With a quickly changing macroenvironment, most people are finding themselves with a very sudden amount of home-time, whether from voluntary social distancing or mandatory government quarantine.
Corporations will be testing out their business continuity plans on a large-scale and business will slow as people gage what the next two to four weeks looks like from both a personal and professional scale.
While this is intimidating or stress-inducing for some, it can actually be seen as an opportunity for those open to it.
Think about all of the time you are getting back into your day.
Until you do a time inventory of your day, you may have no idea just how much time you are waiting on tedious or low-value tasks on a regular basis. During the work week, even an eventful and exhausting one, it’s possible that there are a few minutes at a time that you could easily get back. Individually, that’s not much, but collectively, could add up to be a generous chunk of time to add back to your day.
Commute Time
Work Breaks
Team Meetings
Lunch Hour
Vanity Time
Commute Time
How long is your daily commute – round trip?
Living in Atlanta, for me that can be upwards of one-hour, each way. Yours might not be nearly as drastic (for your sake, I hope not!) but even finding a parking spot or waiting in line to leave the parking garage can be soul-crushing.
What about the extra time you have to allow yourself to stop and fill the gas tank because you drove it home on “E” last night… again… and now you finally can’t stall any longer?
What if you are a creature of habit who can’t get the morning started without swinging by the Starbucks drive through for your caffeine-kick, because the free stuff at the office just won’t do the trick? That could be an easy 20 minutes back in your morning — and $5.00 back in your wallet.
What would you do with one or two extra hours at home or with your family every single day?
Work Breaks
Whether you get formal breaks or not, let’s admit there are a few minutes of every day we are able to break for a breather.
In the restaurant industry, you may get a smoke break or scheduled 15-minute intervals to get off your feet, check your phone, and have some down time.
At an office, even if it’s not scheduled in, you may decide to do a couple laps of the building just to get your blood flowing and your afternoon energy up, or you may end up chatting at the coffee pot for five to ten minutes at a time with other colleagues you haven’t spoken to much lately.
All of this time adds up and becomes invaluable when you realize you can get back 30+ minutes a day without those distractions. Working from home, while often lonelier and quieter for the same reasons, can at least bring about the advantage of time if you choose to see it that way.
Team Meetings
Yes, team meetings are important to streamline communication, and they can become even more valuable when distanced from your normal working environment. Communication becomes the utmost importance for business continuity and to make sure nothing vital falls through the cracks.
That said, does your office have several team meetings that often result in, “That’s a good point, let’s regroup next week?”
Now that our standard operational processes have to change, I expect meetings to be streamlined to only those vital to decisioning the item on the table, or imperative to the next actionable item or deliverable in the process being discussed.
Lunch Hour
While working from home, and assuming you are on lockdown with minimal other options to turn to, I can’t help but think you might sneak 20 minutes – minimum- back into your day by being able to reach into your fridge and sit back down, with no lines, cooks, or cashiers to wait in line for.
Though some of us may not always have a true “hour” for lunch, even the short time it takes to head downstairs to the cafeteria or across the street for fast food can truly add up if you aren’t diligent about packing your lunch for work each day.
Vanity Time
Likely, we all have our standard morning routine down to a science. Regardless of your position – executive, creative or otherwise – there is some standard of care that goes into every morning.
Even if your uniform is non-negotiable, you may put a few extra minutes into your hair or makeup. If you have a client meeting, you may realize it’s vital to iron the outfit you laid out the night before. As trivial or vane as it is, there is a standard us women often put in prior to leaving for the office.
If we stopped at brushing our teeth and throwing our hair up into a messy bun post-shower, how much time would we let back into our day?
I have a feeling that working from home in pajamas, makeup free, accessory free and hair tossed up a la Rosie the Riveter, 30 minutes back in to my morning is a conservative assumption.
With all of that time back, what new can you add into your daily routine?
If you haven’t been diligent about working out because of lack of time, maybe this is a chance to add it back in, even for just a few minutes a day. You still don’t need to add an hour to get to a gym or register for a personal training class, you can walk your dog instead of just letting him run around in the yard, or you could treat yourself to a nice home gym setup if you want to get serious about it.
Me? Personally, I am utilizing it to (finally!) update this site, and to help other women in business in the same boat, working to side-hustle (or grow their primary hustle.)
It’s an opportunity to practice new skills on my Cricut Maker and slowly build up to my Etsy Shop for fun and unique celebratory gifts for home and garden.
The time to do that, on top of the time to make dinner with my husband, instead of one of us prepping for the other, has the potential to be an incredible upside opportunity to the social distancing process right now.
If you used even half of the options listed above, what could you bring back to your friends, family, or even your own personal peace of mind?
I am all about admitting my faults and the excuses I have made along the way that has caused my blogging journey to start far later than I have been dreaming about it. One of the biggest excuses was not being decisive in the very important and very entry stage – the decision about my domain name.
Choosing a domain name is a valuable step, and yes, it deserves time and thoughtfulness.
My personal struggle was a constant back and forth in trying to decide, “Should I use my own name as my full domain name?”
Not a picture of me… but clearly she shares the dilemma.
At first, I’d like the idea of anonymity. After all, it’s taken me this long to put my writing out into the world already – having my name in bright lights just felt odd and uncomfortable. There was no hiding from failure, and no undoing whatever text was put out there.
Below, I have put together 5 things to consider when deciding whether to use your own name as your domain name.
Should I use my Own Name as a Domain Name?
There are all types of opinions and advice on the topic, from professional marketing articles to expert podcasts to personal bloggers.
I was hyper-aware of all of the points and the pro/con list, but after remaining on the fence for far too long, I finally took the plunge and am sharing my step-by-step thought process because that’s all I was hoping for from others in my same boat!
After you’ve taken the plunge, share your story and decision with me in the comments below!
1. What are you writing about, and will it pass the time-test?
Straight off the bat – here’s an easy one. What are you writing about? Give it a quick time-test. Is it a topic you will want to be affiliated with for the long haul?
Maybe you are writing about dating in your teens, or creating blogs about meeting somebody online and all of your dating fails. For some people, using your own name as a domain name is great, because it’s authentic. For others, you may want your stories told, but not broadcast with your name highlighted at every corner.
2. Why are you writing? What is your end-goal?
Are you writing as a creative outlet, or is it to report on progress for a personal hobby?
If your plan is to build a website up and later sell it to a larger company in the space, creating a brand for your niche-focus makes much more sense than creating a brand around your name.
3. Is there a chance you may want to change categories in the future?
Who knows where any of us will be in 5, 10 or 20 years? It’s fair to consider who knows what you’ll want to be writing about and if you’ll change topics. What you should consider is whether you are the kind of person who would prefer building up one strong foundation now and completely revamping it if and when the time comes.
4. Do you have any professional conflicts?
Is there a reason to tread lightly about announcing your expertise or broadcasting your personal opinion on a website? For instance, if you are a CPA at a big-four firm, there might be limitations on how you position yourself or conflicts of interest if you make money through an external method that’s related to your day-job.
You may also be in a niche where you share personal stories about problems in a workplace. In that case, will you be more comfortable writing on WorkplaceProblems.com or YourFullName.com?
5. Will your name change?
Life is funny and unpredictable, and there are several stages of life that can offer name changes for one reason or another. If you build a brand under your name, but then your name changes, will you be able to pivot?
Many people have personal and professional names that differ, so it might not phase you either way.
There are always options to transfer a domain name later down the line, so you’re not stuck in a permanent commitment, but with how popular the internet has become, every passing year eliminates more domain options, and your personal domain name may not be available the longer you wait!
This is Part 1 of an ongoing review of, and insight into, my personal Toastmasters International / Pathways journey. You will be able to see all Toastmasters review posts here as I update lessons and speeches along the way.
Public speaking may easily be one of the most intimidating tasks a person can be asked to fulfill. While hundreds of confident, larger-than-life, big-personality influencers can get on stage on a daily basis and make it look like an effortless task, the rest of us may still need baby steps before making that huge leap to center stage.
Somehow, even the most timid people of all still often find themselves in a role asked to address an audience to some degree. An internal employee may be “voluntold” that she will be presenting the project status update to the Board of Directors at the next meeting. A student will inevitably need to give an oral report or defend a dissertation. And even a small business owner or boss-woman who can usually delegate tasks will be forced to broadcast her own voice on occasion.
So how can we get past the nerves and deep-seeded fear of public speaking?
Practice. Practice. Practice. (And some serious “fake it ‘til you make it” attitude!)
Just like any fear in life, we need to force ourselves to take the reigns and get past it, and typically this means referring back to the classic Nike slogan and “Just Do It!”
Luckily, there are public speaking tips everywhere, and not all of them result in the cherry-red cheeks of a speaker blushing at the image of the audience in their underwear (as the old tradition included.)
Somehow, I’ve always enjoyed public speaking – but it’s the anxiety and anticipation in the moments before that always hit me the hardest. I thought, “That must be because I’m not formally speaking in front of a group very often. Maybe that would make a difference.”
When I discovered a Toastmasters group (more formally, Toastmasters International) met every Thursday during lunch right in my office building, I signed up. Yes, I feel confident that I know all of the “rules” of public speaking on-paper. And I have been writing essays and speeches for years, so I feel equally confident in my organization of content. But there is something to be said about continued practice when it comes to public speaking and being able to connect with various audiences for various topics (for instance, presenting a technical speech to those outside of your niche industry and still being comprehensible.)
Have you heard about Toastmasters? I would love to hear about your experience with this group or a similar one in the comments below!
Anybody remotely interested in online content development, website creation and of course blogging has, by now, likely learned about niche branding and the benefits it provides to “niche down” to a small level. All of that is very true, and a jump-start to monetization. Clearly it works – but for me, trying to niche down was my kryptonite.
Since I surely can’t be alone in that, I want to share my perspective on niche branding and how it’s only right for some people, in some situations. For others, it’s okay to go broad, and go your way.
Consider the 3 ways appreciation for niche branding was thwarting my goals, and may be doing the same to yours!
1. The Niche Branding concept creates decision overload.
I am an admitted victim of constant analysis paralysis.
It’s something I work on daily now, and know is one of my ongoing challenges.
Just as any trait that could be seen as a weakness, I have turned it into a strength in my career. For example, micro-analysis and several iterations of “what – if” and “what could go wrong” are fantastic traits for a $100+ million dollar credit underwriter. What they are not good traits for is someone with 100-million ideas, hobbies and side-hustles.
The more I listened to experts and pros, the more I learned what I should be doing – and being a long time academic, I wanted to do the right things.
After executing in-depth research across several categories before seeking out the niche my voice could make the most immediate impact in, my decision tree grew to be five times larger than my original passion-project topics I was trying to narrow down.
2. The Niche Branding concept becomes the ultimate excuse.
For some folks, choosing a niche brand makes it easier to start. It provides a clear, structured, intentional focus. If you are writing about knitting sweaters for tea-cup sized dogs, you can quickly define your target audience, where to find them, how to connect with them, and what products they will need if and when you look to monetize your website.
I could not help myself…
If you want to write about work, life, and how to find balance in between, you quickly find that you are suddenly in the realm of “lifestyle bloggers”, an overrun segment filled with innovative, adorably-quirky millennials with charisma, character, and high social media usage.
For me, the analysis paralysis I talk about above was the ultimate excuse to never actually start. I’d use all of the brainstorming techniques I knew, and research others I wasn’t aware of yet.
I have thousands of pictures and notes from travel I’ve been antsy to share for years so I would start a travel concept, but then I’d turn around and realize that I could add more value to others through several aspects of business, especially the overwhelming world of finance to those who haven’t studied it.
Going back and forth and trying to perfect the niche sent me down a path of one step forward, two steps back. And ultimately, it became a crutch to lean on when asked, “Why haven’t you started yet?”
3. The Niche Branding concept causes loss of focus on why to write.
By trying to niche down and define exactly what my site would be and why I would develop it, I lost focus on the reasons I decided to take the steps and begin in the first place.
It was because I love to learn about new things constantly, and I know I can’t be the only one out there.
It’s becauseI don’t want to be pigeon-holed into only learning and growing in only one area of my career.
It’s in-spite ofnot having a singular point of niched-down, value-adding expertise.
But because of all that, I have come to realize that it’s important to keep your “why” at the top of mind for every project you pursue.
Keep your “why” at the top of mind for every project you pursue.
Recalling the “why” has also led me to realize that the flip-side of the coin is recognizing we all have value added expertise to share in some unique way.
For me, I can advise in how to pivot across various careers, how to connect the dots for employers when you are changing industries, and how to continue to grow in other fields when your current job has you focused in a singular area of expertise.
With the overwhelming amount of help we can get through websites, social media and now podcasts, it’s not helpful unless you are actively taking action.
With the overwhelming amount of help we can get through websites, social media and now podcasts, it’s not helpful unless you are actively taking action.
Don’t let your research and understanding that you shouldhave a niche brand stand in your way of starting any brand at all. Trust me, I’ve been there. To the degree that I’ve owned about five domain names for two years, and have just now finally launched this one. Why? Because my name won’t change, my stories are true, my writing is my own, and my “why” is to connect and share the resources I over-analyze for myself with those around me, so you can skip that step, and get right back to action as you thrive in your own pursuits!
Immediately after asking myself the question, I started digging. With all of the “you can do it, too” blogs and workshops rising in popularity now, it seems simple to get an affiliate link and hope the passive income comes rolling in. So how many readers do you need to have? Does it matter? I mean, in a worst-case scenario, can’t you have an unused link sitting around on your site?
Well, I found good news and bad news. I’ll start with the bad.
Amazon Affiliate Program
My reviews started with the Amazon Affiliate program and the unfortunate answer came all too quickly.
For me, the answer to “Is it too early to become an Amazon Affiliate” was simple.
Yes, it is too early to become an Amazon Affiliate.
All of these professional articles about internet marketing are energizing – so many passive income possibilities! Which, of course, is always the author’s intent. That way, you buy their book or their workshop, jumping right into the deep end. Great for some people – I’m certainly not knocking it. But it’s not for me. I’m not in the business of setting up shop after shop, solely trying to funnel internet shoppers into a web of Amazon goodies.
I research everything I buy and compare options intensely. I research every place I visit and try to find a way to see everything, do everything and eat everything in sight at a good value. All I want is to share that with others in a natural way, so maybe you can use your time for your next big project instead!
If I can cut time out of somebody else’s day by posting my results — showing people my final brand purchase or travel itinerary — and it helps in any way, I have succeeded.
That said, I thought it might be best to have an affiliate account for those particular moments, no differently than how I had established all of my social media accounts despite not yet having a site launch.
Amazon Affiliate Sign-Up Process
Page one of the Amazon Affiliate link was easy: “List the name and address where we should send the check.”
Well, if that’s not one of my favorite requests ever, I’m not sure what is.
The problem came on page two: “List the websites and/or mobile apps that you will be posting Amazon Affiliate links on.”
I felt good about this, because I own a domain name. My site is hosted. I’m ready to roll.
Except, check out the instructions when you scroll over the link:
Is it too soon to become an Amazon Affiliate?
“Your account will be closed if you do not make any referrals within 180 days.”
Now, it clearly states you will be able to reapply, so it’s not a make or break scenario.
But for me, knowing I’m drafting up a site for fun, primarily as a personal adventure and learning piece, I lose confidence about pushing a product to a sale on a site that has not even launched. [Editors note: My sentiment hasn’t changed one-month post-launch.]
Bluehost Affiliate Program
The good news, on the other hand, is that if you want to dip your toe in the affiliate marketing waters, you can do so with Bluehost right away (like I have done just there!)
I truly do use Bluehost as my web hosting service. I chose them mostly because the price was right and the information about them was so prevalent, making it easy for me to find community and resources as I learn the tech side of websites.
So far, they have been great. There is a live chat service I have already used a handful of times, with pretty generic questions like “why haven’t I received any of my test emails” and often replying to their follow up questions with “I’m sorry, I don’t understand what that is.” Somehow, they manage to fix whatever my issue is quickly, even if I don’t sufficiently explain it.
The Bluehost Affiliate Program was a simple sign-up (literally, under 5 minutes!) The only information you need aside from the standard contact information is a PayPal account to link up. Within 24 hours I was confirmed, and supplied with the referral link I now have here.
Try It Out
If you’ve been thinking about starting a website, stop thinking about it and take some action. It’s never too late! I’m in the very early stages and will be documenting everything from domain names to hosting to WordPress lessons and hurdles I’ve learned, so if you start today, we will be in-stride on this new adventure!
Otherwise, for now I’m turning back to focus on content development. Some things are important to set up all at once, like your domain, hosting and social media links. Others are a steeper learning curve with heightened requirements. They will be okay to push to stage two.
Goal: Do not worry about monetization. Continue to generate quality content and edit your current post drafts.
Morning people are amazing. I envy them, in fact. If given the choice, I imagine I’d opt to be an early bird over a night owl, given that you accomplish so much before the average person has even poured the creamer into their first cup of coffee. There’s something to be said about starting the day off highly productive and hosting a sense of achievement before the day can run away from you.
Unfortunately, that’s just not my M.O. Never has been. When it came time for those inevitable college cram sessions and term papers, I always knew it was best if I stayed up until I was finished, and to never believe a roommate who suggested I sleep first, and wake up early to finish instead.
I thought maybe things would change as I got older. To some degree, they have, and to another degree they still could. But for the most part, it’s still the quiet, still nights that put my creative energy into overdrive and drift me over to the computer rather than over into bed.
Finally, instead of tossing and turning in bed, thinking about all of the things I want to do, should have done, or would love to do “one day”, it was time to put thoughts into actions.
My half dozen notebooks with scribbles of incomplete thoughts have been strewn about my home, and amongst my purses and suitcases for weeks on end. Instead of fooling myself into believing I’d sit on the patio, writing with my coffee in hand while the sun rises on Sunday morning, I’m being honest with myself and cutting the excuses.
So here we are on Saturday night, awake at 2:00am. But not because of a crazy night out-on-the-town. It’s because the “two hours” I committed to research a side hustle quickly evolved to seven hours. And I love it!
Not every side hustle will take hours on end, and not every side hustle is a one-time project. But what they have in common is the fact that you’ve got to have passion or purpose if you want to have any successful side hustle. Your purpose might be the extra cash, and that’s reason enough. Or you might be like me, and have a purpose to add on to your never-ending list of development projects, despite your only opportunities being weeknights after 8:00pm or your all-too-brief weekends. If you want it enough, you may need to change something in your routine to get it. If you’re not ready to, then that’s okay. But just like I had to admit to myself, you can’t think it into existence!
What is the reason you side-hustle? How can you schedule small pieces into your day, maybe changing up your current routine, to make it happen? What excuses have been standing in your way?
I create resources for female entrepreneurs and career-driven women striving to break out of their comfort zones and through the glass ceiling.
