Taking on a side gig in addition to your regular 9-5 job can also be demanding on your time. Without proper time management, you may find yourself burned out trying to balance your job, side hustle, and personal life. Block out specific hours each day or week when you will devote your energy solely to your side gig. It prevents your side hustle from bleeding into time reserved for your day job or personal activities. Calendar appointments with yourself to work on your business during your designated side hustle time blocks.
Have dedicated workspaces
It also helps to have dedicated workspaces for your side hustle, ideally separate from your main job workspace. This physical distinction helps you mentally switch gears between your job and side gig. Your side hustle area should be organized and free of distractions to keep you focused and efficient during your allotted work blocks. Knowing what to work on during your dedicated tips to start a side hustle time will maximize your productivity. Before each work session, take a few minutes to identify and prioritize the two or three most important tasks that will move your business forward. Focus on completing those crucial tasks first before moving on to less pressing items. Leaving a session with your top priorities accomplished will give you motivation to continue.
Work in focused sprints
Time management expert Julie Morgenstern recommends working in focused 30-minute or 60-minute sprints, with short 5-10-minute breaks in between. Set a timer to work in these productive yet manageable bursts of activity. The sense of accomplishment from completing sprints can propel you forward. Meetings and emails consume valuable time you could spend working on revenue-generating tasks. Try to limit meetings with clients or collaborators to only essential discussions that require face-to-face communication. For other logistics, rely on email or messaging. Also, set boundaries on not responding to emails during your side hustle work blocks. Checking emails constantly interrupts your focus. Batch respond to messages during a designated time outside your work sprints.
Track your time
Apps allow you to track how much time you’re spending on different tasks. It reveals opportunities to improve your efficiency. Identify when your productive hours are and what your biggest time sinks are. With this data, block off more time for the tasks that give you the most energy and results. Then find ways to reduce time spent on energy-draining activities. Consider any tasks that someone else could potentially do for you, like virtual assistants, freelancers, agencies, or apps. Outsourcing tedious or specialized tasks allows you to devote your limited time to projects that require your expertise and creativity. It’s also worth exploring tools and apps that automate parts of your business to save you time, such as scheduling, bookkeeping, social media scheduling, email marketing, and more.
Maintain work-life balance
While side hustles require hard work, don’t let your business dominate your whole life. Use your schedule to continue blocking off time for hobbies, relationships, health, and relaxation. Burnout will only damage your business in the long run. Sticking to your designated work hours also shows family and friends that your side gig will not take over your life. Limit working nights and weekends to occasional essential pushes like launching a new product.