Getting your day started

Hey guys. I think this will be the first post I have started. I'm curious as to how those of you that are already self employed are starting off there day. I am now in week three of self employment and have thrown out the alarm clock as Dan suggests in No More Mondays. The result is I am feeling more rested than ever before.

The down side is I feel like I'm not getting as much accomplished. Rather than starting my work day at 8 a.m and waking up at 6 a.m. to read scripture, pray and meditate. I am waking up close to 8 a.m. and often skipping my prayer and mediation time because I feel like I need to get cracking on the work, especially since I'm trying to build up a client base before I get married so I can have some income coming in.

The days I do get my morning reading in I'm not getting started on working until close to 10 a.m. So I'm starting to consider turning on the alarm to start my day. What are your thoughts? How do you start your day? I rarely have time to work in the evenings because that is when I spend time with my fiance. We are also busy with bible studies, marriage counseling and spending time with friends.

I think perhaps I am also expecting things to materialize to fast and get down on myself because I don't have a good source of income yet. This is okay though at the moment as I have savings and my fiance works. I am currently living rent free too. But I really want to have some income flowing in by the time we are married. Even though she is very supportive in my business endeavors her income along will not support us.

I occasionally get fearful and apply for other jobs. But I know self employment is the route I want to head down. I have felt so free since leaving my full time job. I do have a client right now that provides a couple hours of work a week and I am working on getting a business off the ground, but even that is going much slower than expected.

So, please share how you jump start your day and how early you are getting started, etc.

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Permalink Reply by Brad Smith on September 15, 2010 at 3:19pm

Caleb,
I went through the same thing when I quit my job a few months ago to be a full time entrepreneur. I tossed out the alarm clock only to realize that I had spent most of my working life in a sleep deprived state.

I finally decided to just accept it. I went from counting hours (which is something I tried early on) to counting results. I try to set a few key items I want to accomplish for a day (often the night before) and just focus on that. Also I try to start each day with a run or walk, and listen to inspiring podcasts or audio books while I'm doing it - it helps me get motivated for the day.

Whether you will generate income quickly or not depends on your business model. I don't do a lot of consulting anymore because I found it restrictive. I try to focus most of my time around building products that form passive income streams in the long run - like books, videos, software, audio, podcasts, building online businesses, etc. Many of these take months to complete, but can generate an income stream that lasts years. I'll talk a bit about business models in my next OBZ podcast in a few days.

Brad

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Permalink Reply by Sutton Parks on January 5, 2012 at 7:39pm

Brad, I love what you said, "I went from counting hours to counting results". That is just what I needed to hear. Thank you.

Sutton Parks

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Permalink Reply by Justin Lukasavige on September 16, 2010 at 11:45am

I think it's a great idea, Caleb, and definitely something to be tried. My kids are my alarm clock. They're there by 7 every morning. That means I'm at work by 9at the latest and sometimes by 8.

If you're going to be early enough, it's not a problem to get up. I have a friend who goes to sleep around 8 every night. He's up at 3am to read/study without an alarm.

Graphics can be quicker, but you usually can't turn a switch and build up business very quickly. Coaching is very slow and in fact, took me 20 months to bring in a consistent $1,800 / month. I also didn't have a clue back then what I was doing.

Where are you getting hung up in growing your business? What's the weakest link?

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Permalink Reply by Tim West-Go West Coaching on September 17, 2010 at 8:48am

Dude I am in the same boat as you. I started in July and I know exactly how you feel. I would start to kind of panic thinking I need to be somewhere doing something and now. But I am settling in a little. I look at my time like money, I try and budget each hour on what I want to do in my business. Some may think it doesnt make you free to have something to do every hour, but there is freedom in doing what you want to in that hour. Remember your the boss you decide what you will do that hour, hey and sometimes it may not happen just the way you had it budgeted but thats okay look what did happen and learn from it. I have to remind myself I cant do it all today. God is in control, pray like it all depends on Him and work like it all depends on you and enjoy it!

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Permalink Reply by Tim West-Go West Coaching on September 17, 2010 at 8:52am

Justin thanks for sharing about the 1800.00.I'm in coaching and I am trying to get the income up. A big thanks for sharing your knowledge with us new coaches hopefully we will learn what to do an not to do, and can cut the 20 month time frame!

Justin Lukasavige said:

I think it's a great idea, Caleb, and definitely something to be tried. My kids are my alarm clock. They're there by 7 every morning. That means I'm at work by 9at the latest and sometimes by 8.

If you're going to be early enough, it's not a problem to get up. I have a friend who goes to sleep around 8 every night. He's up at 3am to read/study without an alarm.

Graphics can be quicker, but you usually can't turn a switch and build up business very quickly. Coaching is very slow and in fact, took me 20 months to bring in a consistent $1,800 / month. I also didn't have a clue back then what I was doing.

Where are you getting hung up in growing your business? What's the weakest link?

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Permalink Reply by Deacon Bradley on September 17, 2010 at 12:02pm

I'm in the same boat Caleb, thanks for posting this! I quit my job at the end of July and am working on making self-employment work. I wasn't planning on being self-employed this early, but my full-time gig ended so I'm making the most of it. My "worst case" scenario is to build a strong foundation of material and process for three months and if I have to get a job for another year it's no big deal. The hardest part for me has been getting a sales-funnel up and running "on the side."

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Permalink Reply by Caleb Simpson on September 21, 2010 at 8:48am

Thanks for all the replies.

Justin, my weakest link right now is having difficulty gaining clients. I'm working every channel I can think of to get work. I keep having potential clients but my bid comes in to high. And the work I would be doing is most definitely worth what I am biding. I pretty much refuse to drop my price and set a standard this early on.

As for my snack food business I am struggling to find the financial data we need to develop our business plan. Mainly finding somebody to package our product for us, we need these costs. I have a couple leads and just had an email sent out to a bunch of local food companies, some hopefully we get a response from that.

Oh, I'm also busy helping my fiancee with wedding stuff, which is cutting into my time for networking and seeking out work. Plus I feel like getting a later start in the day is taking up valuable time, but on the flip side I feel healthier and more alive.

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Permalink Reply by Justin Lukasavige on September 21, 2010 at 7:25pm

I agree, Caleb. I wouldn't drop your price. Instead, how about adding more value to set you apart? You can usually do that pretty inexpensively. That creates a boutique business instead of a commodity.

Sounds like you have a lot keeping you busy.

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Permalink Reply by Bryan S. on January 5, 2012 at 7:35pm

Hey, Caleb. Not sure if this will help, but it's my experience:

I've been self-employed for over 10 years. In theory, I love it. In practice, it's killing me. I'm in the IT services industry. I wake up to an alarm clock and immediately check my smartphone to see what crises have developed overnight. Usually, there's nothing major, but if there was something major, I need to know, and to respond immediately. I hate this part of my job. I'd love to be able to get up and relax until I decide to start my workday, but my customers (and their computer systems) determine this for me.

Assuming everything is OK, I get some coffee (or make it, if I was too tired to set it up the night before), have some breakfast, take a shower and head out to the office. By the time I get to the office, I'm already behind, since calls and e-mails have already come in. I have no time to sit and think about what I want to accomplish for the day. Even if I did, whatever I want to accomplish is usually superseded by more urgent matters.

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Permalink Reply by Paul Sidwell on January 6, 2012 at 12:40pm

Bryan-

I feel ya- waking up to even just the possibility of an overnight disaster that becomes your responsibility to solve is incredibly stressful. Have you considered hiring a VA just to read your emails once a day (just before you wake up) and contact you with only those that require immediate attention?

Or you could view those overnight challenges as $$$- meaning you look forward to them, because it means you get to bill your clients and make more money. This is assuming, of course, that you're not on a retainer or if you are, that you haven't fulfilled the retainer quite yet.

I'm interested to know how you solve this.

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Permalink Reply by Bryan S. on January 7, 2012 at 2:35pm

I'm interested to know how I solve it too! ;-)

I'm the type of person who loathes the unexpected interruption. I find it very difficult to put any kind of positive spin on this type of thing.

As for the VA thing, I have thought about that. I get a lot of e-mails throughout the day (and night) and it would be nice to have someone who could pre-screen them and alert me when there was something important. It's tough to justify any extra expense right now, though. Maybe I could find a way to incorporate a VA into other aspects of the business though, so the expense wouldn't go just to making me less stressed.