How to Find Time for a Side Hustle When You Work Full Time

Time for a side hustle can be difficult when you work full time.  Maybe you’re a parent, and you just don’t see how in the world you can squeeze in any extra time in a day.  That’s an issue I currently struggle with when it comes to my side hustles.  I work a full time job, I’m a mom and wife, and I also blog and sell on Ebay.  My days are long, the nights are short, and most days I don’t get it perfect.  However, I’ve managed to come up with a plan to help me somewhat balance it all.  These are the ways I find time for a side hustle or two:

How to Find Time for a Side Hustle When You Work Full Time

Chunking

When I make the time for a side hustle, breaking my time into chunks helps me work better.  For instance, on the weekends I do almost all of my blogging.  I find a couple of hours to write (usually mornings or late evenings are best for me) and I firmly keep my focus on the job and do as much as possible.   If I have an idea for a post, I’ll quickly draft a new post.  Listing ideas that don’t make sense helps and I come back to it later.  Using the note taking app on my phone helps if inspiration hits while on the go.  In any case, I use any chunk of time I can to get as much done as I can.  You may have to schedule smaller, more frequent chunks of time, but any little chunk of time is helpful.

Save small tasks for later

Maybe there is a small part of your side hustle that doesn’t have to be done immediately.  These things you can save for later.  A part of my blogging deals with sharing my posts across social media outlets.  To do this, I wait until evenings when I’m pretty much done with assisting my son with homework or cleaning up the kitchen and then I’ll share my posts to social media.  It takes less than five minutes and then I’m done.  The same goes for my Ebaying.  Packing up items to ship out usually doesn’t take much time.  I save that for evenings or right when I get off work and have a little time before I have to start supper.

Sacrifice

Yes, that’s the dreaded word most people hate hearing about when it comes to how to find time for a side hustle, but a side hustle is just that-work. I have blogged for 11 years now and I can remember many late nights of working on a post for a sponsor after I had put my son to bed.   This was after working all day at a job with a long commute both ways.  I was exhausted, but I was passionate about blogging.  Looking back, I don’t know how how I did it.   One thing I won’t compromise on is that after work, my sole responsibility of my time is to my family.  My son is a teen now and entertains himself, but it wasn’t always like that.  It’s hard when you have little ones or maybe you care for someone.  I just did the best I could.

Don’t be too hard on yourself

You have to be realistic when it comes to finding the time for a side hustle.  I have to make sure I keep my expectations in check when it comes to blogging and Ebaying.  When I’m offered a blog assignment, I have to look at the deadline and decide if it’s something I can deliver on time.  When it comes to Ebay, listing items on the weekends is better for me than trying to list items at night when I’m exhausted.  That’s where the chunking time on the weekends comes into play.  Yes, it’s so easy to get frustrated and feel like I should be doing more.  However,  I have to be realistic in that I work all day and I also have a household to run.

Progress, not perfection

Maybe you dream of quitting your job to be able to really do what you’re passionate about.  The fact that it feels like things are just going too slow is discouraging. Making time for a side hustle can be slow going.  I’ve watched other bloggers who started when I did turn their blogs into money-making machines and quit their day job and blog full time.  I’d absolutely love to be able to do that.  It’s hard when you feel like you will never get to that point.  However, deep down I know these people didn’t just walk into this perfect life.  I saw those other bloggers working their tails off to grow their blogs.  I’ve watched videos of some inspiring Ebay sellers who put in a huge amount of time sourcing, listing and promoting their auctions.  It all comes down to the sacrifice I mentioned above.  Just do something.  Even if it’s one thing!

Just Do It

Are these suggestions on how to find time for a side hustle right for everyone?  Probably not.  This is just what helps me to keep plugging along and try to keep things in a healthy perspective.  Do you have any tips for carving out more time for a side hustle?  If so, leave a comment and share it.