Michelle Schroeder-Gardner started her personal finance blog Making Sense of Cents in 2011 to document her journey towards becoming debt-free. Within a few years, she was making enough money to quit her 9-to-5 job and be debt-free while also generating passive income from her blog. Her business now generates about $40,000 a month in passive income, and she spends just two hours a day on it.
Michelle advises that to work less, one should batch tasks and automate processes. She batches similar tasks together, such as writing blog articles, to avoid multitasking, which can be distracting. Automation such as scheduling newsletters and social media posts allows her to focus on other tasks. Michelle’s newsletter with over 130,000 email subscribers generates ad revenue and promotes her courses and affiliate products.
To work fewer hours, Michelle suggests delegating tasks to others. She hires freelancers for tasks she is not an expert in, such as graphic design and video editing, and has a part-time editor and virtual assistant to help with minor tasks.
When starting a business, Michelle recommends diversifying income streams, focusing on passive income as much as possible, and building at least two streams to avoid dependence on just one. Michelle generates passive income from affiliate marketing, banner ads, and online courses. By planning and diversifying income streams, one can create a flexible and fulfilling workweek.