GUEST POST BY ERIN

The dream that gets sold with entrepreneurship is usually one that includes quitting your desk job to be able to spend your days working in your Lululemon’s, while simultaneously traveling the world and living out of swanky Airbnb’s.

There’s nothing wrong with this dream--in fact, I think it’s a great aspiration to have. But I ask myself, how realistic is this story that’s being sold to us? How many of us are actually living this reality in our businesses...and how many of us even want to?

how to run a successful online business while still working a job on the belong magazine blog

Entrepreneurship is not a one-size-fits-all process and I think it's important that we talk about the nuances that come with it.

There's nothing wrong with working a job, especially if you love it, while you're growing your business.

However, many seem to think that quitting your job is the ultimate sign of success as an entrepreneur.

I know for me personally, I felt so much shame about having a job when I first started coaching. I thought that I must be a failure or that I wasn’t a real entrepreneur because I had a steady gig that I not only enjoyed but that I had no plans to abandon.

If this sounds like you, I’d like to take a moment to tell you that you’re not alone. In fact, I think it’s adorable to be pulling double shifts, rather than leaving a stable job behind that helps you to have the financial capacity to be an entrepreneur. Having to stress about how you’re going to pay your bills or feed your kids takes a lot of the joy away from running a business.

forget about balance /

In my experience of doing both business and work, balance isn’t really possible. Sure, it’s always great to strive for equilibrium, but often I think these efforts are wasted.

Rather than trying to even the scales, we should be trying to take some weight off of them or integrate the two sides together.

As women, we often take on more responsibilities than we can handle, because we are afraid of saying no.

I AM TELLING YOU RIGHT NOW, YOU NEED TO START SAYING NO.

SAYING NO TO OTHER PEOPLE IS A WAY OF SAYING 'YES' TO YOU.

If an opportunity, event, or engagement doesn’t light you up, don’t participate. Why spend your time doing something out of obligation, when you could spend your time doing something that you love?

find ways to integrate your efforts /

With that also comes integration- figuring out how you can combine efforts in your business and work will help you, tremendously. For instance, maybe there’s a conference you can go to where you can network and learn things that apply to both your business and your job. You could tell your colleagues about your side hustle and bring them into your other networks.

Perhaps you can participate in a personal development project that will allow you to also develop new skills that you can bring into your entrepreneurship. Or, you can even start as simple as answering business emails during your lunch break at work.

Find ways to integrate, so you can spend the same amount of time getting more done.

practice the art of delegation /

There are probably a lot of activities in your work and your business that you could use help with and it’s time to ask for it!

Instead of doing everything by yourself and trying to be a one-woman show, figure out the tasks that you can get assistance with. Need help scheduling your appointments? Hire a VA for a couple of hours a week to organize your schedule. Not sure how to create a graphic? Ask someone in the tech department of your office if they can give you a quick tutorial. Don’t have time to take your kids to soccer practice? Ask a family member for extra help.

Delegating is not something we are taught to do as our culture values independence. But as the old saying goes, it takes a village. The sooner we all realize this, the less stressed we will be.

practice the art of self-care /

It’s also important to take care of yourself to avoid the inevitable potential of burnout that comes from taking on more than full load.

I recommend setting aside one day per week where you don’t do any work activities, to give yourself a mental break. Constantly being on social media, checking emails, or getting on calls can wear on your nerves, so it’s beneficial to have some time away completely to recharge.

Plus, you can set aside any personal tasks like doctors appointments, car washes, bill payments, or dinners with friends, for this day, without having to figure out how you’re going to fit it in between everything else.

When you need a day or evening of rest, take it. Listen to your body and make sure that you’re consistently engaging in healthy behaviors, to stay on your A-game. This means making sure you’re getting enough sleep, eating well, exercising, meditating, journaling, or doing any other activities that contribute to your overall health and wellbeing.

One of the biggest perks of running an online business is that you can work from anywhere, anytime.

It’s time we make our businesses work for us, rather than working for our businesses.

Erin is an Intuitive Coach for those who are burnt-out, overachievers that are ready to come home to their true desires and say goodbye to conventional, uninspired ways of living. She serves those who want to create powerful change in their lives, but need support in busting through their blocks and blazing through the unpaved trails of their subconscious. Erin has been featured in a variety of publications as both a writer and intuitive expert, including Ravishly, Sivanna East, Bustle, Huffington Post, Elite Daily, Belong Magazine, Role/Reboot, and more.