After the pandemic, not all of us wanted to continue with the same lifestyle. For some, priorities switched.

Building your business while balancing a job is part of everyday life. The COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped the way many women view their careers, priorities, and long-term goals. The pandemic forced a reevaluation of what truly matters —whether it’s more autonomy, personal fulfillment, or the desire to leave an impact. According to a Pew Research study, nearly one-third of adults who left their jobs in 2021 did so to seek better work-life balance and pursuing personal dreams. Even today, according to the 2024 Wells Fargo Impact of Women- Owned Business Report the number of women entrepreneur increase at a double rate than man. In other words, the pandemic switched priorities. However most business are not profitable at the beginning, an owners still need to cover necessary living expenses. Many, will have to work while creating their dream life.

Starting a business while maintaining a full-time job can seem intimidating, but with the right strategies, it’s possible to build something meaningful without sacrificing your well-being and family life. This post will provide practical tips and insights to help women navigate this new chapter of entrepreneurship, all while managing the demands of a full-time role.

1. Embrace Your “Why”

Starting a business while working full-time is tough. Having someone providing for your living expenses while you work on your business is ideal. However, that’s rarely many women reality. Therefore, to be able to stick to it, your motivation needs to be rock-solid. James Clear mentions in Atomic Habits that process is more important than motivation once you have a goal in place. And I do agree with this idea. However, being motivated does help a little. More importantly knowing why you are doing it and “it” being truth to who you are, is even more relevant.

To help in this task, ask yourself these questions:

• Why do you want to start this business?
• How does it align with your values and personal goals?
• What impact do you want to make?

These are the types of questions I would write in my journal, as Jim Rohn mentioned in one of his many speeches, write everything down. And then, go back to it and re-write it again. Since I started this blog, I have answer these questions many times. Some answers have stayed the same, but the more I learned about myself, the more I added to the reasons, and the more it continue to inspire me to move forward.

For many women, the “why” can come from a desire for flexibility, a passion project, or even wanting to build a legacy for their family. This “why” will keep you focused when the going gets tough and it will help you to fight the mental battle of change.

2. Time Management is Your Super Power

For building your business while balancing for a job, time is your most precious asset. Prioritize tasks and make your schedule work for you. Jim Rohn, one of my favorite old time speaker, used to say that you “need to start your day before your day starts”, otherwise the day will eat you. You need to write down your day, and prioritize on what will add value to the days goal. Another key in time management and writing down your day is to be the most specific you can be as possible. In this way you will not get lost in the never-ending loop of things to do.

When managing time management, consider the following:

First. Set boundaries.

You need dedicated time for your side hustle. Joe Sanok the host of the popular The Practice of the Practice podcast, wrote an article in the Harvard Business Review titled “A Guide to Setting Better Boundaries” to help readers to keep a more work-life balance. While, the objective of setting boundaries in this post is a little bit different, the 4 strategies set out in this article can help you create a space to work on your hustle. If you are reading this post, you have already define creating your business as a priority in your personal life. Hence, the time you invest in your business in non- negotiable. If it means early mornings or late nights, put it on your calendar like any other important meeting. Commit to this time, the future you will thank you.

Second: Batch tasks.

Group similar tasks together to optimize your productivity. For example, spend one afternoon creating content for the week, or dedicate specific hours to customer outreach and marketing, or if you are blogging, use a morning to review all you SEO work from your cornerstone posts, and so on. The important part here is for you to define batch tasks, and schedule the time to work on those.

Third: Maximize your downtime.

Use commute time, lunch breaks, or any small windows to work on micro-tasks like replying to emails or brainstorming ideas. An example for me, is that it usually takes me 1 to 2 hours to get to my home if I leave at rush time, because of traffic. But if I wait at least 1 hour, that time can be reduce to half. So I, take that time to work on my soft batch task for my blog, like search for pictures for post that I already have in draft or brainstorm session for the post I need to be writing the following week. When juggling two jobs (the want that pay your bills and your dream), time is of essence, use all of it.

3. Outsourcing and Delegation: Don’t Do It All

Women often fall into the trap of thinking they have to do everything themselves. Don’t hesitate to outsource tasks that take up too much time or if you don’t know how to do it. Ideas to outsource if your budget allows, you can hire freelancers to handle:

• Social media management
• Administrative tasks
• Graphic design or website maintenance

In both your business and personal life, delegation can free you up to focus on the bigger picture and prevent burnout.

4. Build a Support System

You don’t have to do this alone! Building a strong network can help you maintain your energy and focus. Consider:

• Mentors: Seek out women who have successfully built businesses while working. Their advice and insights can help you avoid common pitfalls.
• Join a community: There are many online and local groups where female entrepreneurs connect and share resources. These networks can offer encouragement and accountability.

5. Financial Management and Bootstrapping

When starting a business while working full-time, finances can be a hurdle. Use your job as a financial cushion while growing your venture, but also be smart about where your money goes:

• Start small and reinvest any profits back into the business.
• Look for low-cost marketing strategies, like organic social media growth or collaborations with other businesses.
• Avoid taking on too much debt at the beginning; instead, focus on lean, sustainable growth.

6. Prioritize Self-Care: Burnout is Real

Balancing a job and a side hustle can quickly lead to burnout if self-care is neglected. Make sure to:

• Take mental health breaks and prioritize relaxation.
• Learn to say “no” to things that drain your energy or don’t align with your goals.
• Exercise, meditate, or spend time with loved ones to keep yourself grounded and refreshed.

7. Celebrate the Small Wins

I have mentioned this before, when I talked about 10 steps to Changing a Bad Habit and we learned that small wins are crucial to keep you motivated and in course. The journey of building your business while balancing a job (because all jobs one way or another are demanding) can be long and challenging. It’s important to celebrate milestones, no matter how small. Did you land your first client? or did you finally launch your website? Did you finish a brainstorm session? These moments deserve acknowledgment, and they keep you motivated to continue building.

Takeaway:

Building a business while balancing a full-time job is not for the faint-hearted, but it is absolutely possible with the right mindset and tools. As a woman, your ability to juggle, prioritize, and stay resilient will be your greatest strength. Remember, it’s about progress, not perfection—every small step brings you closer to your dreams. So, take the leap and start building your future today.