In this post, you will learn a few tips on finding time to create your online course. I hear so often people saying that they'd love to create their own course, but they don't have the time. They'll start just as soon as...and then outcome all the different reasons why they think they can't start.

This post will help remove that reason or excuse that's holding you back and challenge your thinking around time and what's possible.

 To download this post and read it offline, click here.

The image below is not suggesting for one minute that you reduce the time you spend with your children. It's just to remind those of you with children that you have a harder job than most because, as you'll no doubt know, babies and children take up an enormous amount of your attention and time. So the tips on how to find time for you will be critical.

You Can Find the Time

Believe it or not, you do have the time. We all have the same amount of time, and nobody will give you any more of it. So it's not really about how much time you have. It's about how you use that time and prioritise what you do when you are awake.

For instance, if I said that I would pay you £1000 for an hour of your time, you would likely stop doing whatever is you are doing right now and give me an hour of your time.

Suppose you say that I don't have the time to write a course and I offer you £5000 to write the content for it and that it will take you a day. I bet you'd find the time to complete the task. In both cases, where did the time come from?

I never gave you the time. You said you didn't have the time, but then miraculously, it was found. So, where did it come from? This time you said you never had?

When we say we don't have the time, what we really mean is, "I don't see this as a priority over the other things that I have already to do in my day." When we reframe it like that, we are honest with ourselves, and it gives us a chance to revisit our priorities and where we, in fact, can move things around and reassess our priorities. Then and only then will we have the time to create our online course, e-book or another project.

The 9 Ways to Find the Time to Create Your Course

Here are 9 ways that you can find the time to create your course.

1. Make it a 'Must Have', not just a 'Nice to Have.'

Assess whether creating your own online fashion course, serving others and making extra income is nice to have' or a 'must-have.'

There are so many things in our lives that would be nice to have or nice to do or nice to learn, but they aren't being achieved because we haven't made them a priority.

So on a list of 0 - 10, where is creating an online course for you? Let 10 represent you don't want to die without making a course, and 0 is deep down you know you'll never do it. How do you score? Unless you are 5 or above, you may as well stop reading this post because you're never going to make it happen.

2. Limit the Number of Projects You Have

Many people are great initiators but poor completion or finishers. They love the excitement and energy that comes from starting new projects, the energy that flows in the creative process of mapping everything out. Still, as soon as the time comes to start doing some of the tedious stuff, their interest in the project fizzles out. They then look for another project to get back the kick that comes from starting all over again.

If this sounds like you, then revisit all your projects, assess them on a scale of 0 - 10 and then drop those less than a 5 or finish them off and get them out of the way. Please don't start any course planning work until you have assessed your current projects, or it won't be easy to find time to create your course.

3. Make a Public Statement and  Be Held Accountable

When I commit to someone, things get done. When I tell a client that we will have a proposal to them by a certain deadline, it always happens by then.

Going public and letting the world know that we will commit to delivering something increases our commitment and follow through to ensure we make it happen.

Do the same for your online course. Tell your friends and family that you will have your first course completed within 30 days, and then mark the date in your diary. Next, sit down and make a plan for all the necessary project stages. For each stage of your plan, write down:

1. What needs to be done.
2. How long it will take you.
3. When it will be completed by.
4. How you will do it and.

You will find that by going public and then creating a mini-project plan, you will already have made a big step toward and will find time to create your online course.

4. To Find Time, Block off Chunks in Your Diary

Now that you have your plan with how long things will take and when you will get things done, block out chunks of time in your diary to make it happen. This means going into your own diary and blocking out chunks of time for you. Create an appointment with yourself. You'll be amazed at how you'll be able to find time for creating your online course as you begin to reassess the priorities you have and how you are spending your time.

5. Keep Your First Course to Entry Level

Be realistic and give yourself a chance actually to complete your first course without getting overwhelmed. Depending upon your skill level, it's possible to complete your course within 30 days or less, but only if you start with an entry-level course. So don't bite off more than you can chew in one sitting. Please keep it simple and get it done.

6. Make Creating Your Online Course Super Focussed

Have you ever noticed how much more efficient you are at shopping if you go into the store with the exact list of items you need?

Three things result for me when I do this. I spend less, I only get what I came to the store for, and I don't get distracted.

Please do the same with your course creation activities, as it's a great way to find the time.  Your project plan will give you the tasks you need to do each day or week. So when you set out to follow that plan, remain focused on each task and don't get sidetracked. If you only have 30 minutes to complete a task, then remind yourself that's what you came to do. That way, you spend less time; only do what you are supposed to do and don't get distracted by other tasks.

7. Watch Out for the Course Creation Time Stealers

Even if you have never created an online course before, you'll recognise this time stealers.

• Times when you have a quick meeting for coffee that ends up lasting longer than you anticipated.
• Online shopping ends up taking you all over different sites.
• "I'll just watch one more episode" becomes binge-watching TV series.
• Playing games on your phone or tablet.
• Alcohol after 8 pm makes you feel sleepy and not wanting to get off the sofa.

These are what I call the classic everyday distractions that eat up our time. Check how much of your week is taken by these little monsters, and you'll find you have enough time to start creating your course.

To stop these and other distractions, be mindful of what you are doing and whether you could spend your time doing something more productive,  such as creating your online course. If you get interrupted by family and friends, let them know and get their commitment to keeping their distractions to a minimum. Tell them you are trying to find time to create your online course.

8. Reward Yourself for Progress Made on Creating Your Course

As you make progress on your course, give yourself some rewards for achieving certain milestones. These can be little treats and indulgences that recognise your achievements and the focus and efforts you have put into creating your course. These will not create time for you themselves, but they will encourage you to continue and to remain focused and manage your time better overall.

9. Get up 30 minutes Earlier Each Morning

OK, this last one comes with a word of caution. Only get up 30 minutes earlier each morning if you already have a sufficient sleep.  According to the National Sleep Foundation, the recommended hours of sleep for a healthy adult aged between 24 and 64 is 7 - 9 hours. So unless you are getting enough sleep, don't go making things worse by sleeping less. However, if you can claw back another 30 minutes per day by waking up earlier by the same amount. This is a guaranteed time you can win. The same goes for lazy days on weekends. Would it really hurt if you reduced your lie by 30 minutes? 

Summary

I hope that helps. If you follow my suggestions, you will find the time to create your online fashion course no matter your subject or your field of expertise.

Here's a quick recap of the 9 ways to find time to create your online course.

1. Make it a 'Must Have', not just a 'Nice to Have'.
2. Limit the Number of Projects You Have.
3. Make a Public Statement and Be Held Accountable.
4. To Find Time, Block off Chunks in Your Diary.
5. Keep Your First Course to Entry Level.
6. Make Creating Your Online Course Super Focussed.
7. Watch Out for the Course Creation Time Stealers.
8. Reward Yourself for Progress Made on Creating Your Course.
9. Get up 30 minutes Earlier Each Morning.

Getting Started

To help you get started in creating your first online course, take our short course "How to PLAN Your Online Fashion Course Effectively" it will give you everything you need for the first phase of course development, PLANNING. To get instant access, click the button below.

Cheryl Gregory is the Founder of The Fashion Student Hub, a marketplace for selling online fashion courses. We Teach Fashion teaching fashion subject experts how to create and promote their own online courses, generate revenue and serve the growing need for online education in the fashion sector.