How I'm Building My Business While Working 9-5
The Full Routine
Hey friend👋🏻
You know that feeling when you get home from work, promising yourself you'll finally work on that business idea, only to end up watching Netflix until midnight? Yeah, I've been there too.
For months, I'd spend entire evenings doing absolutely nothing productive, then beat myself up the next day for lacking "ambition." Sound familiar?
So I decided to change my approach. I stopped trying to be productive when I was already mentally exhausted.
Let’s do the Math
Let's get real about time for a second. We get 24 hours daily:
8 hours of sleep
8 hours at work
8 hours for literally everything else (commuting, eating, family time, gym... and somehow building your dream life)
Those 8 remaining hours? They're not all created equal. Most of them, you're running on empty.
But there's a window of opportunity most people completely ignore.
The 5:30 AM Game Changer
I wake up at 5:30 AM with one goal: get to my desk as fast as humanly possible.
My morning routine is brutally efficient:
Wake up → bathroom → shower → work clothes → desk
A glass of warm salt water
5-minute meditation
Start working by 6 AM
Total time: 25-30 minutes max.
From 6-8 AM, those two hours are sacred. Phone away, zero distractions, deep work only. This is when I write scripts, brainstorm ideas, work on business strategy - anything requiring serious mental firepower.
Here's the kicker: I was never a morning person. I was the guy who'd set 15 alarms and ignore every single one.
But I asked myself one brutal question: Why can I wake up for my job no matter how tired I am, but not for my own goals?
So I treated my side hustle like a job. If I don't show up, I'm "fired." Sounds dramatic, but it works.
Why Your Brain is 40% Sharper in the Morning
This isn't just willpower - there's actual science here. Your brain is 40% more focused in the first 90 minutes after waking up.
I've tried evening work sessions. They suck. You're tired, hungry, and way more likely to skip altogether. But those morning hours? Sometimes I write so well I'm genuinely surprised at what I created.
The phone rule: No phone for the first three hours after waking up. Your brain is in "wet cement mode" - whatever you pour into it first sets permanently.
Think about it: the people you admire aren't superheroes. They're just awake and using their peak mental state instead of scrolling Instagram.
One intentional hour daily = 365 hours yearly. That's 15 full days of self-mastery while others binge Netflix.
My Full Daily System
After Morning Session (8 AM):
Breakfast while reading
5-minute commute to work
Regular 9-5 job
After Work (5 PM):
Straight to gym (workout clothes always in the car)
30-45 minute high-intensity workout
Dinner while watching a podcast, show or anything fun
Critical rule: As soon as dinner ends, the screen goes off
Shower
30-60 minutes of "shallow work" (editing, thumbnails, admin stuff)
Write tomorrow's tasks
Short walk to wind down
In bed by 8:30 with a book
Asleep by 9:30
Weekends:
Wake up at 6:30 AM
2-hour deep work session
Social time/sports (badminton for me)
Another 2-hour work session
Brain is fried after that - only shallow work allowed
Sunday: video recording + meal prep for the week + prepare for the week ahead
The Brutal Truth About Sacrifice
Here's what nobody talks about: you're going to have to give things up.
I made a list of everything that takes my time. Then I decided what I could sacrifice vs. what's non-negotiable.
What I sacrifice:
Late-night parties
Drinking every weekend
Video games
Different meals every day (meal prep instead)
What I refuse to sacrifice:
Gym time
Time with my girlfriend
Future family time
There's no right answer here. But you need to be honest about what you're willing to give up and what you're not.
The Productivity Trap That Nearly Killed My Progress
Here's a painful lesson: productive procrastination.
I'd watch endless YouTube tutorials about "making better content," obsessing over details 99% of my audience would never notice. I convinced myself I needed more information, but really I was just avoiding the scary part - actually creating.
The truth: As a YouTuber, I need to do four things: write, record, edit, publish. Everything else is 2% improvement noise I don't have time for.
Whatever your side hustle is, strip it down to the core actions. Then apply the "Hell Yeah or No" rule - if something doesn't excite you, just say no.
Finding Time in the Cracks
Look, this might sound like hustle culture, and honestly, it kind of is. But this is what it takes in the early years.
I find time everywhere:
Brainstorm ideas during commute
Test video titles while waiting in line
Take calls while walking
Every successful person I know hustled hard early on. I haven't seen anyone become extremely successful working just a few hours daily when starting out.
We're choosing our sacrifices. The speed of reaching our goals depends on how much we're willing to put in.
The Compound Effect
The next 5 years are coming whether we do this or not. We can either build our future or watch others live the life we wish we had.
After 90 days of consistent early rising, something shifts. We develop "main character energy" - we start seeing ourselves as someone who controls their future instead of someone life happens to.
The key to everything we want isn't some expensive course or motivational video. It's our alarm clock. It's choosing between 9 minutes of extra sleep or gaining a future that could be ours.
The reality check: It takes three days to set your body clock. After that, it gets easier.
My alarm is set for tomorrow morning. The question is: what are you willing to sacrifice today for the person you want to become tomorrow?
What's your biggest challenge with time management while building something on the side? Hit reply and let me know - I read every single response.
And after that, do something today that your future self will thank you for.
Thanks for reading,
Shashank