A Routine a Day Keeps the Chaos Away

I must confess that I struggle to keep a routine. However, when I do I find that it makes my employee life and my entrepreneurial life more in order. A great routine for a M.E. would definitely be exercise as a way to start the day. This will give you the energy that all M.E.’s need to keep going. Another routine would be to make a list of entrepreneurial to do’s before you leave your job. As soon as you return to your home and start to work on your home business, pull out your list and stay focused on tackling that list.

I made a mistake of going home last night and not having a list of to do’s. I find that when I do that, I tend to get side tracked (because you know a true entrepreneur has a million and one ideas floating in their head!). Well, to say the least, I found myself looking up other things that were big money making ideas that I haven’t started yet, while also venturing back and forth between what needed to get done and what I could have put off for another day.

It’s also a really good idea to stay on your routine at work. Don’t get behind at work. M.E.’s can’t afford to get behind on their 9 to 5 jobs, as that would mean bringing work home or working late to catch up. ALWAYS stay on top of your job at work. It will be easier to go home at night with a clear conscious and not dreading going in the next day because of all the work you have piled up. This way, when you’re all caught up, instead of working through your lunch break, you can work on ideas for your business during your lunch break or go out to your car and make phone calls if need be. It will also keep your boss off of your back. If you are a good employee and you get your work done without missing deadlines and meetings, then you will probably have less stress.

A routine can be something you do daily, weekly, monthly or yearly. Keep notes of what you do versus what you should be doing. See if you are staying on track. Sometimes you may slip now and then, but it is important to get back on track. Otherwise, all the efforts you put into starting your own business can seem wasted as your world becomes so chaotic that you can’t keep up. Chaos can cause you to become depressed, defeated and disgusted with life, your business and your job!

So whether it’s paying your bills, exercising, checking your emails, driving to work, planning meals, calling back clients, checking voicemail, updating your website, writing in your blog, taking care of your family, etc… making routines that you will stick to will help you juggle the many hats you wear in life. It will also keep your life in order and after awhile, your routines will become habits that will lead you to success!

Plan to create routines this New Year and stick to them!

The Need for Speed

Time is very valuable when you are an Employee and an Entrepreneur. Besides work, you need to also make time for family, friends, chores, personal business, etc. You have no time to wait for slow downloading pages or slow sending emails with large files to important clients. A high-speed Internet connection at home is a must for any moonlighting entrepreneur (M.E.).

I also have a wireless router so that I am not chained to my desk with my laptop. Make sure you purchase a laptop that has built in wireless. This way you can work wireless at home through your wireless router and also access the Internet at cafés like Starbucks and Panera Bread. These are perfect “After the 9 to 5” meeting spots to meet clients at or just take a break before heading to your home office.

Another thing that can greatly speed up how fast you work is to make sure your home business computer has enough memory (RAM) and processing speed. Most of the computers now come with 1 gig of RAM and around a 2.0 GHz processor. That should be enough for the basic M.E.

Hello my name is _____and I am a Moonlighter

I must confess that I am a moonlighting entrepreneur. It is somewhat like an addiction. I work a 9 to 5 and after work I work on my entrepreneurial businesses which consist of a community web site and graphic design company. I have learned a lot about what to do and what not to do when it comes to trying to manage both your job and your own business.

Many people have written on how to make the transition from employee to entrepreneur, but my confessions are intended to help those who can't afford to quit their jobs or don't want to quit their jobs. Maybe your side business doesn't make that much, but it is supplying you will a nice extra income. Maybe you love your job and just don't want to quit right now. Whatever the case, my confessions will give you a look into my world and maybe it will offer something you can apply to your own.