Moonlighting for Success

Starting your own small to mid-size business is a lot of work. Especially when you’re attempting to do so in your spare time, at night, after working at your existing job. So, what can you do to make the path to achieving your dreams of entrepreneurship a little smoother? Today, we offer some helpful “moonlighting” tips for those of you burning the midnight oil to get your business up and running:

1. Don’t Neglect Your Day Job

More likely than not, the idea of making more money is one of the reasons you’re moonlighting as an entrepreneur. On the flip side, losing your day job would result in you making far less money—money you need to get your small business up and running. So make sure your performance at your day job doesn’t suffer just because you were up late working your second job.

2. Learn to Compartmentalize

You may have two jobs now, but you can only focus on one at a time. Whatever you’re working on at the moment, make sure all of your energy is going towards that and only that.

3. Time Management

This is a big one. You’re already stretching yourself thin by taking on a second job. So, you’ll want to be doubly sure you’re using the time you do have effectively. Plotting out blocks of time for specific tasks will help ensure that you aren’t neglecting anything you have in front of you while also helping to preserve at least a little work-life balance.

4. Take Time for Yourself and Your Loved Ones

Speaking of work-life balance, no matter how busy you are, it is imperative that you still find a way to carve out some quality time with your loved ones and downtime for yourself to recharge your batteries. Remember, exhaustion never helped anybody get anything accomplished.

5. Set Goals

Getting a small to mid-size business up and running requires a lot of attention to detail. That said, it’s important that you not get bogged down by minute details and thus lose sight of the big picture. That’s why it’s important to set goals. Doing so will help you keep your eye on the prize when things get a little hairy and provide you with the motivation you’ll need to keep moving forward.

6. Prioritize

You can’t do it all. No one can. Prioritize the most important tasks in front of you and knock those out first. Once you do, progress will be easier to gauge.

7. Keep Stress In Check

Find ways to alleviate stress levels at your day job. Focus on the positive, like remembering that it’s the income from that job that is allowing you to pursue your dreams of entrepreneurship in the first place. Plus, if all goes well, you won’t be working there in the future anyway.

8. Never Stop Networking

At times, the life of a moonlighting entrepreneur can be lonely. However, many others are embarking on the same journey you are. Make an effort to seek those people out. You’ll find each other to be an invaluable resource for sharing ideas that can take your small business where you want it to go.

9. Never Give Up

Remember that perseverance is one of the keys to entrepreneurial success. If you believe in the business you’re starting, stick with it. It won’t be easy, but in the end, when you get where you’re headed, all those late nights will have been worth it.