A few days ago, Debt Roundup writer Kayla, asked whether or not having a side hustle is really worth it. One of the challenges of a side gig is the time commitment required to get it going and sustain it. Many people aren’t willing to sacrifice any of their time to building up a side gig because they think they’re busy enough and can’t possibly find the time without eliminating something else they love.
But what if you could find a whole chunk of time every day to focus on developing a side gig and making more money in the process? Here are some tips to do just that.
Conduct a Time Audit
Try this exercise for a week or so: track your time for seven days and keep track of what you’re doing. Take a good hard look at where your time is going and I bet you’ll find all sorts of time to devote to a new venture. You don’t have to track it to the minute, but use a watch or clock to help you keep track of what you’re actually doing throughout the day.
Get Organized
Is your house a cluttered mess and you have trouble finding anything? A little organization can go a long way. If you keep everything in its place you’ll waste less time digging through drawers, cabinets, or the garage when you need something.
Turn Off the TV
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics American Time Use Survey, the average person spends almost three hours per day watching television. If your television habits are similar to those represented in the study, you can easily find yourself some free time every day just by switching off the TV for a while.
Use Your Lunch Hour
Building up a side gig when you are already working a full time can be a real challenge. There are only so many hours in the day and time spent working and commuting takes up a third or more of your day. So why not take a bit of that time back and use your lunch break to work on your side gig? Just be careful to check your employer’s policy about using company resources before conducting side work on their computers or phones.
You don’t want to get a call or email from HR telling you they know what you’ve been doing on the side. That could push you into the unemployment line really quick.
Focus
One of the keys to building a successful side business while working full time is to maximize your time so you are as productive as possible. The 80/20 rule (also known as the Pareto Principle) states that 20 percent of your efforts produce 80 percent of the results. Learn to recognize which is your most effective 20 percent and double down by putting even more effort into those tasks while dropping the time-killing tasks that are only slowing you down.
Eliminate Distractions
Another key to staying focused and getting the most out of your time is to minimize distractions so you can concentrate on your work. Having a dedicated work space is absolutely vital and so is a door with a lock to keep out the kids. Your family needs to know that your side gig is important and that you need some quiet time to work on it. Of course, you need to make time for the family too!
How do you find time to side hustle and make more money?
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I’ve found that setting aside specific time each day for a side gig (for me it is my blog) has been the most helpful. In my mind, I know that from 7-8pm I am going to be working on the blog. The rest of the time I spend is then because of efficiency’s I’ve created through improving my productivity in other areas that help free up time.
The biggest problem I’ve run into is still trying to balance family life and working a full time job along with trying to start a blog. This is the main reason I implemented the 8pm cutoff time. Once it hits 8, work is done for the day.
Having a good time management is definitely one of the keys to have a time for a side gig. Before, I was really addicted to social media, especially on FB, but now I tried to control it and spend my time on my work and how to make more money.
I love the idea of a time audit! I know that too much of my time goes to mindless TV, but seeing some real data on that would surely be inspirational. I’m still working on how to fit blogging into my schedule. There never seems to be enough time!
On weekends (until Football starts back) I usually work from 9am until 1pm with the TV off. I am able to focus and knock out at least 2 articles per day.
These are great tips! I’m always looking for ways to make money on the side but it is definitely a struggle to find the time. I’d love to have a set schedule for blogging so that I’m not dependent on knocking it all out on my days off.
My husband has a great side gig and he finds the time to do it because he loves doing it. He’d rather be programming than watching TV or going out to lunch anyway. He’s a little crazy, I know, but he’s lucky to have found a passion that can generate such significant income.
A very awesome post Mike,
We all have the same equal time but it all depends on how we use it. The main difference between super productive people and less productive people is actually where their time goes.
If you really want to get lots of task covered with minimal time and efforts then you should learn how to manage your time effectively.
Like you mentioned, having your TV turned ON while working can bring a bunch of distraction to you so, why not turn it off? Its better to get rid of anything that will be a distraction to you once you’re serious about getting things done.
Thanks for sharing.