How to Prioritize Your Side Hustle
For those of you who have ever tried to manage a side hustle with a full time job, you know very well that it can feel like you're living a double life.
I did what they tell you to do. I quit my job, joined a month long yoga intensive, found my bliss and set off on a path to learn how to make a living doing what I love. I started a freelance business as a gateway to working for myself while developing my name and blog on the side. I gave up weekends, created a killer morning routine and devoted most of my free time to building an audience, designing content and growing my brand.
I've come a long way over the years. I've ditched the cubicle and chosen a bolder path. If you follow my personal channels on social media, you may get the impression that I spend all my time prancing around in yoga pants, taking selfies on the beach and having the time of my life. That's a huge lifestyle advantage of working for yourself, but not the whole truth.
For one, because I chose to leave the stability of having a consistent paycheck, I've accumulated quite a bit of debt over the past few years. There wasn't exactly a handbook available after I took the leap from salaried life to self employment, so I made my share of mistakes (and probably your share, too).
Another challenge to working for yourself is that juggling priorities becomes tricky. Although I've had full control over my schedule over the past several years, my personal brand has always taken a back seat to my client business. When you're doing your best to manage passion projects with the pressures of every day reality, you make practical decisions that end up setting you back in the long run.
The big question is, how do people do it? How do you manage a side hustle with a full time job? How do you make the transition from whatever you're doing now to making a living doing what you love?Here's the answer: prioritize. Make your side hustle a priority. Schedule time for focused work. Watch a little less Netflix, make social sacrifices and power through your exhaustion. Put your passion projects on your calendar and block off days for the stuff that matters most to you. Time management is all about logistics. Put your dreams on your schedule.
Right now you may be but a tiny sprout in a world that's beaming with goal getters, big thinking visionaries and dream makers. Put in the work, and your side hustle will blossom. Little by little the most progress is made.