Having a full-time job is exhausting. And adding a side gig to your schedule means a little free time. But, it doesn’t have to be that way at all. You can find a balance between your full-time job and side hustle if you are well organized and you have strong time management skills.
In this article, we will talk about how you can start a side gig while working full-time. It takes as little as good balance.
Determine the “Why”
You need a good reason to start a second job or so-called a side gig. You need clear goals from the beginning, whether it is to improve your savings, get out of debt, pay your mortgage or expenses or build a business. Working 40 hours per week and a side hustle can exhaust you mentally and physically. It’s not easy to manage all of that and sometimes you might feel like giving up. Be aware that you’ll need to give up on your interests, hobbies, and free time to work on that second gig. There are a lot of ways to make money, so make sure your side gig is worth your time and energy.
Choose Something You Are Passionate About
There will be times when you will have a lot of free time on your hands and you’ll wish you had something to spend it on. Or have fun instead of working all the time. If you are convinced that you can and you need to start a side gig, make sure it’s something you are passionate about. Because it’s a lot easier when you do something you like instead of working just to earn that extra buck. Passion is important if you are starting a business since it will be harder to find success if you don’t enjoy your time spent building the business. It’s not always possible to get paid by following your passions, but sometimes these things do come true if you are persistent enough and fight for success.
Do Not Feel Overwhelmed
If all you want is just money, a side gig is a valid approach to do so. There is nothing wrong with earning extra money by doing side jobs and there are a lot of legitimate ways to do that. And for those who want to set up their own business, there are some factors you need to take into consideration. Often when people dive into the business world or want to start a side hustle, think they need to be the next Steve Jobs. No! The reality is you will fail many times before you find your place. And even if your side hustle is just a small business idea that needs to be realized, work on constant improvements instead of expecting overnight success.
Minimize Your Costs
Before you start working a second job, make sure there are little to no costs involved. If you need to spend more money instead of earning them, you are set up for failure. Do you want to launch a product or a service? Or do you want to take on freelance projects? You can use platforms like Fiverr, Upwork, and Freelancer to find small projects at the start, and then as you build your portfolio, you can book larger clients. Using such platforms has no costs, but for example on Upwork, after you spend your monthly connections, you will need to purchase new connections and bid for projects. However, it’s a small investment until you secure your first gig and get the first positive client review.
Make Sure You Have Enough Time
Starting a side hustle without having time won’t bring you any results. You’ll find yourself struggling to make time for the important stuff and you’ll feel overworked over time. Once you’ve found the right side gig, figure out how much time you can dedicate to it. And if you want your side gig to become the only source of income within time, commit more hours to pursue it. When you work two jobs, it might feel like there’s not enough time in the day to get things done. Organize your schedule and highlight your priorities.
Take Care
And most importantly, take care of yourself. Do not neglect your sleeping patterns and get as much quality sleep as you can. Find healthy ways to deal with stressful situations since working more can cause you more stress. Eat a nutritious diet and do not live off of fast and junk food. Neglecting your diet can lead to weight gain and other health issues. Lastly, do not put your main job at risk. Maybe someday your side gig will replace the main job, however, be careful to not do anything that will jeopardize your main source of income.
