|
By DeAnna Spencer
Almost everyone needs or wants more money coming in, and with
this desire most would like to start some sort of extra income-producing
project. The trouble is, not many of these people seem able to fit "a second
job" into their time schedules.
It's true that most people are busy, but extra time for some sort of
home-based extra income-producing project can almost always be found.
It may mean giving up or changing a few of your favorite pastimes - such
As having a couple of beers with the guys or watching “reality TV” - but
if you score big with your extra income project, you will have all the time
you want for doing whatever you want to do.
The first thing to do is to sit down with pencil and paper and list
your daily schedule. What time do you wake up? Then step-by-step,
list everything you do each day. Most people will find that they have about
three hours each day that can be utilized in a more constructive or
efficient manner.
Efficient time management boils down to planning what you're
going to do, and then doing it. Start by making a list of the things you
want to do tomorrow, each evening before you go to bed. Schedule
your errands to coincide with the other things you have to do and
with your trips to or from work. Take stock of the time you spend
standing around shooting the breeze - especially the time you spend
on the telephone - and eliminate all that isn't necessary.
Whatever chores you have to do at home, set aside a specific time
to do them, and a specific amount of time to devote to them. Don't try to
do a week's work in one big flurry. Whether it's painting your house, fixing
leaky faucets, or mowing your lawn and trimming your shrubs, do a part of it,
or one particular job each day, and you'll be amazed at your progress.
Take care of all your mail the day you receive it. Don't let those bills
and letters pile up on you. If you're unable to pay a bill immediately, file it
in a special place that's visible, and note on the envelope the date you intend
to pay it. Answer your letters the same day you get them.
The important thing is to think of time as your most valuable asset,
because it is. So organize! Decide what you have to do, and what you
want to do. From there, it's just a matter of arranging priorities.
Once you start listing and planning what you want to do, and then
carry out your plans, you'll find plenty of "extra time" for handling
virtually any kind of home-based income-producing project.
You may not like routines or schedules, but without some sort of plan as to
what is supposed to be done, you won’t achieve your goals.
The secret of all financially successful people is simply that they
are organized and do not waste time. Think about it. Review your own
activities, and then see if you can't find a couple of extra hours in each
day for more constructive accomplishments.
When you begin planning, and then when you really become
involved in an extra in come-producing endeavor, you should work it
exactly as you have organized your regular day-to-day activities - on
a time-efficient basis. Do what has to be done immediately. Don't
try to get done in an hour something that's realistically going to take
a week. Plan out on paper what you have to do - what you want to do
- and when you are going to do it. Then get right on each project
without procrastination.
Finally, and above all else, when you're organizing your time
and your business, be sure to set aside some time for relaxation. Be
sure to schedule time when you and your spouse can be together.
Don’t be so wrapped up in your business that your family has
forgotten what you look like.
|
