Let’s be real. For most of us, having a single income just doesn’t suffice. Enter side hustles. While the motivation to start a side hustle may be financial, there are so many other upsides (aside from the extra cash). The Balance SMB shares that side hustles can also create career-changing opportunities, meaningful relationships and even new skills altogether!
While income rolling in from different places sounds great, having multiple streams of income also means multiple streams of work, too. And on top of your day job? Sounds scary. Don’t panic, you’re not alone. That’s why we’ve rounded up a list of the best practices to balance having both. Let’s get to it then!
1. Pursue a passion
First things first – want it, have a passion for it, love it! This may come as no surprise but having a side hustle has its own challenges. What will keep you going and motivated in trying times is finding genuine joy and fulfilment in it. So, consider exactly what it is that you enjoy doing and how you can monetise that activity.
“There are literally hundreds of ways to make money. But, if you look at some of the side hustlers who’ve made it big, it’s clear that many of them didn’t kick it off with an instant money-maker – it was a labour of love.” – Ondela Mlandu, GoHustle.
Here are 50 side hustle ideas to help get you started.
2. Dream big, set goals
Goals give your side hustle direction. The best thing to do when starting is to know where you want to go with your side hustle. In short, set clear goals. Determine how you plan on measuring your success; ask yourself: “What would success look like to me?”
Have a look at this SMART framework that can help you define and track your goals
3. Take advantage of technology
Technology is here to help. It’s here to make life easier and help you get more done in your day. Use it. You’re likely going to have a lot on your plate with a full-time job and side hustle.
Luckily, there’s a selection of software and tools that you can invest in to help you manage your time better and boost your productivity. With the right tools by your side, you have the power to:
- Connect with your team remotely – this means you don’t have to be in the same space or office to communicate and share the workload.
- Be more organised – let technology help you manage those aspects effectively so you’re always ahead of the game and can smoothly manage your main and side hustle with a little more ease.
- Share files – there are various tools that make collaboration easier. An absolute must-have for people who do collaborative work.
4. Keep your side hustle separate from your day job
It goes without saying that it’s not a good idea to mix your day job with your side hustle. Don’t let your side hustle get in the way of your day job. Some things you might want to keep in mind are:
- Know when the right time and place is to focus on your side hustle.
- Keep the two separate in every way possible.
- Work within your capabilities. Make sure you set personal limits and boundaries.
- Set aside some “me time.” Because there’s nothing worse than burning out and running on empty.
- Avoid offering the same service as your employer because that causes a conflict of interest.
- Lastly, remember to adhere to your employment contract.
5. Think ahead
Envision your future self. See yourself where you want to be and start working towards that version of you. Above all else, work, work, work! Remember that there is no shortcut to success, just the process. So, be prepared to put in the hard work and dedication to achieve the level of success you wish for in your side hustle.
Final thoughts…
Without a doubt, balancing a side hustle while having a full-time job is going to require commitment. It might even be a little difficult at times. But, the big takeaway here is this: it is totally doable. Finally, hustle hard and let the income roll!
