It’s been about two weeks since I resumed working for someone other than myself. For the past two years, I focused my efforts on building my entrepreneurial projects as a writer, consultant, and leadership coach. In December of 2017, I began to feel a need to get back in the classroom. I decided to apply for academic jobs aligned with my doctoral degree in Policy Studies in Urban Education, and eight months later I accepted an offer as an Assistant Professor of Education.
The transition from full-time business owner to an employee has been difficult. I no longer have complete control of my schedule between the hours of 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM. There are occasions when I need to attend meetings and conduct classroom observations that require two or more hours of undivided attention. When I make it home, I must fulfill my responsibilities as a husband and father which necessitates an extra boost of energy after a long day in the office. I am experiencing the life of a working man trying to do his best to manage responsibilities.
On most days, I leave home at 7:30 AM and return at about 6:30 PM. Between the hours of 6:30 PM – 9:00 PM, I aim to spend as much mindful time with my wife and kids. This schedule involves limiting my use of social media, not checking email, having dinner together, completing a Spanish lesson, and reading the children a book before they go to bed. As an entrepreneur who worked from home, my flexible schedule integrated well with family time and self-care. Working as a full-time employee and entrepreneur is a different story.
At the end of each day, I take a moment to reflect, highlight my triumphs, and make plans for tomorrow’s improvements. I complete this analysis in my journal on many evenings and occasionally in my head. It's important to make time for consistent self-reflection to consider what's working in your life and to contemplate any adjustments to experience growth.
For the past year, I have dedicated time to writing for several publications. You can find my articles on Entrepreneur, Thrive Global, Addicted2Success, and my weekly column at The Good Men Project. While I am grateful and appreciative to share on these platforms, I do not receive any monetary payments for this work. They offer brand exposure and some opportunities to create income via links to products and services; however, these publications do not pay their writers. I have continued to make contributions to these spaces because I understand the impact of my words and I respect the vision of the companies mentioned above.
My responsibilities as a working man have empowered me to be more cognizant of the time required to write for platforms that do not hold a policy of paying contributors.
With my current schedule, I am unable to exercise in the morning. The first two hours of my day I dedicate to making progress on my second book under contract, and after work, I go to the gym, spend time with my family, and complete business-related tasks. This schedule leaves limited availability for additional work not aligned with the growth of my business, personal relationships, or other tangible benefits.
I have decided to make a pivot in how I use my time. While I am grateful for serving as a weekly columnist for the past year and working with an incredible editor, I will no longer contribute as a weekly columnist on The Good Men Project after August 19th. You can continue to follow my work by joining the email list on my site, reading my blog, or following me on social media.
I continue to respect the mission of The Good Men Project, Thrive Global, Entrepreneur, and Addicted2Success, so there will be additional occasions when I submit articles for publication. My priorities at this point must include investing in familial responsibilities, finishing my second book, continuing my efforts to take care of my health, identifying more strategic business opportunities, and working to make a significant impact in the lives I serve at the university where I am employed.
As you begin this week, I want you to re-evaluate how you use your time. Explore my course for strategies in time management, finding internal motivation, and identifying priorities.
* A version of this post appeared on my weekly column at The Good Men Project