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Finding motivation when you have a 9-5

MortimerFox

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I'm in this situation right now. I used to struggle to work on my business after getting home from my day job and then reprimand myself for not doing enough.

A big change happened when I just accepted that my mind and body were not going to let me do what I wanted to do, so I changed my sleeping cycle.

Now, I go to bed at 7:30pm and wake up at 3:15am.

That gives me several hours when my mind is fresh to work on my business. My day job gets whatever I have left over.

It helps that I'm single and have no kids, but luckily that's a decision I made.

I also do stuff like making two weeks' worth of food in one go and freezing it, then reheating it and eating the same meal every day.

I find that creating routines / habits (and meditation) helps me to be more productive and focussed.
 
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Andy Black

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Here's what I'd tell myself when I worked a 9-5 and the kids were really young:

Put the first things first. Family and health.

Keep chipping away.

Don't be "busy". Do things that move the needle. I like to think of The ONE Thing every week/day that will make the most difference and try and do that.



Ask better questions;

Who can you invoice this week?

How can you make a sale this week?



Consider Product-Founder fit. If you've limited resources (and don't we all?) then try side-hustles that *you* can make a sale within a week or month.

Get small wins under your belt. Keep focusing on small wins.

Good things happen when you move at pace. Good things happen when you keep moving.

Consider recurring revenue streams.

Don't be tempted by promises of "passive" recurring revenue streams. It takes a lot of work to get there.

Remember that your desk is for executing. Do your thinking elsewhere. Don't open email, Facebook, or the forum when you sit down - that's a bad habit.

Listen to podcasts on your commute. Not all the time... let your mind have some space to churn things over.

Realise that we can't really "manage" time. If we say we didn't have time to do something then realise it's because we chose to do something else instead.

Filter tasks through the 4 Ds: Dump it, delegate it, defer it, do it.

Make use of your restricted time and turn it into an advantage. Use it as a tool to force you to prioritise.


...


I don't really get the word or the concept of "motivation". I talk about it here:


Remember that just freeing yourself from a 9-5 can have a massive affect on how you feel (and allow you to speed up exponentially):

Here's a related thread:
 

Joe Cassandra

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4 years I spent pissing my wife off because I'd be up until 1,2,3 in the morning working on some crazy business idea. None of the went anyhere, but I learned how to run on less sleep.

But, here's what kept me going while chained to a cubicle:

And, it sounds like you don't have this around you...

You need a support system of people who also run their own businesses. Right now, (from what it sounds), you're fighting this battle alone. This forum is great in cyberspace.

Here's what I did: I found the local entrepreneur chapters and just started cold-emailing the founders asking for advice. Many ended up taking me out for a drink/lunch. There I learned, and, most importantly, it energized me that there's a light at the end of this long, un-ending tunnel called a 9-5.

Talking with these folks really stimulated the competitive nature humans have inside. It pushes you forward.

-------------
SECOND: Set deadlines for benchmarks you want to hit. When something 'must get done', you find the willpower to get to the finish line no matter how exhausted your body feels.

Having clients today, I still stay up late when a deadline looms. Suddenly, my tiredness falls by the wayside.

Essentially, ACCOUNTABILITY. Start a progress thread on here and be brutally honest. That'll be a small accountability step.
 

Paulli

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Couldnt agree more, I've just had to give myself a real refocus as I began slacking hard with my 9-5 because I was working hard on my side gig on the job!

Thing is my 9-5 has an end date and if I focus on that until the end date arrives I can set myself up really well by earning a shitload of commish. But I was forsaking that as that process isn't as enjoyable and doesn't fuel the same passion as building sonething for myself.

I digress. Great read is Mini-habits. Wanna get fit? Start with one pushup. Write a book? Start with 50 words. But do these tasks every single day and soon your doing a 30 minute minute workout 7 days a week and your book is complete in 4 months. Create the mini habit first, let it grow into the habit you want it to be and the long term results aren't far away
 

Sean Kaye

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I manage this business/job balance reasonably well (in my humble opinion).

I made the mental shift a few years ago that went something like this.

In my job, I'm responsible for delivering outcomes to my employer. Some days those outcomes require that I spend 10 hours working on it, other days like yesterday, I didn't have much on so it required only maybe two hours.

As long as I'm meeting my obligations to them, the rest of the time is mine and I do what I want it.

Seems to work pretty well if you're not in a job where you're punching a clock.
 

Argue

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Love it. Keep it coming, so much value to take in.
 
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safff

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Currently I get up at 4-5 everyday, work and commute until 6 every day, try to sleep between 10 and 11 which gives me a maximum of 5 but usually 4 hours a day.. An hour's down time with the mrs, an hour cooking and eating, an hour working on business development and an hour's gym time is generally the routine, which usually goes on the weekend at the moment...

The concept of not having a 9-5 is the exact thing that motivates me through working around a 9-5..
 

Sheps

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Having started my working life in fields where 12-16hr shifts are normal, finishing a 9-5 feels like I have all day left. Perspective is what I'm saying.
Probably the most important thing for productivity is when you work. You need to pay attention to yourself and when you are most effective. If it's early mornings then you change your sleep cycle to wake up earlier and capitalise.

Lots of people want to make the next facebook and generally imo (which isn't worth much), that's a mistake. There are plenty of mundane or boring businesses that are both lucrative and, more importantly, will teach you how to build a business as a first attempt which is arguably more valuable than the money.

There are guys on here who made it cleaning carpets, flipping houses, working IT support and a million others that most who think of themselves as entrepreneurs would turn their noses up at.
 

11elf

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As most people's jobs I work on a computer from 9-5 + overtime.

What I figured out is that most of the time when I return home it's not my complete body which is tired but my eyes. However those exhausted eyes drag you down completely.

I mean literally the whole day our eyes are working and most of the time that's by starring at a screen.

Therefore I make sure to close my eyes after work for 15min and listen to a podcast or some music to relax them.

You'll feel refreshed very fast.
 

Hejduk

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Hey everyone, I just joined this forum yesterday.

Anyway, I am having major motivation issues. I work a 9-5 and when I should be working (like right now), I am constantly thinking about my business and what I can do to improve. The thing is when I get home, I literally have no energy left, so I don't work on my business then either. Basically, I can't concentrate at work or at home. Does anyone else deal with this, any tips?
Yep, I'm also dealing with this.

I started off liking the 9-5 job and was actually fueled by it for the first couple of months. Now I get home after a 1 hour commute, and I'm completely drained from work. Not that the job is demanding at all; the lack of challenge is what's draining me. I can perform 90% of my job on 50% effort, and still do a great job (I work as an online marketeer at the big travel agency, where most things are now automated and just need some tweaking every week, which doesn't require much effort).

The worst thing to overcome is feeling like you're actually doing something to work on your dream by working the 9-5 job to earn the money to start/build your business with. If you're not actually putting in the work IN your business, working the 9-5 job means nothing and is actually going to trap you in the near future. I personally feel I need to gtfo as quickly as possible before the 9-5 job traps me to a point where I feel like there's no return, although earning the salary seems like it's helping me start/build a business (someday).
 

TheNewRich

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Yea man what everyone else is saying

- Wake up early!!!
I started waking up at 5:30 AM and it's already a huge improvement!

I make a list of tasks I need to do the night before and I circle the one that is most important.

I wake and go work out to some motivational stuff then come home to Coffee and hit the task Hard!

That or I show up to work an hour and a half early and work on it! NO EMAIL, NO PHONE, NO CHECKING MFL, YOUTUBE save that for when you're at your 9-5


http://media.briantracy.com/downloa...p+level+sequence&utm_content=143-mosd+email+1

Not sure if this link will work but it's the first Chapter of Brian Tracy's book No Excuses
 
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TheNewRich

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As most people's jobs I work on a computer from 9-5 + overtime.

What I figured out is that most of the time when I return home it's not my complete body which is tired but my eyes. However those exhausted eyes drag you down completely.

I mean literally the whole day our eyes are working and most of the time that's by starring at a screen.

Therefore I make sure to close my eyes after work for 15min and listen to a podcast or some music to relax them.

You'll feel refreshed very fast.
What do you do? Have you ever tried outsourcing your work? I mean....as long as it gets done and the quality is there...and you don't mind getting let go if you're caught. :clench:

A lot of people could honestly outsource most of their work to a VA for pennies on the dollar.
 

Alex17

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I also suggest doing it early in the morning, especially if you have a family. Evening is full of distractions and it is not really possible to come home after job and tell your wife: “I have things to do, please imagine I’m not here” :) Even if she really supports you. Morning is totally different. I often do more in the morning than during the whole day. Besides, this approach has another benefit - you spend your most effective hours on your business, not job.
 

TStrike

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Hey everyone, I just joined this forum yesterday.

Anyway, I am having major motivation issues. I work a 9-5 and when I should be working (like right now), I am constantly thinking about my business and what I can do to improve. The thing is when I get home, I literally have no energy left, so I don't work on my business then either. Basically, I can't concentrate at work or at home. Does anyone else deal with this, any tips?
When I was just getting started in building income generating sites for clients, I made my 9-5 boss a proposition: I'd build him a site for a steal of a price and I would guarantee a 50% return paid monthly.

I accomplished three things doing this:

1) I had to work my tail off to learn and create.
2) When I wanted to stop "working" at my 9-5, I'd switch over to web design. I'd be sure to show him all the best features of the site so he would stay excited and not ticked when I didn't do my "work". Not unethical. He was still getting an incredible bargain: 50% ROI paid monthly without doing any work? Yes, please.
3) I generated my first sale, my first client, and had the chance to turn him into a raving fan.

Sometimes creative thinking can go a long ways.
 
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RayAndré

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Motivation for me came when I realized I was 100% responsible for my own life...and that no one else will come to the rescue.
Brain Tracy taught me that:
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jip9rToLXHQ


It was then that I realized, if I don't do shit, shit's not going to happen. So now I'm making it happen.
 

Laughingman21

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I'm currently trying to build a business at the same time as having a 9-5 job and a young family. I've found the following works best for me:

Get Up Early - I used to stay up late watching TV playing on my Xbox. I now get up between 4 and 5 and get on with work. You're at your best when you're most rested and freshest so give your business the best you. Another benefit of this, is once you've woken your other half up at 4am, they motivate you VERY quickly to get your a$$ out of bed. Once you're up at that time, you may as well crack on with your project.

Get Enough Sleep - when I first started the 4 am starts, I woke up at 4 no matter what time I went to bed. I thought that habit was key to my success. I was wrong. The lack of sleep had an affect on my ability to concentrate, my health suffered and I felt low. Experiment to find out how much sleep you need and make sure you get that every night. For me, it's just over 6 hours.

Set Tasks the Night Before - make a to do list just before you go to bed. That way, you'll wake up and hit the ground running, not spend 15 minutes doing half a dozen different tasks that either don't get finished or aren't important.

Take a Break - doing this over time does make you feel strung out. Don't feel bad every now and then just taking a day to get some rest. Spend time with your family and remind yourself why you're putting yourself through this. You'll knuckle down much harder the next day.
 
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Guest06196

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So many great tips have been given so here is something different I can add:

Eat Carefully: Starch, carbohydrate, & SUGAR all drain your energy. Vegetables and meat are the best combination. Don't rely on stimulants like caffeine. They will only cost more in the long run.

Work Harder: I focus 100% at work and do my best so I can squeeze some time out of it. For example, toilet breaks, coffee/smoking breaks, longer lunch time, or even just use company's computer to do my own tasks. Avoid meaningless chats like how was your weekend/what's your plan for the weekend. But of course be helpful to your work mates.

Sleep Smarter: Squeeze a few hours before your day job but don't overdo it. I earliest I've done for a long period of time is 4am but you need a good balance. We all know overnight shifts are detrimental to our health so avoid the extremes. 5 or 5.30 should be a sweet spot. Personally I don't recommend a power nap unless it's done after lunch, which is so far away from your night sleep and doesn't affect it.

Don't go home immediately: Go to a library or a café. Some shopping malls have many quiet areas after 5 or 6 because the malls are kept open only for some giant stores.

Finally, this problem is a test of your motivation. When you manage your own business, it's only going to be harder. If you can't even overcome the tiredness in the evening while having a safety net provided by your employer, how can you be a successful business owner?

Hope my post adds value to this thread.
 

ZF Lee

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So many great tips have been given so here is something different I can add:

Eat Carefully: Starch, carbohydrate, & SUGAR all drain your energy. Vegetables and meat are the best combination. Don't rely on stimulants like caffeine. They will only cost more in the long run.

Work Harder: I focus 100% at work and do my best so I can squeeze some time out of it. For example, toilet breaks, coffee/smoking breaks, longer lunch time, or even just use company's computer to do my own tasks. Avoid meaningless chats like how was your weekend/what's your plan for the weekend. But of course be helpful to your work mates.

Sleep Smarter: Squeeze a few hours before your day job but don't overdo it. I earliest I've done for a long period of time is 4am but you need a good balance. We all know overnight shifts are detrimental to our health so avoid the extremes. 5 or 5.30 should be a sweet spot. Personally I don't recommend a power nap unless it's done after lunch, which is so far away from your night sleep and doesn't affect it.

Don't go home immediately: Go to a library or a café. Some shopping malls have many quiet areas after 5 or 6 because the malls are kept open only for some giant stores.

Finally, this problem is a test of your motivation. When you manage your own business, it's only going to be harder. If you can't even overcome the tiredness in the evening while having a safety net provided by your employer, how can you be a successful business owner?

Hope my post adds value to this thread.
To be specific...good lean meats, not KFC fried shit.
I have a recipe...chop up carrots, potatoes and onions. Boil them in water with some chicken...I use drumsticks because I want an all-in-one meal. Boil for an hour or more. Simple recipe, but it will fee you well.

And yes, coffee breaks can be your best bet to riches lol.
 

KaaiFX

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Hey everyone, I just joined this forum yesterday.

Anyway, I am having major motivation issues. I work a 9-5 and when I should be working (like right now), I am constantly thinking about my business and what I can do to improve. The thing is when I get home, I literally have no energy left, so I don't work on my business then either. Basically, I can't concentrate at work or at home. Does anyone else deal with this, any tips?
I've had this problem for 15+ Years at my past job. I know what it's like to be sitting at your desk grinding away, constantly thinking about the Business you want to start. I too have wondered, how do I get out of this? All my responsibilities are holding me back from leaving and jumping right into it. It took me years to save enough money to actually leave my job and do what I've so longed to create. But honestly, it's not your job, collegues, or boss that's holding you back. It's you...

I just sucked it up for a while after work and continued to study the field I wanted to actually be in. At the same time saved enough dough to make the leap. Sure there were other factors that sort of pushed me to leave my job and do it. But it all boils down to HOW MUCH you want it. I know this is a broken record you've probably read or heard somewhere but it's the truth. When they say, you have to sacrifice your time with sweat and tears they weren't kidding. I wasn't successful at first, failing over and over again. But I did it part-time. Sure I was tired, sure I wasn't going out with my friends and family much. But in the end, it paid off. I've learned that I studied the shit out of my field, and didn't really feel the need to succeed until my, and my families life depended on my success. Nothing will motivate you more to succeed than having to put a roof under your head, and food on the table. You will be pushed to do things you have never thought you could do. I took the leap to start something on my own, and boy was it the best decision I've made in my life. Now I have to deal with other problems like what am I going to do today to push my Trading skills forward? BOREDOM, because of the type of thing I do. I usually make enough money for the day and have so much free time I'm looking for things to do. I now spend time with family and friends much more. Well, when they aren't working. You will notice everyone's grinding away at work or school and you'll be alone most of the time. I continue to study my field and have a burning desire to succeed further. I know it can all be taken away from me at any time which is why I continue to prepare myself to be ready to get back up again just in case. Which is why, after all the BS you read, and hear. It all boils down to you and taking action Part-time.
 
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Laughingman21

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Eat Carefully: Starch, carbohydrate, & SUGAR all drain your energy. Vegetables and meat are the best combination. Don't rely on stimulants like caffeine. They will only cost more in the long run.

That's great tip. If you eat well for a few days then eat badly for a day, you'll be surprised how bad you feel. That sluggish feeling you're putting down to lack of motivation could well be poor diet and exercise.
 

valuegiver

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As what others have alluded to, wake up early and do your own side business. I listened to a podcast in foreverjobless.com that the site owner mentored his friend. The first step that his friend took was to wake up early in the morning to work on his side business first before going to office. A lot of successful entrepreneurs love to wake up early in the morning.

Another thing is that ketogenic diet really helps to cut down the number of hours you need to sleep. I find that I have sharp mental clarity on keto diet (or even paleo) much more than when I loaded myself with carbs.
 

ahartley

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What help me most is daily action. No matter how small.

Once you make it a habit, motivation is not necessary.

I recently read about "Mini Habits" - like one push up a day, 1 minute of meditation a day, etc. Sounds pointless, but to GR's quote above, making it a habit means you no longer have to think about it, you'll do it by rote. And then, once you do your "one push up," you get to choose: do I continue and do more push ups? Either way you feel motivated:

1) You either met your goal (1 push up)
-OR-
2) You DESTROYED your goal (5, 10, 100 push ups or more)

Talk about motivation. The only way to fail at THAT goal is to not do it at all, but seriously, why would you NOT do your 1 push up? It literally takes less than a minute.

How Simple Mini Habits Can Change Your Life
 
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Guest34764

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I'm about to pick up a second job, I'm motivated to work because I'm going somewhere with it and because of that I'm motivated to continue making money from other streams. You got to realize It's just apart of a bigger picture.

p.s. Not ashamed to say I'm picking up a second job and I'm going to enjoy it. Neither should you too. Work for someone when you have to, and don't when you want to.
 

Dave E RDN

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I struggle with this too. One of the things I did recently was change my 9-5 to a 11-7. This way I can get up in the morning and work on my business first thing for a couple hours before I can let my “9-5” steal all my energy. I find it helps.

I also think self care is important if I’m not eating healthy, exercising, and sleeping well. My energy sucks no matter what I’m doing.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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Damien C

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Might not be possible but try and slash all unnecessary expenses and go part time, or semi-remote if you can't survive on part time wages. Commuting is more of a drain than the actual job in a lot of cases.

It's worse when you've got an OK 9-5 job that you don't hate. You know you can stay / show up, contribute, do the work, get the money, but you'll never be able to find or create the highest expression of your talent.

I seem to take more action when I have a day that pisses me off. Not sure if frustration is a motivation for everyone, but that kind of "F*ck this" mentality seems to get me right into gear. I mean don't get me wrong, I am grateful that I have a good working environment, but I also have to project and force myself to "feel" future pain. The pain I'd feel should I realise I'm now another year older and balder, with nothing to show for it. Nothing that's mine.

I've seen some get to retirement age, pack up their desks, walk out, and it was like they were never there. Not one bit of their work lives on. All of the projects they touched have been destroyed or re-invented by the next person. There is no legacy, there is nothing. I can't let that be me.
 

Andy Daniels

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For me, my motivation IS my 9-5. It's so boring and unfulfilling that it drives me to bust my a$$ when I get home. I wake up too early for a job which I get paid too little, board a train that has too many smelly people in it, all to look forward to a weekend which is too short. I WILL get out, and it'll be amazing.

Cheers and good luck to you mate!
 

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