It’s no secret that we’ve been big supporters of the side hustle to keep your savings secure and your work life interesting. However, when you’re juggling a full-time job and a personal life, tossing in a side hustle can be a lot more challenging than anticipated, often times leading to disappointment when expectations aren’t met or burnout from working too much.
Whether it’s trying out some of those odd jobs out there, or freelancing to make some extra bucks, it’s important to understand the reality of taking on a side hustle. So, to kindly knock your expectations down a couple of pegs, we’ve got everything you need to know to keep them in check!
Your Side Gig Might Be “Below” Your Current Full-Time Role
In college, you may have worked an easy customer service job that provided you enough to cover all of your expenses, but, these days, you feel pretty great that you’ve graduated to a more traditional “professional” job. So, when it comes to adding a side gig to your schedule, you might be really adverse to going back to your old stomping grounds. The important factor to remember is that side hustles are just that… on the side. Taking on something like a weekend cashier gig shouldn’t be something to shudder at, but it should act as a fun and easy throwback to your earlier days in the workforce.
You May Have To Accept Lower Pay
When looking for a side hustle, it’s easy to have it in your head that, whatever you take on to earn extra cash, is going to be comparable to the hourly wage you’re currently getting at your daily 9-to-6. Unfortunately, whatever you decide to take on to boost your savings or cover an unexpected expense will likely look like a pay cut compared to what you’re used to. This doesn’t mean you should take a side gig that ends up taking advantage of you and compensates peanuts, but think of a realistic bottom line wage you’re willing to work, which will weed out the crap side gigs, and leave you with a pool of viable options.
Your Side Hustle May Bring Less Hours Than You Anticipated
It’s easy to have an idea in your head of how many hours you have available and are willing to dedicate to your new side gig. We all want to make as much as we can in the least amount of time possible, but, when taking on a side hustle, understand that limited availability may mean limited shifts and assignments. Employers want the absolute best work from who they hire, and will only give you what they think you can handle to do a top-notch job, making sure that everyone on staff has a fair amount of responsibility. The good news? If you do a job well done, it could lead to a full-time job that leaves you happier in your personal and professional life.
Making Time To Rest Is Necessary
OK, so you might be a workaholic, but there’s no way you can hold down multiple jobs if you aren’t figuring in some time for rest and relaxation. As we’ve told you plenty of times before, work-life balance is an essential part of happiness. Working hard isn’t a bad thing, but overworking yourself is. When managing your schedule, figure in time to focus on your personal life and recharge so that you don’t end up running yourself ragged.
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