Building A Practice While Working Full-Time

Building A Practice While Working Full-Time
By: Karen Pattock

Are you struggling to get your health and fitness business to produce income while still working a full-time job? You’re not alone. It’s a delicate balance that many health practitioners deal with on a daily basis. At times it can feel exhausting but with a little pre-planning you’ll be able to be a superstar at building a practice while still working your regular job.

Recently I had someone ask me, “What would be the best way to begin to build a coaching practice if I have to continue to work at my present job full-time?”

I can relate to this situation because I’ve been there. When I started my health coaching business I also worked in my husband’s company. My time and energies we’re divided and it wasn’t an easy path to navigate. In the spirit of being as transparent as possible, I must tell you that I still have the same responsibilities in my husband’s company as I did then, all while building my current business, Make A Difference Make A Living. As you can see… I totally get how challenging this situation can be.

I’m three years into this process and I’ve learned some things along the way. The strategies I utilize daily help me to stay sane and on top of things while balancing the tasks of two very different businesses.

In the beginning of building my health coaching business, I was excited and wanted to work on it every minute of every day. It didn’t take long before my duties with my husband’s company were backing up and I could see that the road I was on was going to be extremely bumpy if I didn’t put a few guidelines in place to help me navigate these choppy waters.

The first thing I needed to do was to deal with my emotions and divided loyalties between the two businesses. I began to have feelings of real resentment toward the job responsibilities I had with my husband’s company. All I wanted to do was to embark on this adventure of building a health coaching practice… I didn’t want to be bogged down with any of that other stuff. But then reality kicked in and I remembered that it was my husband’s business that was paying the bills and putting food on the table. (Oh yeah… how could I forget that? LOL!)

If any part of you can relate to these feelings I would love to hear about it. Please let others know that they aren’t alone by sharing your experiences on my Facebook Page.

So, are you wondering how I got it all under control? Here are three easy to implement action steps you can use to conquer a similar situation in your life.

Step One: Embrace the practice of full acknowledgement & surrender to it
Until you stop wasting time wishing you didn’t have to work “that other job”, you’re not going to be able to put into place an action plan that moves you to success in both jobs. Acceptance is key.

Once you have a health and fitness practice that is profiting enough to be your sole source of income then you can move to a decision about quitting your full-time position. Till then, keep it positive by focusing on the positive changes you are making in the lives of others.

Step Two: Dedicate specific times and days to your health and fitness business

It wasn’t until I broke myself of the habit of multitasking both jobs at the same time that I finally found piece of mind and acceptance for both. Here’s how I schedule my week…

Monday through Thursday I have very specific times when I work on each business. My schedule is very regimented so I am constantly performing at my highest level. I no longer feel torn between the two. I know what I should be doing at all times.

Friday is my spillover day. That’s the day I wrap up projects that I didn’t get done earlier in the week, make follow-up phone calls, schedule necessary appointments as well as dedicate a couple of hours to learning something new from a training or course that I’ve purchased.

Step Three: Stay consistent and roll with the flow

I say this all of the time, (AND IT’S TRUE)… Consistency is one of the most important components to a successful business. Scheduling and putting guidelines in place that you can follow will be your saving grace when things get crazy.

And they will get crazy!!!

Step two outlines my scheduling and guidelines for the perfect week. As is often the case with many of us, the perfect week can have glitches. One of the best things I’ve ever done is to show myself some grace. As someone that likes to perform at my best all of the time it was a tough pill to swallow when I realized that there were going to be times when things weren’t in my control.

Those are the times that I’ve had to give myself a pat on the back and say I can revisit that particular task next week. Truth is… it always works out. The workflow rolls like the waves of the ocean. Some weeks I spend more time focusing on my husband’s business than I had anticipated. Other weeks it requires less of my time. As long as I’m rolling with the workflow everything works out perfectly.

Now it’s your turn. I encourage you to dedicate very specific times each week to your business. Keep a timer close by to keep you moving forward. Write a checklist each week and develop regular routines. You’ll be amazed how quickly the overwhelm of two jobs will fade and contentment and success will take its place.

Now it’s your turn to share. Please come to my Facebook Page to share your tips for balancing your full-time job while building a successful health and fitness business. —>>> CLICK HERE.

With love & support,
Karen Pattock