Starting a business while still working full time

For many people, quitting a salaried job to start a business is a treat they can’t afford, the pressure of paying bills, mortgages and having to support families means it is a risk that just cannot be taken. A lot of people are forced to continue working their reliable jobs, while working to build their business, this is stressful and tiring.

Working two jobs is not easy but here is some advice on how to do It.:

Create a clear schedule: Make a timeline for your business, a realistic timeframe for starting up your business, breaking down the process into achievable goals, this way you’ll be able to track your progress.

Make the most important tasks and the tasks that will take the longest a priority. For example securing insurance, completing necessary registration and applying for start-up funding. If these important tasks are left to the end, you run the risk of last minute delays.

Use your holidays: If you want to get your business up-and-running quickly, you’ll need to use all the time available – and annual leave is valuable time, and if you are using your holidays for work rather that pleasure you could actually be saving money rather than spending it. Initially your family might not be too keen on you using your holiday for work, but when the business takes off they’ll appreciate it a lot more.

Get into a routine: Structure is crucial to working effectively at home. This is doubly important if you’ve already worked a full day; so you need to plan out a regime for your start-up, identifying the exact time you’ll be starting work each evening, and the time you’ll be logging off for the night. DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT procrastinate because you are your own boss and answer to yourself, you have to be tough on yourself. The more disciplined you are the better.

Choose a good location: When you’re juggling two jobs, every minute counts – you have to make the very best of all the time you have available. So it’s essential that you find a location that works for you, and allows you to achieve maximum productivity without distraction.

Working in the house might be too much of a distraction for you, but a lot of good coffee shops have Wi-Fi, you could consider using your loft or attic as a makeshift office.
Behave with respect: Your current employer could be a potential customer, supplier or even investor one day, so try not to burn your bridges. You might hate your salaried job, but it’s still important to be professional – what goes around comes around, and if you treat your boss badly, they’ll remember it.