How to Start Your Business and Keep Your Day Job (Without Going Nuts)

Posted on by mihrankalaydjianblog

By Mihran Kalaydjian, CHA

Marketing/Media Writer, Strategist and Consultant

How to Start Your Business and Keep Your Day Job (Without Going Nuts)

 

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Testing out your idea for a new business before you quit your day job is always a wise idea. It gives you a chance to make sure you really enjoy working for yourself and that your business is economically viable, while still allowing you the financial security of a steady paycheck. It can be a great way to “test-drive” your entrepreneurial dreams.

That said, having a side hustle is by no means easy. In fact, one of the things it winds up testing, inadvertently, is whether you’ve got the dedication and motivation it will take to be an entrepreneur. If you can manage the stress of day job/dream job double life, chances are you’ve got what it takes to run your own business.

I side hustled for two and a half years before going off on my own, and I know how challenging it can be. If you’re currently working a side hustle, or are thinking of starting one, here are a few key things to keep in mind to keep your business (and your sanity!) from going under in the process:

Learn to Say “No”

Just as important as your to-do list is your not-to-do list. You only have so many hours in a day, and if you’re running a side gig, chances are you’re already stretching those hours pretty thin. Now is not the time to try to make everyone happy or be everyone’s friend; now is the time to know your limits and take a stand to enforce them.

Practice and become comfortable with phrases like, “I’m sorry, but my plate is full,” and, “I wish I could, but I’m booked up right now.” The key to saying no without sounding like a jerk is to keep it simple (no long, flowing excuses), express your sincere regret, and leave it at that. You have every right to set your own priorities—and if you want your side hustle to ever become a full-time hustle, you’re going to have to.

80/20 Everything

You’ve likely heard of the Pareto Principle: 80 percent of your outcome stems from 20 percent of your efforts. In essence, it argues that it’s smartest to focus your energy on the tasks that give you the highest return on investment. Everything else? You can probably get away with letting it slide.

This is true not only when it comes to your business, but also when it comes to the rest of your life. When you’re holding down two jobs, you can’t beat yourself up too much when certain things in your life fall by the wayside. Rather than trying to do everything, focus on just trying to do the essentials. Your house may be a little messy, but at least you can do enough laundry to keep your family clothed and enough dishes that you have something to eat off of each night. You may not be able to make meals from scratch, but try to get healthier takeout on the nights you’re crunched for time.

Schedule in Some “Me” Time

When you’re in full-on hustler mode, it can feel wasteful and selfish to spend time on anything that isn’t “billable.” (Believe me, I know.) But the harsh truth is that your business won’t last very long if you crash and burn out. If you can’t get yourself to take a break now and then for your sake, get yourself to take one for your business’s sake.

If it helps, schedule in time for yourself on your calendar just like you’d schedule in time for a project. Treat yourself as another client, and adhere to your assigned “me” time with the same discipline you’d adhere to a client deadline.

Trust me. It will be worth it. Hustling is ultimately a long game, and you want to keep yourself in working order.

Are you currently working a side hustle? How do you keep yourself and your business going?

 

 

 

 

3 thoughts on “How to Start Your Business and Keep Your Day Job (Without Going Nuts)”

  1. Pingback: Começar um próprio negócio | Ways to Look at This
  2. Ankur Mithal – Gurgaon, India – I have worked with large Corporations in India (mostly) and abroad (a few years) for almost a quarter of a century. One of my areas of interest is people behaviour in large Corporations. People includes bosses, colleagues and juniors. My observation is that while we are united in our effort to excel and do better than others, we differ in the means we adopt to achieving this. This results in some unique situations where people try to make themselves out to be different from what they are thereby creating situations that are both poignant and funny and, at times, downright disgusting. This is what I have chosen as the topic of my first effort at Blogging. Obviously, I have tried to dramatise situations to drive home the impact. Partly thanks to the feedback received on this Blog, I have managed to publish a book on the same theme. It is called "What happens in office, stays in office". The theme of the Blog has now expanded to cover current events as well. Life seems to continue to provide new stories every day.
    Ankur Mithal says:

    Good advice. What I ought to have done…

    Reply
    1. mihrankalaydjianblog – San Diego, CA – Mihran Kalaydjian On a personal note, I love the outdoors, comedy, bbq, reading and traveling. I worked in the beer industry in college so I love talking about good beer. I used to be a competitive runner so (like all runners) if you make the mistake of asking me, I'll tell you about my entire career and PRs. I also spent my youth working in restaurants, so if you've done the same, we can swap stories. The five items I can't live without: Everything, infinity, wanton boredom, limitless limits, change. Mihran Kalaydjian, A proven ability to articulate a company's brand culture as well as key strategic initiatives and delivery of desired results. Outstanding leadership, communications and project management skills. A committed individual with strong organizational skills that believes leading by example is key to building a strong team to achieve high guest satisfaction results and cost control measures. Mihran Kalaydjian provides visionary leadership and management oversight of the sales, marketing and revenue strategies for Classic Hotels and Resorts. Mihran Kalaydjian suggest: Your energy should be focused on finding a solution, quickly and effectively. I am at my best when I have a tight deadline, but every aspect of the project is planned, organized and working in excellence.
      mihrank says:

      Thank you Very Much! your words of kindness are highly valued!

      Reply

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