Is it possible to manage a side hustle with a full-time job? The answer is absolutely, yes! With a little planning and organization, you can easily incorporate a side hustle into your schedule – without losing your mind.
If you’re not sure what a side hustle is, they are jobs that you do outside of your primary day job. There are some fun benefits to having a business on the side. They can allow you to pursue other passions and interests, earn extra cash, gain new experiences, and much more.
Side businesses often require a significant commitment to really get it going. I have been managing my own part-time side hustles in addition to a full-time job for years. At first, it was overwhelming, but then I found a way to balance it all. My side hustles include this blog (shetakesfive.com), and career coaching which is an extension of what I do as my full-time job in corporate recruitment.
To be honest, I enjoy the combination. My favorite part of having a side hustle is the ability to express myself creatively, learn new skills, and also to help people through my coaching in a way that is incredibly rewarding. Secondly, I like the consistency of my paycheck, plus the ability to make a little side cash (although I end up investing quite a bit back into my site).
Over the last few years, my life has continued to get more complicated. I am a working mother who also has other creative interests that make me happy. When you are passionate enough about something you still manage to find a way. My goal has always been to have side hustles but without burning out. I don’t want to live a life where it’s all work and no play.
How To Manage a Side Hustle With a Full-Time Job
Today I’m sharing all the practical strategies I’ve learned while managing side hustles with a full-time job:
Land a Remote or Hybrid Job
When it comes to managing a side hustle with a full-time job, landing a flexible work arrangement is incredibly helpful. Many people waste precious hours commuting to work every day when that time can be used to support other income streams.
Landing a fully remote role is ideal but working in a hybrid model is also helpful. Those extra hours a few days a week, when you don’t have to travel, can be spent on your side hustle. On days when your meetings end early and your work is done, you don’t have to sit around until 5 pm pretending to be busy. Instead, you can use that time to build up your other businesses. Maximizing your time during the work week is everything!
Schedule Time for Your Side Hustle
It’s important to manage your time efficiently and put a schedule in place each week. Just because you have the time, doesn’t mean you are using it productively. Block time on your calendar when you can commit to working on your side hustle. It’s helpful to identify what tasks you want to tackle in advance as well so you don’t waste time thinking about what to do next.
Not only is time management important, but I find it helpful to choose a time when you are naturally energized. This helps to speed up the process. If you try to tackle a task while you are exhausted and have no brain power left, it’s going to take significantly longer to accomplish what you want to do and to do it well.
Minimize Distractions
Minimize and eliminate distractions as much as possible. Stay focused by shutting off your phone, silencing your notifications, finding a quiet place to work, etc. Side hustles often require some learning curve, and it’s easy to turn to procrastinate scrolling through Instagram instead of focusing on your tasks. The less distractions, the faster you can get your tasks done and relax.
Set Realistic Goals and Expectations
Create balance with your full-time job by setting realistic goals and expectations with your side hustle. It can take time to learn a new skill, or build up a client base. When you begin making unrealistic goals, you are forced to work around the clock in an attempt to reach them. Working around the clock doesn’t guarantee you’re going to make money faster. It leads to exhaustion and burnout.
Here are a few examples of goals you could set:
“I am going to record 1 podcast a week”
“I am going to watch 3 YouTube videos to learn more about SEO”
“I am going to create an Upwork account and apply to 5 projects this month.”
Commit to Learning
The more you commit to learning, the easier things become, and the more efficiently you can work. This makes the whole balancing a regular job with a side business much easier. My favorite easy ways to educate myself is to read books on things I don’t know much about, watch YouTube tutorials, or listen to podcast interviews with people who have successfully done things I aspire to do. Even researching free tools (i.e. Grammarly) that can help speed up tasks. I love looking back to see how I have sped up my process through learning.
Outsource or Hire Help
There is always the option to outsource or hire help. Some side hustles like dog walking are fairly straightforward. There are a lot of apps you can join to advertise your services. Let’s say you wanted to sell homemade soaps. You likely need to source ingredients, come up with a brand name, launch a website and social media, build an email list, run ads, and maybe sell into local stores. That’s a lot of tasks to be responsible for. Some might come easier to you than others. Instead of stressing out and spending countless hours trying to do it all alone, you could explore outsourcing certain tasks.
Virtual assistants are an affordable option. They can help with things like social media, sales emails, and much more. If tech isn’t your thing, you could find a cheap web designer to build you a basic website that you can improve over time. Alternatively, you can also hire help to assist you in your personal life to free up time for your hustle. Hiring house cleaners, meal delivery services, etc.
Hiring help of any kind is your friend. You gain back extra time so you can still maintain your day job. If you’re serious about growing your side hustle, consider exploring affordable resources to help you get things off the ground.
Schedule Time to Relax
Last, but not least, as a side hustler, you need to schedule time to relax. If you spend every second of free time working on your projects you are going to burn out. If you’re burned out, you are not going to be able to fully show up to your primary job or your hustle. It’s better to commit a few hours a week to your part-time work than to work every free second you have. If you don’t make time to take care of yourself, you won’t be successful at either job.
Successful side hustles take time, dedication, and commitment. With a little planning and organization, it’s possible to create a schedule that allows for you to slowly grow your business. These tips should help you to not only successfully manage a side hustle with your full-time job but also to have time left over to enjoy life.
