Small wins add up!
This was one of my more productive weeks overall—I made real progress. After last week’s challenges with the winter storm, How I Stayed on Track With My Side Hustle Goals—Even During a Winter Storm, I was determined to get things done. But by mid-week, my energy levels took a hit. A mix of poor sleep, a work deadline, and a weekend of extra hours for my 9-5 slowed me down.
Still, forward progress is progress.
Moving Forward: Week 9 Targets
- The Blog: Write 2-3 blog entries to create a content cadence.
- Fiverr:
- Research what sells & how to position my skills
- Set up my profile
- Create 4 gigs
- Get necessary software subscriptions for gigs
- Time & Expense Tracking: I will conduct a time survey to realistically figure out how to fit side-hustle work into my schedule. If necessary, I may shift my focus more toward weekends for this work.
Here’s how the week shaped up and what’s next on my list.
1. Getting Started: The Reality of Launching a Blog
I didn’t realize all the details that go into starting a website and a blog. The tutorials make it look super simple. But I realize that I lack the skills/knowledge to make a good website! I have so much to learn, and I’m excited to dive in.
Choosing a Hosting Platform: Why I Picked Bluehost
There are a lot of hosting options. I decided to go with Bluehost because it was affordable and a few influencers suggested starting with them. I’m glad I went with them because the customer service has been wonderful! They called to offer help, and they provided some great resources that I’ll be exploring later this month.
WordPress Challenges: Plugins, Templates & Block Editor Struggles
Challenge: WordPress Templates. I tried to start with a purchased WordPress template. However, once I loaded it—with my lack of website editing knowledge, it was extremely difficult to figure out how to load it.
✅ Solution: I went back to a standard WordPress layout. It was a lot easier to manipulate for a beginner.
Challenge: The block editor. There are a lot of fun features on the block editor. However, I found it challenging to navigate when I was just trying to write.
✅ Solution: WordPress plugins! I didn’t realize the world of plugins. There seems to be a plugin for just about anything. Including a classic editor view. This view looks more like Word and is easier to edit for me.
Blogging Lessons
- I still don’t understand all the plugins. I don’t even know which plugins I am not using that I should be. 😊
- It is very difficult to not worry about how I sound in a post—I need to focus more on just getting it done vs. getting it perfect (easier said than done!).
- I lost a post I worked hours on and had to re-write it. 😔 I need to press “save” more often.
- Google and Youtube are your friends, you can find a tutorial on just about anything that you’re running into obstacles on.
- I need to learn all things WordPress! I plan to take the WordPress Academy and learn more about the ins and outs.
✅ Results: I published the blog and my very first post!
Researching Freelancing: What I Learned Before Even Starting
Starting up on Fiverr, I ran into a few beginner struggles.
What is a Fiverr Gig? Understanding the Basics
In Fiverr, you set up a Gig. A gig is a specific service that you would offer as a freelancer. Potential clients browse these gigs and purchase the services that they need. When I did my original research, this made sense. What I didn’t realize is how important your profile picture is and how important your gig images are.
First Challenge: The one suggestion I saw over and over was to use real pictures of yourself in your profile and your gig images. That’s a problem, as I don’t have many individual pictures of myself in a professional setting.
- Solution: Take pictures. 📸
- Obstacle: Finding the time.
The next question I had was: How do you create a gig image?
Second Challenge: How to create a gig image using Canva.
- Solution: Watched a few tutorials and downloaded the Canva app.
- Obstacle: What text to include in the gig images?
Freelance Niches: How I Chose Potential Gigs
I did some research into gigs. I was trying to find some that have low saturation and potential. There is so much on Fiverr that this research took longer than I anticipated. Adding some keywords helped to narrow things down. Once I start building out my gigs, I’ll be diving deeper into the keywords to hopefully make it easier for buyers to locate my gigs. I admit that this part was a little overwhelming for me, and doubts started to creep into my thoughts on whether I would be able to land any gigs with the amount of competition that is out there. The truth is, I’ll never know if I don’t try!
Top gigs I’m interested in:
- Smartsheet assistance
- Project Management support
- E-Learning content development
- Request for Proposal (RFP) strategy, development, and evaluation
These types of gigs align with the skills I have at my 9-5.
Gigs that I’m interested in exploring:
- Helping with planners
- Beta reading
- Coaching
- Email management
- Proofreading
- Transcription
I enjoy these types of projects, so I’m hoping to expand after I get settled.
Why I Delayed Launching My Fiverr Profile
- ❌ No pictures. I didn’t have time to take pictures.
- ❌ Time constraints. I had a deadline at work and worked over the weekend.
- ❌ Indecisive on gigs. This took longer than I expected.
✅ Results: Narrowed down gigs and next action steps.
Time Management & Overcoming Overwhelm as a Busy Parent
Finding time to work on a side hustle isn’t as easy as I thought.
Tracking My Time: What I Learned About My Schedule
- I don’t have many hours during the work week to allocate towards a side hustle
- Morning hours work better for me (I’m a morning person)
- Evenings are difficult as I’m exhausted between house duties and the evening routine with my kids
Finding the Best Hours for Side Hustle Work
I will explore trying the “weekend warrior” approach to finding extra time. This may be challenging as that’s when I do most of my home-related tasks. I will give it a go and play around with moving things around.
Adjusting My Plan: Why I’m Delaying Fiverr Until After Spring Break
The next few weeks are packed with after-school activities for my kids and prepping for an upcoming Spring Break trip. I’ve decided to delay my Fiverr set-up until I get back and when I have more time to focus on it.
Moving Forward: Next Steps & Key Takeaways
My Goals for Next Week: Blogging, Freelancing, and Productivity
- The Blog: Work on creating a content cadence—I’d like to develop a consistent rhythm in how I plan, write, and publish blog posts to build momentum.
- Time Tracking: Be intentional about when I work on my blog by tracking my time and doing a time audit. This will help me identify extra pockets of time to maximize productivity.
- Freelancing Growth: Explore ways to refine my freelancing strategy, whether that’s optimizing my Fiverr profile, learning a new skill, or looking into other freelance options.
Lessons Learned: What I’d Do Differently Next Time
- Prioritizing the Blog First—Next time, I would start by focusing on building and growing my blog before jumping into Fiverr. This would give me a solid foundation and a clearer direction before offering services.
- Mastering Website Basics—I’d invest more time in learning how to build and manage a website from the start. Understanding the fundamentals would make the process smoother and more efficient.
- Creating a Clear Plan—I’d outline a step-by-step strategy for both my blog and Fiverr to avoid feeling overwhelmed. Setting goals and timelines would help me stay on track and make steady progress.
Share Your Journey!
- Have you ever started something new and felt overwhelmed by the details? How did you navigate it?
- What challenges did you face when starting a blog or researching freelancing?
- How do you balance learning a new skill with your daily responsibilities?
👉 Next Post: How did things progress in my third week (Week 10)? Let’s discover it together!
✨ Drop a comment below—I’d love to hear your journey and what’s working for you!
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