When I think back to what I was doing a decade ago, I’m almost ashamed at my lack of productivity. I thought I was busy, but upon reflection, I don’t know what was taking up my time.

Instead, I was draining my energy, floundering about on where I wanted to be professionally and personally. I was directionless and it sucked my drive straight out the window. Don’t get me wrong, I was working a great job with fun people and solid benefits, plus I was married and planning for a family. The following years saw happy and steady growth in the workplace and amazing years of having three beautiful children. Yet, I still felt like I lacked a specific goal in my career. Sound familiar to you?

I must have needed all that time to find my passion because it wasn’t until 2015 that I finally settled on a specific vision.

Which is. . .

I’m so curious about how people turn their dreams to a vision and make it reality. And I know others are too. You likely are if you’re reading this article. My goal is to help you as a budding female entrepreneur build your business and market your idea while providing a behind-the-scenes look into how other women entrepreneurs brought their dreams to life.

But, if I was already feeling swamped with my full-time position as the director of communications for the Top 5 College of Engineering at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, full-time mom, wife to a husband with a demanding job, and chieftess of our domestic life–how on earth could I also build a business?

I’ve jut started Lewis Howes’ new book, The School of Greatness, and in the preface he references a quote by author Steven Kotler on defining greatness as, “waking up every day and saying ‘Okay. Today I’m going to move mountains.’ ”

But to do that, you have to dig in and get stuff done. And from what I’ve experienced, productivity begets productivity.

Productivity begets productivity. More to do requires organization so you can get more done. Click To Tweet

Have you heard the saying, if you want something done, ask a busy mom? Same concept. If you’re already producing a lot of results, you have to be efficient with your time. Therefore, to add something else in, just find a time slot, hunker down, and get it done.

Because when you’re short on time, you have to focus and commit to completing your task or it just won’t happen. This doesn’t matter if your goal is to work out (do it first thing!), organize your closets, or start a business.

The key is to complete one small task at a time because no one has a half or full day to get a project done and doing it piecemeal means you’re constantly making progress. That will feel so awesome, you’ll keep coming back for more.

Which leads me to why it’s an excellent idea to start a business while you’re working full or part time.

You have to focus and be efficient when your goals number so many each day. Focus on work while you’re there so you don’t have to bring so much home. Focus on your family when they’re awake, and dominate that to-do list for your business while the kids are dreaming. It’s definitely not easy, but if you’re committed to your goals, it will be done.

There’s no other option.

How, you ask?

For me, it involved a shift in mindset and a transition at home, no doubt.

1. Follow your passion. This is the most important aspect. When you’re passionate about a project, it doesn’t feel like work and you’re eager to check off all the things you want to do. The list keeps building with your ideas and things you want to do, so it makes you thrilled to accomplish even the smallest tasks.
2. Turn off the TV. I couldn’t afford any distractions. (Of course I still watch the occasional Call the Midwives or Hart of Dixie, but they’re mainly on in the background instead of while I veg out. Or I watch them while doing other work like the dishes or laundry.) But don’t ask me anything that has to do with this season because I’ll look at you like I just landed from another planet.
3. Get help at home. I pulled my husband in for some domestic tasks and my sitters and kids have a to-do list as well. I mean I can’t do it all and something has to give, right? Might as well be those things! 🙂
4. Make lists! Decide on your priorities – what do you definitely need to get done first? Are you building your facebook community? Working on your brand? Writing your website? Building your list? Just focus on one thing at a time and complete that before overwhelming yourself with something new
5. Be more efficient and creative at work. The unexpected side effect of this endeavor has been greater productivity and creativity at my full-time position while there because I know I won’t have time after-hours. Plus, increasing my creativity outside the office has increased creativity for the office. I’m chalking that up to learning more for my company, doing more self-development work, and gaining more confidence in who I am and what I stand for.
6. Stop getting distracted by facebook. Oh wait – I still have a hard time with that one! But I do need to work on this a little more. I just recently heard of the app Forest where you commit to staying off social media for a certain amount of time and after many times of succeeding at that, a tree will be planted. Sounds pretty good to me!

All in all, I’ve been able to start my business and continue working full-time because that’s what worked for me. I had a burning desire to create the Women’s Dreamvision Network to help women make a stronger economic and professional impact on their terms. My vision is to help women gain financial equality and I believe entrepreneurship is a large part of that.

With such a desire driving me, I don’t want those extra hours of TV. I want that time to make change happen.

I don't want those extra hours of TV. I want time to make change happen. Click To Tweet

So, get out there and start your biz. Confused about where to begin? That’s why I’m here. Let me help.

Let me know – what are your plans for the new year? What business ideas are in your dreams?

And if you found anything helpful in this article, I’d appreciate the share in your social media! Thanks!