Having a side hustle is one path to financial freedom. Building a side hustle while working a full-time job is very tedious. You have an obligation to perform your duties at the job you are being paid for, so your side business comes after that. The balance is ensuring that it doesn't affect your job.
Here's how you do it:
1. Identify Your Daily Time Wasters
Even the busiest people in the world aren't busy 24/7. When someone says they are busy, they usually have free time in between that is spent on unproductive things. I'm not saying you shouldn't spend time with loved ones or do things that make you happy.
If you take a critical look at your schedule and the way you lead your life, you will identify some time wasted. You might see that you spend time doing things that do not add value to your life in any way. You have a side hustle you’re trying to grow, and you need to give it time.
This could be time spent with certain people having meaningless discussions that do not do you any good. It could also be time spent on activities that are unproductive. It's important to identify these because that time can be put to better use. You can use that time to nurture your side hustle instead.
2. Be Intentional About Scheduling Your Time
Your side hustle isn't going to create time for itself. Because it is important to you, you must create time for it. It might look like you're constantly busy, but as I said, you aren't busy 24/7.
You need to plan this ahead of time. The previous day, sit down and decide how your tomorrow is going to be. You have your job or business taking your time, but you can create space in between.
For some, this could be early in the morning before going to work. You could wake up earlier and devote some time to your side hustle before you start getting ready. For others, it could be late at night when you come back from the office and have rested.
Instead of going to bed straight away, devote an hour or two to your work. Those tasks aren't going to perform themselves. Whether you do it early or late, make sure you spend at least an hour doing something for your side hustle before the day runs out.
3. Outsource Specific Tasks to Others
There's only so much you can do. Since you have a full-time job or business, your time is limited. Instead of trying to do everything yourself, you should outsource some tasks.
The good thing about outsourcing is finding people who can do things very well. Some may even do those tasks better than you would. Stop trying to do everything alone because you need some help.
Take a look at your schedule and identify things you can comfortably delegate. If you insist on doing everything yourself with limited time, you are shooting yourself in the foot. The more you outsource, the faster you will move and the more work you will accomplish.
4. Utilize Waiting Periods for Small Tasks
Waiting periods are those moments when you are waiting to get somewhere or for someone to attend to you. For instance, if you're taking a bus or a ride to work, that is a waiting period. Instead of sitting there doing nothing, you could accomplish little tasks for your side hustle.
You could drop notes, send emails, make calls, or set up reminders. These little things count toward your progress. Often, these periods go to waste when they could be very instrumental.
When you're moving from point A to point B or waiting for a response, you shouldn't stay idle. Use that time for a quick text or a phone call. When you do that, you take it off your to-do list and are left with fewer tasks later.
5. Maximize Productivity During the Weekends
Most people don't go to work on weekends. Even if you work Saturdays, Sunday can be a very important day for you. You can use that time to develop and do a lot of work for your side hustle.
You want to relax and hang out with friends, and you should definitely have fun. I'm not saying you should work yourself to death or work around the clock. However, you need to take advantage of the weekends to do significant work.
If you continue to do this, you'll be surprised at the volume of work you accomplish in a month. By identifying time wasters, being intentional, outsourcing, and using waiting periods and weekends, you can grow your business.
Watch the YouTube video on How to Effectively Create More Time for Your Side Hustle While Working Full-Time