This post is sponsored by Ingo Money all opinions are my own.
If you’ve been wanting to start a side business but feel like you don’t have enough time, you probably do.
When I first started this blog I was working two jobs, taking care of my girls, and still managed to find enough time to write a couple posts per week and befriend other bloggers. Then, this blog lead me to pursue freelance writing. I did both of these things on the side before quitting my full time job in October of 2013.
Maybe you have no interest in blogging or writing. That’s fine. There are many side businesses that you can start with just one hour of extra time per day.
Find Your Idea
Finding an idea is the hardest part of starting a successful side business. I’ve tried so many things and gotten zero results. And, it took me months of blogging before I made my first dime or received my first writing job.
Think about your hobbies and your skillset. There’s surely something that you do that other people would pay for. It’s also important that you enjoy what you do. There’s no way I would have dedicated so much time to blogging and writing while working a day job had I not enjoyed doing it.
Here are a few ideas:
- Selling items on E-Bay, Craigslist, or Amazon
- Making items to sell on Etsy
- Flipping furniture (making the ugly stuff pretty)
- Freelance Writing
- Tutoring
- Consulting
- Blogging
- Writing an eBook
- Web Design
- Cleaning Houses
- Helping People Organize
There are just so many possibilities. You might have to try out a couple ideas before you figure out what fits the best with your life and personality.
Make Your To-Do List
Now remember, you only have an hour a day. Make that hour count!
Make a list of all the things you need to do to get your side business up and running. You might need to make a website, market your business, spread the word through social media, etc.
List all of the things you need to do from most important to least important.
Focus During Your Hour
Now that your hour to work on your side business has come, make the most of it. Set a timer, start with your most important task, and stay focused until your hour is up.
Keep doing this everyday – always focusing on the one task that will bring you the most results.
Within a month or so you should start to pick up momentum and see results from your efforts.
Be Consistent
While some ideas just flop (trust me) you usually get out what you put in. Just be consistent and use that one hour to your advantage every day.
If you decide that the business idea you picked isn’t going to work that’s fine, too. You need to find a side business that is fun for you – not one that you dread doing. Let failures be used as learning experiences and you’ll have a better shot at making your next idea work for you.
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Disclaimer:I am blogging on behalf of Ingo Money and received compensation for my time from Ingo Money for sharing my views in this post, but the views expressed here are solely mine, not Ingo’s. Learn more about the Ingo Money mobile app at http://www.IngoMoney.com, or connect with the Ingo community at https://www.facebook.com/ingomoney.
This post is awesome – sauce!
I really appreciate the tips from someone with experience, Alexa. I find it very hard after my normal job to motivate, to actually do the things necessary to launch the side business. I am simply procrastinating. Maybe an hour a day is a good start (or just a good ongoing routine).
This is so smart! Just one hour a day can make a difference. I like the idea of refinishing furniture. I see a lot of ideas for that on Pinterest. You can paint furniture, decoupage it, or do a combination of both. It helps a lot if it’s something you enjoy doing. I love looking at etsy also for ideas.
One of my favorite blog posts I’ve written so far is my post about 5 of my small business and website failures. People seemed surprised that I had tried so many things and failed. In reality, side income is a numbers game. Some ideas will fail, others will turn into consistent income. The people who succeed LIKE what they do, as I also would not do something on the side that I dislike, it’s completely unsustainable. As far as Ingo Money, sounds like a great app and I’m always looking for new tools that will make my life easier.
I’m definitely trying this. I need to just do it. I get frazzled sometimes when I’m trying to do this. My site is starting to pick up a bit of momentum, and to keep it going (up, hopefully) I need to focus myself better.
This is an awesome post, Alexa! Personally, I prefer blogging and doing affiliate marketing. It does not takes a lot of your time and little to no capital is needed to start blogging.
I love the idea of just committing to one hour. That takes the “ugh….” factor away. I can withstand anything for an hour….AND make some dough.
This is a great and motivating article to help folks to get started bringing in side income. It was a post very similar to this that pushed me over the edge to get started with my blog.
I really like your post. I also experienced that kind of business where I started as a freelance writer and now I’m owning my own blog site! Thanks for sharing your ideas.
One hour a day is exactly how I got started with my writing – I started on my lunch hour!
Hi Alexa, great post — the one hour a day mark should be within reach so I like framing it like that. To really make the most of your hour is to have a clear map of what you need to accomplish — in GTD terms, the next actionable step. I’ve found myself excited to find a block of free time, only to spend the first 15-20 minutes trying to figure out what I should be working on!
Thanks for all the useful information- personally, I started my blog around 6 weeks ago so it’s a complete baby of a project, but you’re so right- I’m glad I’ve started it!