Where Do You Find Time for a Home Based Business?

by Gobala Krishnan

Published on this site: April 19th, 2005 - See more articles from this month...

I am very often asked this question by affiliates in my home business network, and almost every time it happens, I just shake my head in pity and disbelief. They just don't get it...

Where DO you find the time to run, manage and promote your home based business? I honestly don't know. I know one thing for sure; you can never really "find" time; you must "make time".

Many who are new to the concept of running a home based business suffer what I like to call the "Indecision Syndrome". They have not made up their minds that they WANT or NEED a home based business, and my friend let me tell you, until you have made a decision you will never have time on your side.

You will never be able to devote even 1 hour to building a business for yourself if you don't have the sense of urgency, and if you don't understand what a home based business can do for your life and your family in the long term.

Here's what the people who claim they can't "find" time do; they put the least priority on their business. Everything else in life seems more important to them and they generally place their home based business last in the in the order of daily importance, such as this:

1. Spend 45 minutes in a jam
   
   
2. Go to work and slug for their boss
   
   
3. Hangout with friends a local pub after work
   
   
4. Spend 45 minutes in a jam
   
   
5. Get home and cook dinner
   
   
6. Do all the domestic chores
   
   
7. Watch a few hours of TV
   
   
8. Get ready for the next day of work
   
   
9. Sit on their PC and read sports news
   
   
10. Devote the rest of their time to their home based business

If you’re one of those that feel you have "no time" for your home based business then I challenge you to tell me this is not at least somewhat true. Prove me wrong. Make me eat my words. Chances are you'll find that difficult to do...

Guilty as charged, right… :)

If you prioritize your hours in such a way, how do you even realistically expect to "find time"? How do you realistically expect to "Be your own boss" and have "Financial Freedom"?

The truth is anyone who REALLY wants to build a home based business must make a conscious decision that they are going to do it no matter what it takes. After that life-changing decision is made, there has to be sacrifice...

I can almost hear you say "Huh? Sacrifice? Sacrifice what?"

You have to sacrifice the time you spend doing non-productive and non-income-generating activities everyday, and replace the gained time to do the really important tasks. If you're serious about making time for your business, there is no other way. You'll be amazed at how much you can achieve.

Stuck in a jam?

Here's what I do; I always have some educational or self-motivational cassette or CD in the car. I even have Internet marketing CDs that I listen to day-in and day-out for 90 minutes (actually mine's not that long). That's a whole 90 minutes of learning new things every single day, and improving my interpersonal and technical skills constantly. Don't I like to listen to music while driving? Yes, I do. But the sacrifice has to be there. I now listen to about 15 minutes of music only if I really feel like it.

Chill out with friends?

Here's what I do; I tell them not to bother me during the week because I am busy, but I make it a point to get together at least once a fortnight with some really close associates. Because of my attitude, I get curious enquiries like "What is it that you're so busy with"?

And guess what I tell them? I say "Look John, I have found a way I can be financially free in 2-3 years and I am dedicating my life to it. I know for a fact that I will achieve it, and I'd like to have you as my partner. If you’re interested to find out more, let me know. Otherwise, don't stop my progress".

Excellent prospecting line too, don't you think?

What about all the household chores that you have? Hey, I have them too. But I know that there are better ways to make use of my time, so I "outsource" my laundry, car maintenance and almost everything I can. I know I will probably spend more money than I usually do, but I am intent on "making time" for my home based business.

I stopped watching TV years ago, and even went almost a year without one. However I do go to the cinemas and watch the news, but I just can’t be bothered with watching every season of CSI or the American Idol because I know there are more productive things I can do with my time. Now you may be wondering "That’s radical. Do you mean I have to sacrifice my entertainment when I start my own business?"

No… not really, but you MUST learn to control it. Go to the local bookstore and try getting a book on profiles of really rich and famous people. I guarantee you that you'll find out most of them don't watch much TV either. The theory of Delayed Gratification states that in order to have any amount of success in life, you must learn to postpone your pleasures until you have achieved your goal. Isn't it worth sacrificing your TV time for 2 years, and after that, be able to watch your favorite shows on a 56 inch plasma TV, with all the time in the world?

You tell me...

Don't let the little things rob you of great opportunities. Time is the only common denominator between the rich, the middle-class and the poor. In other words, the only thing the rich and the poor share is that they both have 24 hours a day. It's how we make use of our time that will determine how far we go towards achieving our dreams.

Gobala Krishnan is an author and home based business0 entrepreneur. Get his free ebook called "My Internet Dream" and 10 FREE training lessons on Internet-based network marketing at http://www.MyInternetDream.com today!