Video

Newsletters

Competitions

Quizzes

Offers

Social Network

Message Boards

Lifestyle detox
Replenish, refresh, revitalise

Holiday advice
Your questions answered

3D baby
Amazing images from the womb

Work & Money

Topics

Succeeding & Surviving

Finding a Job

Community

Computers and Internet

Money

Office Culture

Starting a business

Marketing & Launch
Financing
Preparing
Planning
Staffing
Working from home

Work-Life Balance

Hot stuff

Tone It Challenge

Financial MOT

Play celebrity baby match

Is debt affecting you?

Newsletters

Promotions

Stretching time

by Lynne Franks seed logo

Lynne Franks talks about how to find the time in your busy day to start your own business.

Whether you are single or have a family, are currently working nine-to-five or juggling several part-time jobs, somethings got to give if you want to devote some quality time to your venture.

Here are some wise words from different women whove learned to get more out of every hour, without sacrificing their need for relaxation because starting a business the feminine way involves decreasing your level of stress, not adding to it.

The early riser
I realised that if I made a very simple change in my day-to-day life, I would have the time I needed to begin to realise my dream. I simply set my alarm clock for one hour earlier. I gave myself an hour every day, as a gift. Its the perfect time for me, too. The rest of the world is quiet and I can think about my project with a fresh mind, before the onslaught of kids and work routine.

The conservationist
So-called vampire friends who just want to suck my energy have had to go now that Im working for myself. I love seeing my close friends, but I dont want to see complainers and professional victims. The trouble is they are often attracted to strong people and, although Im sympathetic, I want to conserve my energy.

The date maker
For me, carving out the time I needed meant, first of all, noticing where all my free time was being eaten up: dinners and films with friends, phone calls and watching TV. I had rationalised that I needed the R&R time after work to get together with friends or come home and veg out in front of the tube. But not every single night of the week! Now I keep the date with myself to work on my business plan two nights a week.

The list maker
I make lists of everything I have to do the night before. I write them in an attractive notebook and stretch time by crossing out the jobs that arent really that important. The time they would have taken up now belongs to my SEED project.