How to Find Time to Build Your Business (While Working a 9-5)

I get it – when you’re working your butt off during the day, and then coming home to family and responsibilities, it can feel IMPOSSIBLE to add anything more to your plate. But that’s exactly WHY the 5 productivity tips I’m about to share with you are so important.?

Because the reality is, you DO have the time, even if it’s extremely limited. Not only did I find the time, but I’ve also since helped thousands of people - including single parents, and people holding jobs while studying for advanced degrees - do it too.?

So the question isn’t IF you can find the time, it’s HOW.?

Starting with...

Tip #1: Delete, Delegate, Do

This is one of my BEST tips for getting more done:

Have a shorter to-do list.?

But I know that’s easier said than done! Which is why I have a simple exercise to help you do this, right now:?

I get it – when you’re working your butt off during the day, and then coming home to family and responsibilities, it can feel IMPOSSIBLE to add anything more to your plate. But that’s exactly WHY the 5 productivity tips I’m about to share with you are so important.?

Because the reality is, you DO have the time, even if it’s extremely limited. Not only did I find the time, but I’ve also since helped thousands of people - including single parents, and people holding jobs while studying for advanced degrees - do it too.?

So the question isn’t IF you can find the time, it’s HOW.?

Starting with Tip #1 - which is one of my BEST tips for getting more done.

Have a shorter to-do list.?

But I know that’s easier said than done!! Which is why I have a simple exercise to help you do this, right now:?

Get out a piece of paper and write a list of ALL the activities you’re spending time on.?

Then evaluate them like this —

If something doesn't have to be done, "delete" it and stop doing it.?

For example, the first time I did this exercise, I realized that I spent a lot of time watching TV. Now - don’t get me wrong. I LOVE my corny TV shows so there was no way I was cutting it out entirely. But I figured I could cut it down. That alone freed up at least five hours each week!

Next, look for anything on your list that needs to be done, but doesn’t need to be done by YOU. For me, this part included setting up my first website. I knew an expert could do it far better - and faster - than me! So I delegated - by paying someone else to do it.

This is one of the unexpected upsides to working a job while building your business on the side: you have a bit more disposable income! Using it strategically can help you grow a lot faster while making the most of YOUR limited time.

Because then, all you're left with are the only tasks that you actually need to do — your "do" list. And I bet you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how small your real to-do list can be!

But you might be thinking, “This is good, but you’re not telling me HOW you actually made 6-figures before quitting your full-time job.”?

And you’re right – this article isn’t about the exact strategy I used to do that. If you want to know those details, I’ll share a free training I have on that later in this article.

However, in my opinion, nailing this piece first – your TIME– is way more important. Because once you use what we’re covering here, you’ll actually have the time and headspace to grow your business! Otherwise, you could have all the strategy in the world, but if you’re not actually doing it… there’s no point!?

In fact, that’s what happened to me early on in my business journey. I was spending a lot of time overthinking and hyping myself up - and then getting completely overwhelmed - instead of actually, ya know, DOING the things. That’s part of the reason I stayed stuck for so long - and I don’t want that to happen to you!

For example, I once spent an hour preparing to record a video that ended up taking only about 10 minutes to actually record! Introvert problems ??

But thankfully, that’s when I discovered...

Tip #2: Leverage "Gap Time"

Learning to use “gap time” to essentially force myself to get stuff done.

Think of your gap time like time you’d normally waste… like your lunch break, your commute, or your wait at the doctor's office.

So I started using my gap time to listen to courses, respond to client emails, follow up with prospective clients, post social media content, and engage with potential clients.

It may not seem like a big deal - and it’s just a few minutes here and there - but over time it adds up! Not only that, but the beauty of this is that BECAUSE you only have a set amount of gap time, you’re actually forced to fit what you need to do in that gap,? and so get what you need to, done.

High five to that! ??

But right about now is also usually the point in a “productivity-based” article where some guru will tell you that you HAVE to wake up early in order to eventually quit your 9-5…

Literally, almost nothing annoys me more ??

I know people say, “if it helps Fortune 500 CEOs get more done, shouldn't it work for you too??”?

And listen – it might. But my beef with this “unwisdom” is that I tried it. It didn’t work for me.?

Because I’m a NATURAL night owl. So I found that the earlier I woke up, the more tired I felt and the less I got done.

That’s why Tip #3 is about YOU, and what works for YOU.

Tip #3: Go With Your Flow

Ask yourself, “What works best for MY workflow?”

Once I started looking at it this way, I stopped trying to change myself and my lifelong habits to fit some idealized calendar. Instead, I figured out how to rearrange my schedule to fit my natural energy flow.?

To give you an idea… on weekends, when my energy was high because I didn't have to go to work, I scheduled my mental heavy lifting. Stuff like coming up with content ideas and writing emails.?

Then, on weekdays after work, when my energy was much lower, I scheduled things that required less mental energy. Like sharing the content I'd created during the weekend!

But I know that this is easier said than done. Because sitting down to work isn’t always as simple as just? “sitting down and doing the work!” Especially when TikTok exists.?

Which is why – for this next tip – we are turning to science to help us get through it:?

You know how after you've been working on something for a while, you get in "the zone"? New research shows us that this is actually a psychological state where your brain has accumulated a sustained buildup of dopamine - which makes you more focused and helps you get things done faster.?

But unfortunately, it takes a while before you can get into the zone! Because it time for that dopamine to build up! So Tip #4 helps you get into your zone faster…

Tip #4:?Chunk Your Time

For example, if you have only 30 minutes a day after work, that's a 30-minute "chunk" where you can plan to be focused on just ONE activity. Because that’s the KEY: Where you’re doing only ONE thing.

Your phone isn’t also playing a podcast and you’re not hopping from one task to the next. Plus, it helps cut through a lot of overwhelm because you’re so focused - like, “I’m going to just create content for the next 30 minutes” - and then you put your head down and get it done! I prefer absolute silence when I’m doing this, but I know some people find it helpful to play some lo-fi study music in the background - which also serves as an additional signal to your brain that this is a special “zone” time!?

And there’s one more really powerful benefit from working this way too – Because you’re just focusing on ONE thing, there’s no oscillating back and forth about what you “should” be working on. So you’re not wasting time being overwhelmed or trying to figure out what TO do.

And bringing all this together is my final tip, which I give the? MOST credit for being able to build my first online business to 6-figures before quitting my job…

Because not only does it save you time, but it also helps you build your business faster! Win-win!?

Tip #5:?Organize your to-do list around your goals

So every month, you choose just one goal in your business - and then, that month, you only do things that move you toward achieving that goal.

For example, let’s say your first month’s goal is to get your first paying client. Each item on your to-do list needs to move you towards that goal - of helping you get your first paying client. If it doesn’t, it can wait until later.

When you stay laser-focused this way, you’d be amazed at how many to-do’s melt away, and how much faster you’re able to make progress. For example, the first time I did this, I realized that I didn’t need to build a fancy email sequence or opt-in to get my first client. So I stopped doing that - which saved me SO many hours, AND helped me get my first client a lot faster too.

This is how you can create a build-up of momentum and growth in your business WHILE also working a demanding job. Plus, you don’t have tons of time or superhuman discipline to do it. Cause let’s be real - who really does?

What I hope you take away from this is that building your dream business is not easy… BUT it’s absolutely possible. And it starts with focusing on quality over quantity.?

Now, if you’d like to know the exact framework I used to build my first online business to 6-figures, before quitting my demanding 9-5 job, I’ve got a great free training for you. In it, you’ll learn how to build your own business and replace your salary BEFORE you turn in your notice. It’ll also teach you how to think about your business and focus on what’s important - so you can get the best results in the relatively fastest time.

You can sign up for that training at luisazhou.com/masterclass.?

Thanks for reading!

I'll see you next week with a new article.

Luisa Zhou