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How do you make/find time to spend the time you want to in order to help with the family, run your part-time (or full-time) business into the evening (etc.), and still be able to have some downtime each day? How do you get focused?
In the evening, wind down the day, have a beer and plan out how you're going to use two hours in the morning tomorrow most effectively. Set one clear goal. Then...
1) Go to sleep
2) Wake up early (I recommend 6am)
3) Do the work you thought up last night
I find myself remarkably productive in this cycle. If you've planned well, you'll whiz through the tasks. Focus on "doing one thing" each day and you'll be racing through iteration cycles. I find that I'm usually so productive like this that I can comfortably keep the weekend purely for recreation guilt-free, rather than continuing to iterate on my down time and burning out.
This is how I built http://goodgecko.com
It's taken about 3 months* of doing exactly the above, now has paying customers and is an extremely satisfying "side project"!
UPDATE:
*I should elaborate - 3 months since the very barebones MVP. The MVP took about 2 months and featured basic surveys and a one-page sales site. The current product features web, mobile, popup and kiosk surveys and has a fully-realized sales site. The sales site itself took about a month to make...
Then: 1) I never sacrifice dinner with my family and I try to "be home" from 5-9. Not just physically, but mentally and emotionally.
2) Always prioritize your most difficult work first. If you start with "check HackerNews", time will disappear. Finish a use case first then reward yourself. Pick a new feature to ship each night and the progress will fuel you.
3) I've never liked working super early in the morning, so I take quick power naps in the evening (30min to 1hr.) to refresh and work from 10-1. Solid, uninterrupted 3 hrs.
4) Passive work (like catching up on HN, other sites) can be done with MacBook in lap on the couch if you want to unwind with some Tivo.
5) Don't be afraid to invest appropriately. I'm actually taking vacation next week to complete my punch list: finish coding, meet with an advisor, attend a trade show and prepare product for beta.
Don't build in the evening. In the evening, wind down the day, have a beer and plan out how you're going to use two hours in the morning tomorrow most effectively. Set one clear goal. Then... 1) Go to sleep 2) Wake up early (I recommend 6am) 3) Do the work you thought up last night I find myself remarkably productive in this cycle. If you've planned well, you'll whiz through the tasks. Focus on "doing one thing" each…
Don't build in the evening. In the evening, wind down the day, have a beer and plan out how you're going to use two hours in the morning tomorrow most effectively. Set one clear goal. Then... 1) Go to sleep 2) Wake up early (I recommend 6am) 3) Do the work you thought up last night I find myself remarkably productive in this cycle. If you've planned well, you'll whiz through the tasks. Focus on "doing one thing" each…
Don't build in the evening. In the evening, wind down the day, have a beer and plan out how you're going to use two hours in the morning tomorrow most effectively. Set one clear goal. Then... 1) Go to sleep 2) Wake up early (I recommend 6am) 3) Do the work you thought up last night I find myself remarkably productive in this cycle. If you've planned well, you'll whiz through the tasks. Focus on "doing one thing" each…
I do like, and have done, the idea. But don't you find yourself dragging in the mid-to-late afternoon at your daytime job?
Don't build in the evening. In the evening, wind down the day, have a beer and plan out how you're going to use two hours in the morning tomorrow most effectively. Set one clear goal. Then... 1) Go to sleep 2) Wake up early (I recommend 6am) 3) Do the work you thought up last night I find myself remarkably productive in this cycle. If you've planned well, you'll whiz through the tasks. Focus on "doing one thing" each…
I do like, and have done, the idea. But don't you find yourself dragging in the mid-to-late afternoon at your daytime job?
that said, I think it's normal to feel a little drag now and again - whether it's on a side project or your day job. just take a break and come back to it after a few days.