6 Tips for Balancing a Successful Side Hustle
Q: I’d love advice on balancing my photography side hustle while maintaining an 8-to-5 job. How do you keep your head in the game? How do you manage your company’s perception of your devotion when you’re (likely) openly marketing your side hustle online?
A: You are not alone. Today, 36 percent of people in the United States are participating in the YouEconomy while holding a full-time job. It’s rewarding but can be a tall order, especially when you add family obligations on top.
To keep your side hustle progressing without burnout, I’ve found two practices are essential:
1. Leverage your time.
You’re already stretched thin, so explore systems that could help you earn more money from your photography biz without investing more time, such as selling products online, outsourcing tasks, or providing group training on common pain points for your clients. The idea is to escape the time-for-money trade off with systems that produce revenue you can then reinvest in the business to keep it growing. If your goal is to quit your full-time job eventually, then more money in less time is the path to freedom.
2. Take time off to just think.
This feels counterintuitive when you’re insanely booked and everyone needs something from you. But if you don’t step back, think, consider, plan, and evaluate, you won’t move forward. If you can’t take a full day off for a strategy and creative session, then block off three hours one evening. Leave the phone outside the room, grab paper and pen, and see what bubbles up. You’ll be surprised at how many answers you already have within you.
Related: How to Be an Entrepreneur Without Quitting Your Day Job
When it comes to maintaining your standing at work, try these steps:
STEP 1
First, make sure your side hustle is allowed. Some companies have strict policies against them or require you to disclose outside income.
STEP 2
Talk to your boss. Make sure you have a sit-down to explain your side hustle and show there’s no conflict of interest.
STEP 3
Treat your job like an investor. Your paycheck is funding your side hustle right now. That’s a big deal if your side hustle is your dream job. So show the 8-to-5 folks the respect an investor deserves by making sure they’re happy with your work.
STEP 4
Market your passion. As long as you’re focusing, doing the work, and showing respect to your full-time job, marketing your passion project shouldn’t be a deal-breaker. But keep talk of your growing business to yourself.
Happy Snapping!
This article originally appeared in the Spring 2019 issue of SUCCESS magazine.
The post 6 Tips for Balancing a Successful Side Hustle appeared first on SUCCESS.
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