How to Make More Time In Your Day As An Online Business Owner

What would you like to have more time for? Hobbies, learning new things, relaxation/self-care, creating new income streams (take my free class where I help you make $1,000+ from home), or simply spending more time with loved ones?

I get it! As I write this article, my goal is to offer some useful insights, give you a fresh perspective, and leave you with some actionable steps you can take starting today.

My favorite tools in my business:

TubeBuddy: YouTube channel management tool for keyword research, video optimization, analytics, and competitor analysis. It helps me save time and grow my audience by optimizing content and gain insights into my channel’s performance.
ThriveCart: This is what I use to host my online courses and membership. One-time fee of roughly $495 for a lifetime license.
Flodesk: My email provider, get 50% off your first year, unlimited email subscribers at no increased price. It comes with email templates, lead, popup, & opt-in forms for collecting email and is very intuitive.
Honeybook: Platform for Virtual Assistants and Freelancing; templates for contracts, create and send invoices, scheduling, automations, and manage your clients all in one place!
Create an LLC for $39: Super easy to use service to create an LLC for your online business, walks you through the whole process, step-by-step.

Do a Time Audit

To maximize your time, begin by doing a time audit. It’s quite simple: keep track of how you spend every minute of your day. This will help you identify ineffective and time-wasting activities. Though it may feel overwhelming at first, the insights you gain from a time audit can be very helpful in optimizing your schedule and reclaiming lost time.

When Peyton was just a couple of months old, I was really struggling with feeling like I had no time to myself during the day. I went from bottle time to nap time, and when she was napping, I was cleaning. Then it was back to bottle time, followed by doing chores, work, and so on. I felt like I had no ✨me time✨ in the day.

I decided to take a piece of paper and write down everything I did from the moment I woke up to the moment I went to sleep, including how long each activity took. I listed my entire day in 15-minute blocks and noted how I spent my time. When I did this, I realized I had small pockets of available time throughout the day, which I could now visually see.

At that time, I chose to take advantage of those small pockets of time and watch a true crime show because it was a way for me to unplug. Now, when I feel overwhelmed and think I have no “me” time or extra time for friends or work in my business, I sit down and do a time audit. This helps me see everything visually, and I can take those pockets of time and do what I want with them.

A great way to start is by keeping a log of your activities for a week.

Write down everything. From work tasks to personal errands to fun activities. Don’t worry, it’s not as overwhelming as it sounds! Just be honest and as detailed as you can, noting how long each activity takes and why you’re doing it.
Review the data. After gathering a complete record of your activities, take some time to review the data and identify any patterns or areas for improvement. Are there any tasks that consistently take longer than expected? Are you spending too much time on low-priority activities? Do you experience any recurring distractions or interruptions that derail your focus?
Use the insights from your time audit to help you decide how to use your time better. You may need to adjust your schedule, cut out time-wasting activities, or try new ways to be more productive. By taking a proactive approach to managing your time, you’ll be able to create more space in your week for the activities that truly matter.

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❌ Don’t get overwhelmed! A time audit isn’t a one-time thing; it’s an ongoing process of looking at yourself and improving. Make it a habit to regularly check and change your schedule based on your changing priorities and goals. As you keep doing this, you’ll get better at using your time well and being more productive.

✅ Brain Dumping: I came across a quote by David Allen that said, “Your mind is for having ideas, not holding them,” and it honestly changed my life.

With my ADHD I’m in a constant state of “don’t forget this, don’t forget that” and I work so hard not to lose the idea; this limits me so much in my creativity because so much of my brain is working on not forgetting.

That’s where brain dumping comes in.

>> Download this Brain Dumping Printable today!

Brain dumping simply means getting all your thoughts, tasks, and ideas out of your head and onto paper or a digital device. When you do this, you clear up mental space and make a clear plan for what to do next.

Imagine your mind like a messy desk piled high with unfinished tasks, looming deadlines, and random thoughts clamoring for attention. Trying to keep track of everything in your head can be overwhelming and exhausting, leading to decreased focus and productivity. Brain dumping allows you to unload this mental burden and organize your thoughts in a systematic manner.

Brain dumping is a powerful tool for time management because it helps you:

Prioritize Tasks: When you write down your thoughts, you can look at each task fairly and decide how important and urgent it is. This helps you prioritize well and use your time and energy on the most important things.
Reduce Mental Load: Constantly juggling multiple thoughts and tasks in your mind consumes valuable cognitive resources and contributes to decision fatigue. Brain dumping helps reduce mental load, freeing up mental capacity for more meaningful activities.
Prevent Information Overload: In our busy world today, we are constantly bombarded with information from all directions. This can lead to feeling overwhelmed and overloaded. Brain dumping is a great way to sort through this information and prevent it from taking over your mind.
Enhance Focus and Clarity: When you have a clear and organized list of tasks and priorities, you can tackle your work with better focus and clarity. This helps you work more efficiently and make progress toward your goals without feeling scattered or overwhelmed.

Here’s how to prepare yourself for a brain dump.

Dedicate a time each day or week to practice this.
Find a quiet and comfortable environment where you can focus without distractions.
Equip yourself with a pen and paper or your preferred note-taking app.
Begin by writing down or reciting everything that comes to mind—tasks, ideas, worries, goals, and anything else competing for your attention.

When you take some time to do this, you’ll probably feel a sense of relief as your mind clears and all the mental clutter fades away. You’ll also gain a better understanding of your priorities and what you need to do next, which will help you approach your tasks with a fresh focus. You’ll find yourself with more time and energy to devote to the things that truly matter.

Harness the Power of Technology

In today’s digital age, we’re lucky to have so many amazing tools and apps that can really help us get things done more efficiently. Whether it’s project management software, communication tools, or automation platforms, using technology can give you back valuable time in your week.

Take some time to check out and use tools that work best for the way you work.

Turn Your Hobbies Into Side Hustles

There are endless possibilities for turning a profit with your passion. However, some interests have more potential than others. Here’s a sampling of the most popular hobbies to hustle on the side, especially online.

Time Blocking

Time blocking is a game-changer! It’s a great way to take control of your time. By scheduling specific blocks of time for different tasks or projects, you can minimize distractions and get more done. It’s all about dedicating uninterrupted time to focus on specific activities, like brainstorming, meetings, or deep work sessions. With time blocking, every minute counts!

Throughout the week, there are small pockets of time that can really add up. One of the most common excuses/pushbacks I hear when people start an online business is that they feel they don’t have enough time. I believe many people think they need 8 hours a day or 25 hours a week to work on their side hustle or business. However, I’ve found that after doing a brain dump of the tasks I need to do, I can estimate how long each task will take and then schedule them into pockets of time on my calendar. Sometimes, a task will only take 10 or 15 minutes to complete.

There have been times in the past when I only had 10 minutes of free time, and I used to spend it watching TikTok. Now, when I have a 10-minute block of time, I use it to write emails, respond to emails, work on printables, or develop digital downloads to sell. I have accomplished so much more in my week by taking advantage of these pockets of time, whether they are big or small.

Create a schedule.

Allocate specific time blocks for your side hustle each day or week.
Treat these time blocks as non-negotiable commitments like you would for your day job. Having dedicated time slots for your side hustle allows you to stay organized and focused.
Consider your energy levels and personal preferences when scheduling these blocks to optimize your productivity.

I hope this article has successfully achieved my goal and that you’ve found a practical step (or two) to begin creating more time for yourself, allowing you to pursue what truly matters to you.

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