How To Balance Your Side Hustle and 9-5

With the rise of the gig economy and a growing entrepreneurial spirit, more and more individuals are exploring the world of side hustles - those passion projects, freelance gigs, or small businesses that fuel their interests and potentially supplement some additional income.

In this article we will dive deep into the strategies and techniques that will help you strike the delicate balance between your primary job and your

. We will explore time management, productivity hacks, and mindset shifts that can transform the juggling of both your full time job and side hustle. 

Arrive Early To Your 9-5

By skipping the early morning traffic and arriving at work early can be a great way to balance your side hustle and 9-5. Many people struggle to work from home as they find it difficult to get into a work mindset. By arriving at work let's say an hour early you are able to skip traffic and work on your side hustle for an hour in a professional space with no distractions. Even if this is all the work you do on your side hustle an hour a day adds up and is a great way to make good progress on your side hustle. 

Make The Most Of Your Commute

If you take a train or bus to work then this time could also be used to progress your side hustle. If you're on a long commute bring your laptop and work on your side hustle, answer emails or take on other personal development jobs. If it's a short commute or you're driving why not try listening to an informative podcast in your side hustle subject. This way you can turn your short commute into time for personal growth and development. 

Wake Up Earlier And Stay Up Later

You only have 24 hours in a day and your 9-5 takes up a big chunk of that time. This is why getting into a routine of staying up later and waking up earlier can be very useful. By staying up later it allows you to be able to work on your side hustle after work and still provide you with some time for hobbies or simply some time to unwind. Waking up earlier can also provide you with more time to work on your side hustle. By waking up early and working on your side hustle, not only do you get to work on your side project more but it can also allow you more free time on a night when you have already done some of the work necessary. It is important to remember however that sleep and personal time are also very important and should not be fully sacrificed for your side hustle. 

Use Your Lunch Breaks

If you want to multitask and get the bulk of your work done before arriving home from work, then using your lunch break can also be very beneficial. By getting your work done in the morning or while at work, it provides you with more time at night to do other things outside of work. Your lunch break can be a great time to do work, as you will typically have an hour to relax so why not use this time to do some work and relax once in your own home. 

Take Advantage of Your Weekends

Weekends are a side hustlers dream as they provide you with 2 days where you can do whatever you want. Like we said earlier it's important to prioritize time with family, doing hobbies and so on. However this time can be shared amongst enjoyable activities and building your side hustle. Even if you allocate 2 hours in a morning to your side hustle that provides you with 4 hours of time you were able to workand you are still able to enjoy your entire weekend. 

Plan and Organize Your Tasks

Working a 9-5 and building a side hustle can be very time consuming and hard to navigate especially with the added pressure of everyday chores and jobs. This is why planning and organizing your day with to-do lists and so on can be very helpful. By figuring out times for when you will cook, exercise, clean and so on you can fall into a routine which can allow you to be productive and not get overwhelmed by tasks. 

Start Meal Prepping

Food is a necessity, but a necessity which can waste a lot of time if not prepared properly. Making food every night can take time and deciding what to eat can notoriously take even longer. By scheduling your food and preparing it at the start of the week you can save time and use that time on more productive or enjoyable pastimes. This ties back into organizing the time around your side hustle as well!

Remember To Rest

As we have mentioned earlier, personal time is very important. Wrestling with your 9-5, side hustle and other responsibilities can be exhausting and therefore leaving time for yourself is crucial. Make sure to leave time for hobbies, family, friends and downtime to rest. Without this time for yourself you could burn out and lose passion for your side hustle or the output of your work both in your full-time job and side hustle could decrease. These are all outcomes we want to avoid so make sure to give yourself some time off. 

Summary

We hope this article has been effective in providing you with some tips for how you can balance your 9-5 with your side hustle going forward. A side hustle can be great for taking a step closer to financial freedom and security however managing one with your full-time employment and other responsibilities can be difficult.