Building something of your own, one 15-minute pocket at a time.
Are you a mom with a side hustle?
Maybe, like me, you make glitter tumblers. Maybe you bake and sell sourdough loaves, create beautiful floral arrangements from your own garden, design handmade jewelry, or have a creative hobby you’ve been dreaming of turning into a business.
Whatever your passion might be, having a side hustle can be an incredibly rewarding experience.
It’s an opportunity to build something that’s yours. Something that allows you to be creative, pursue your interests, and develop an identity outside of simply being “Mom.”
Don’t get me wrong. Being a mom is one of the most important and rewarding jobs I’ll ever have. But that doesn’t mean motherhood has to be the only thing that defines us.
We can be mothers, wives, students, employees, business owners, and creative individuals. Sometimes all at once!
The problem?
Finding the time to do it all.
The Biggest Challenge Isn’t Always Money. It’s Time.
Between working, raising children, meal planning, grocery shopping, household responsibilities, school assignments, and everything else that fills our calendars, it’s easy to feel like there’s simply no time left for ourselves.
And when you’re already exhausted at the end of the day, the thought of spending another two or three hours working on a side business can feel overwhelming.
But here’s something I’ve been learning:
You don’t need hours of uninterrupted time to start building a successful side hustle.
Sometimes, 15 or 20 minutes is enough to make meaningful progress.
That doesn’t mean 15 minutes a day will magically turn your hobby into a full-time income. It means those small moments can help you build momentum, develop consistency, and move closer to your goals.
And when you’re a busy mom, consistency is often more valuable than an overly ambitious schedule you can’t maintain.
Finding a Schedule That Works for Your Family
Before my most recent work contract was terminated, I was balancing a regular job, motherhood, school, this blog, and my craft business.
My husband and I had both returned to school at the beginning of the year, which meant we were trying to manage our coursework on top of everything else.
As you can imagine, our schedules were pretty full.
Instead of simply deciding that I was going to spend several hours every evening working on my businesses, I sat down with my husband so we could figure out what would actually be realistic and fair for both of us.
We talked about our work schedules, school assignments, family responsibilities, and when each of us would need time to focus.
Ultimately, we decided that I would try to complete most of my schoolwork on the weekends while also setting aside some weekend time for this blog or my craft business.
When my temporary job started, I decided to take the fall semester off so I wouldn’t overwhelm myself. I’m planning to return for the spring semester when classes begin in January.
Sometimes managing everything means recognizing when you need to temporarily put something on hold.
And that’s okay.
Thankfully, my husband has Tuesdays through Thursdays off, and he’s finished his classes for his bachelor’s degree. That gives us a little more flexibility when it comes to sharing parenting responsibilities and finding time for my projects.
Of course, not every family has that kind of schedule or support.
The important thing is finding an arrangement that works for your household, rather than trying to copy someone else’s routine.
Learning to Recognize Your “Business Pockets”
One of the most useful things I’ve learned is to identify what I like to call my business pockets.
These are the small windows of time throughout the day when I can work on something related to my business without taking away from my family’s immediate needs.
And sometimes those pockets look a little different than I originally planned.
For example, I’m actually writing part of this blog post while my son is sleeping against my chest.
He woke up from a bad dream during his nap and needed some extra cuddles before falling back asleep.
So here we are.
He’s getting the comfort he needs, and I’m getting a little writing done.
Is this how I pictured my afternoon going?
Not exactly.
But that’s motherhood.
Sometimes your perfectly planned schedule turns into a toddler sleeping on you while you try to type with one hand.
And honestly, I wouldn’t trade those moments.
The key is figuring out which business tasks can be done while your children are nearby and which ones require dedicated, child-free time.
For me, writing blog posts, researching ideas, responding to messages, creating social media captions, and planning future projects are all things I can often do while caring for my son.
But my craft business is a little different.
Some tasks, like sketching designs or planning customer orders, can be done while he’s nearby.
Others absolutely cannot.
Not Every Business Task Is Toddler-Friendly
Let’s talk about epoxy.
I love making custom tumblers, but epoxy work isn’t something I can safely do while holding my son or wearing him in a carrier.
It requires a properly ventilated workspace, appropriate protective equipment, and a completely child-free environment.
That means I need to plan those projects for times when my husband or another trusted adult can supervise our son and I can work safely in a separate area.
Nap time isn’t automatically an opportunity to work with chemicals, either.
Today, for example, my son fell asleep in the Pack ‘n Play in my office.
I don’t have a baby monitor set up there, so I couldn’t simply leave him sleeping and go work somewhere else without making sure he had appropriate supervision.
And that’s an important reminder.
Not every available moment is an appropriate moment for every business task.
Sometimes the safest and most productive thing you can do is switch to a different activity.
Instead of working on tumblers, I can write this blog post.
Instead of pouring epoxy, I can plan designs, calculate material costs, or organize my upcoming orders.
The goal isn’t to squeeze work into every possible second.
It’s to make smart decisions about how to use the time you have.
Start With Two Days, Not Seven
When you’re excited about growing a side hustle, it’s tempting to create an ambitious schedule.
You might tell yourself:
“I’m going to spend 20 minutes working on my business every single day!”
And maybe that works for some people.
But for many busy moms, especially those balancing jobs, school, and young children, that kind of schedule can quickly become another source of stress.
So my advice is to start smaller.
Pick two days a week.
Maybe Mondays and Wednesdays.
Commit to just 15–20 minutes on each of those days.
That’s it.
During those sessions, focus on one specific task that moves your business forward.
You could photograph a product, write a social media post, research material prices, update your website, or respond to potential customers.
If you find yourself with extra time and energy, wonderful!
But don’t make that extra time an expectation.
Once those two weekly sessions become manageable, you can gradually add more time if your family schedule allows.
The goal is to create a routine that supports your business without making you feel like you’re failing every time life gets in the way.
Learning What Needs to Be Done and What Can Wait
Another important part of finding time for your side hustle is learning how to prioritize.
Not every task deserves the same amount of attention.
Some things have deadlines.
Others can wait.
For example, I recently received a commission order from a friend for six custom tumblers for her son’s football coaches.
The order needs to be completed by November 13.
That means it’s a priority.
I need to make sure I have the materials, finalize the designs, plan the production process, and leave enough time for curing, finishing, and checking each tumbler before delivery.
Thankfully, I use a quick-cast epoxy that has a manufacturer-listed setting time of approximately 6–10 hours, compared with the 24–48 hours associated with some other products.
I also have equipment that allows me to turn four tumblers at once.
That helps with production planning, although I still need to follow the product’s full cure instructions and allow enough time for safe handling and delivery.
Now compare that with writing a new blog post.
While publishing consistently is important, most of my blog posts don’t have a customer waiting for them by a specific deadline.
So if I need to choose between finishing a paid commission and publishing a new article, the customer order takes priority.
However, if I’m home alone with my son and can’t safely work on epoxy, writing a blog post might be the better use of that particular business pocket.
The most important task isn’t always the task you can do right now.
Sometimes productivity means working on the next safe, realistic thing until you’re able to tackle your bigger priority.
Don’t Confuse Being Busy With Being Productive
This is something I think a lot of us struggle with.
We feel like we need to be doing something constantly.
If we’re not working on our businesses, we feel guilty.
If we’re working on our businesses, we feel guilty that we’re not spending that time with our families.
And if we’re taking a break?
Well, sometimes we feel guilty about that too.
But being busy doesn’t necessarily mean you’re making progress.
You can spend an entire afternoon scrolling through social media looking for inspiration without accomplishing anything that actually helps your business grow.
Meanwhile, spending 15 focused minutes creating a product listing or responding to a customer inquiry could move you closer to making a sale.
That’s why I think it’s important to give each business pocket a purpose.
Instead of writing “work on my business” on your to-do list, write something specific.
“Photograph two finished tumblers.”
“Draft one Facebook post.”
“Update the pricing for my custom orders.”
“Outline my next blog post.”
Small, specific goals are easier to accomplish and much more satisfying to check off.
Remember That Rest Is Important Too
One thing I don’t want this post to suggest is that every free moment should become a work opportunity.
Because that’s a very quick way to burn yourself out.
You are allowed to sit down and enjoy a cup of coffee.
You are allowed to watch a television show with your husband.
You are allowed to spend your toddler’s entire nap doing absolutely nothing productive.
And you shouldn’t feel guilty about it.
Building a business is exciting, but it shouldn’t require sacrificing every moment of rest or family time.
Especially when you’re just starting out.
Your side hustle should add something meaningful to your life, not become another source of constant pressure.
Building Something One Small Step at a Time
My circumstances have changed now that my work contract has ended, and I’m hoping to devote more time to growing my businesses.
But that doesn’t mean the lessons I’ve learned about managing my time are any less important.
If anything, they’re becoming more valuable.
Because even though I have more flexibility in my work schedule, I’m still a mom.
I still have a toddler who needs me.
I still have household responsibilities, a marriage, and plans to return to school.
And I still need to remember that I can’t do everything at once.
So whether you’re working full-time, staying home with your children, going to school, or juggling a little bit of everything, I want you to remember this:
You don’t have to build your dream business overnight.
You don’t need a perfectly organized home, a flawless schedule, or three uninterrupted hours every evening.
You need a realistic plan, a little consistency, and the willingness to keep going even when things don’t happen exactly as expected.
Start with 15 minutes.
Start with two days a week.
Start with the skills and resources you already have.
And build from there.
Because sometimes the biggest dreams are built in the smallest pockets of time.
Are you a mom running a side hustle? I’d love to hear how you find time for your business. Share your favorite time-management tip, or tell me what kind of business you’re working on, in the comments below!
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