business idea, assess your skills, passions, talents, and investment to determine what business is best for you.
• Business plan: This should include several different items, like your business description, mission and goals, organizational structure, and more. This doesn’t have to be perfect at this stage, but it can be a guiding force for the next steps.
• Market analysis: Consider your competitors, target audience, and how you’ll make your business stand out from the crowd.
• Financial plan: What type of funding will you need? Where will you get it? How much? What will you use it for? Your financial plan should address these questions.
• Legal documents: What legal protections does your business need? You may need licenses, a partnership agreement, business insurance, and more.
• Marketing plan: How will you get the word out about your business? How will you resonate with your target market?
• Minimum viable product: What will you need to introduce your product or services to your first customers? Consider your equipment, space, products, staff, and more.

Depending on what type of business you’re working on, you may have additional steps as well. Try to outline the larger tasks you’ll need before you get your business off the ground.

4. Divide Into Small Tasks

Dividing your work into smaller tasks will make it easier to make progress. With your larger plan in place, consider how you might turn these into lists of smaller tasks that you can take on, even if you just have a few minutes.

Once again, depending on your business, goals, and the progress you’ve made so far, your smaller tasks might look different. With each of the larger tasks you’ve made, take a few moments to consider what smaller tasks you’ll need to complete for each one.

For example, for your business plan, you might start with a business description, then move on to your mission and goals, organizational structure, and so on. Cross out each task as you complete it, so you can see the work that you’ve completed.

5. Examine Your Schedule

With your plan in place, it’s time to take a look at your schedule or routine. In a typical week, write down your activities, and how long you spend on each. As you look at your schedule, consider where you could pull out a few extra hours, or even just a few minutes, to work on your business.

There are a few different places in your schedule where you might be able to make time for your business. Of course, there might be other spots not listed, too. As you look for opportunities in your schedule, consider your answers to the first questions about your working style. For example, consider whether you work better in the morning or the evening, or whether you prefer working in larger or shorter chunks.

Here are a few common places you might make some time for your business:

• Early morning: Many entrepreneurs wake up extra early and start on their business while they have their first cup of coffee. This might give you some extra time to focus before your family members wake up, for example.
• Late night: If you work better at night, you might work on your business before you go to bed, but after everyone else has gone to sleep.
• After work: If you’re still focused after work, you might head to a nearby coffee shop to work on your business. This might also help you avoid the most hectic hours of your commute.
• Relaxing: You deserve time to relax. However, if you don’t feel good about the time you spend on social media or watching TV, for example, consider how you might put a portion of this time towards your business plans. Then, you can feel more confident about your business and your free time.
• In-Between: If you work better in smaller chunks of time, consider keeping a notebook close by where you could work while you’re waiting for the dentist or waiting to pick up your kids, for example.

Working with, not against your working style, dividing your tasks up into smaller chunks, and setting aside time that works with your routine can help you start your business. If you’re interested in a low-maintenance business you can manage yourself, learn more about starting a vending business with Ice House America.