Most bloggers have a day job and use blogging as a side-hustle. It’s me, I’m ‘most bloggers’. Truth of the matter, as lucrative as blogging CAN BE, the most diligent of us are making up to $1000 extra month. Now, I’m not going to scoff at the number, but I can’t pay all my bills with free clothes and a couple dollars in my PayPal.
However, there’s nothing wrong with having a day job and a side-hustle. Yahoo Finance reported that “nearly HALF of all Americans have a side-hustle that includes driving a car share services, odd job apps, and freelance work.” The way the economy is set up, with less people retiring, many of us will have some sort of ‘job’ well into our 80’s. Why not make your side-hustle something you are passionate about?
Can you be successful at your day job and your side hustle?
That’s the question that plagued me when I realized I was really, really, really good at this social media world. I’d been blogging for almost six years and realized that I could teach people to do this. HOWEVER, would this take away from the passion I have for non-profit engagement and higher education? It’s less about your skill set and more about time.
Having a side-hustle that isn’t as profitable as your day job will leave you daydreaming about running away from the desk. Luckily, for me, many of my day-jobs allowed me to steal away to take photos, write blog posts, and create social media teaching curriculums. The more comfortable I became with having a side-hustle, the more I amplified my transferable skills. For example, I write LOTS of case-notes that have to be concise and informative . . . just like a Instagram caption!
The key to being successful at your day job and your side-hustle is to use time to enhance skills that can be used in both places.
Don’t feel bad if you’re known more for one than the other
I worked in non-profit management for almost 16 years. I sat on various boards and even was on the mayor’s youth council. I’ll tell you, those board members didn’t know that I was ALSO the most successful Nashville Fashion Blog for 2008! LOL! They didn’t care. And the same way you didn’t know that I sat on the mayor’s youth council for several years until I typed this post – is how people felt about my blogging. It happens. Having a successful side-hustle and a day job makes you feel like you are living a double life!
Don’t feel weird about about being known in various crowds. Know that you are putting in WORK in both worlds. As a blogger, those worlds may cross – and that’s OK! Many want to keep their blogging career under wraps while trying to be known in their niche fields. Girl, stop! Let it flourish! Of course, be careful what you post making the most time for the job that pays your bills.
Time Management is your best friend
Someone asked me how many hours I spend on my side-hustle (blogging and digital strategy). I told them about 18 hours a week. Those hours are spent shooting pictures, working on client proposals, writing posts, or research why INSTAGRAM is acting the fool. In 2019, I realized I needed to be VERY strategic about how I spend time on my side-hustle. I was overworked and under-paid.
Remember, blogging doesn’t yield very much money for most bloggers, but yields LOTS of influence. I was burnt-out. So, I scaled back, said NO more often, and found a happy medium. Time management became my best friend and I became more profitable.
Same thing with my day job. Getting to work LATE because I was up writing a blog post was not the move. I had to be faithful to my commitments. I’d committed to working at my desk too and giving my boss a proper eight hours. Mentally, I felt better keeping it real with myself.
When is it time to turn your side-hustle into your ONLY HUSTLE?
Remember, your DAY JOB is the FIRST investment into your side-hustle. When your side hustle pays your bills PLUS half then it’s time to leave. Yes. That’s the answer. Until that time comes, day job money pays for equipment, events, outfits, website development, and anything else needed to make you side-hustle more lucrative.
So you make $60,000 at your day job? Then your side hustle should be earning $90,000! Seriously, turning a side-hustle into a full-time job requires you to be able to pay for your own health insurance, life insurance, keep a hefty savings, and an emergency account. If you have a partner, you may be able to step out a bit earlier, but if you are single, I would advise using the equation above.
Finding passion in the balance
Initially, I started this conversation on my Instagram page. After responding to your comments I realized I’d found my PASSION in the balance. True, using blogging & digital strategy as my side-hustle allowed me to add to my income, become influential in my city, and become a stylish thought leader in the digital space. It took some time and will take YOU time to find your balance.
Some months you’ll kill one job harder than the other. Some days you’ll be so tired. But when you finish that side-hustle project that brings you JOY and helps you chosen demographic, you’ll realize it was all worth it. Oh yeah, and you’ll be one step closer to living your dream life!
Fab Glance | Style & Strategy 