How to Avoid the Biggest Time Wasters When Growing Your Side Hustle

Time wasters. If you’re a teacher who is trying to build your business on the side, you’re probably familiar with the fact that there are just not enough hours in the day. The last thing you want to do with the time you do have is waste it. Sometimes it’s easy to get sucked in to non-productive activities, or things that draw your attention and your energy away from actually taking action.

It doesn’t mean these things are absolutely bad and you should never do them. Sometimes it is okay to invest your time and energy because sometimes they can bring you great value. However, I am going to help you learn to pause before you jump in. Take some time, think about it, and make an informed decision about whether or not it will serve you in your business right now.

Webinars or Masterclasses

Webinars, masterclasses, free online trainings. Whatever you want to call them,they can be incredibly useful.  However, you have to go in knowing there is going to be a pitch at the end. Typically, they give you the “what to do” and “why to do it,” but not necessarily the “how to do it.” Which makes sense – they are giving you two thirds of the information and then funneling you into their program or course in order to give you the last third.

Webinars do provide value, if it is information that you actually need. Ensure that the information is going to serve you in your business – right now. Not eventually. Not maybe someday. But right now. Otherwise, it may just be a time suck that is keeping you from doing more important things in your business.

So Many Courses

There are about a billion and a half courses out there. You can take a course on pretty much anything you want! Some of them are very tempting. We tell ourselves, “Oh! I would love to learn how to do that.” Then, we sign up for the course, take part of it, and usually leave the rest unfinished. In fact, around 75 percent of courses never get finished.

Not only does that waste time and suck energy, it also wastes your money. Just like webinars, courses can be extremely valuable if it is the right course that you need right now. Make sure that it is an action-oriented course with information and steps that you need right now. When I signed up for Dana Malstaff’s Raising Your Business course, it was a step that I needed to take right then for my business. I was ready for the direction.

Bonus tip: If you are wondering about a course, and you think it may benefit you in your business right now, that is one time I do highly recommend taking a webinar. Sign up for a webinar from the course instructor to get a feel for their personality and teaching style. This way you won’t waste time or money on the course, only to find out you just don’t jive with their style.

Everybody Wants Freebies

“Ooo, it’s free? Yay!” Everybody love getting something for free, right? Here’s the thing: if you are spending all of your time downloading freebies, printing freebies, reading freebies, then what are you not doing? You’re not taking action in your actual business. You may be learning so much, but you’re not actually doing anything for your business.

Freebies are so tempting, but they can be a massive time waster. They can keep you from interacting with people, putting out content, creating your offers, and other revenue-generating activities. Again, if the freebie is coming from a good source, and if it is something you need right now, then go for it. But exercise restraint. There is no need to sign up for something that you don’t need right now, just so that you have them “just in case” you need them later.

Emails, Of Course

The dreaded inbox clog. If you add it all together for the course of our lifetime, we spend probably days clicking delete on emails that we are never going to read. Either that, or they just pile up until our inbox is bursting, causing anxiety and overwhelm.  If you find yourself subscribes to a million lists you’re not really interested in (perhaps because you signed up for too many freebies), take the extra second or 2 to unsubscribe.

Email notifications can also be a huge time waster. When that notification pops up on our phone or computer screen, most of us have to check it out right away. We are too curious about who it is and what it is about. And we may want to avoid the serious, less fun, actual work we are doing. Turn off your phone notifications while you’re working, and turn them off completely on your computer, to get more done.

Take Action to Avoid the Time Wasters

Remember, not all webinars, courses, freebies, or email lists are bad things. Just take a minute to decide if it is going to elevate your business right now, or if it is just going to help you stall on taking action. Action is going to drive your business forward. Do you find any of these four things to be a time waster in your life? I would love to hear from you about it.

Are you ready to start a side hustle of your own, but aren’t sure where to start?  Grab a copy of The Ultimate List of Side Hustles for Teachers and join the private Side Hustle Teachers Facebook group!

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