Working full time while growing a business?

I did the same thing while I got my practice off the ground. It can be tough to prioritize and manage every aspect of the business while still leaving time for family, friends and other activities.

Are you struggling with this area? What are some of the ideas you've put in place to make sure you stay focused while still giving time in these other important areas?

Here are some of mine:

1. My wife and I sat down and took a realistic look at what would be required to get this going. As a captain with a large national airline, I wasn't working in my passion. We determined that it would likely take 1.5 years of sacrifice to grow the business while remaining full time. During that time we limited our functions (and our family time) in order to focus on what needed to be done. I'm all for putting family first, but unless we could grow quickly, my wife and I knew it wouldn't be effective. So we sacrificed for 18 months and I'll tell you, it was more than worth it. Often, I only had 1 day off per week, but I safeguarded it above everything else.
2. Prioritize. What do you really need to spend your time doing? What is the most important thing in your business right now? What is number two? Do them in that order.
   
3. Don't spend time hanging around the water cooler. Remain effective in your current job so you can finish your work early. If you have the ability, focus on growing your business with your new found time. Or work on it over your lunch break. Do whatever you can to focus and limit your time in the transition.
4. Surround yourself with others that can help you grow your business. My biggest supporter was my wife (and still is). You need people in your life that will give you encouragement and provide you with honest feedback.

What are your ideas?