How to Find Time For Your Side Hustle
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links.
Anyone that starts a new side hustle has the same concern. How do you find time for your side hustle?
I have always been entrepreneurial and starting a business is so exciting and all consuming. When I start something, I tend to put my whole self into it. However, I’m also a mom of two. I’ve learned quickly that it is difficult to put your whole self into anything as a mother. You are pulled in a million different directions which can leave you feeling defeated and ineffective.
Luckily, I have figured out a way that I can have both a successful career and be an engaged and present mother.
Here are four strategies that you can use to find time for your side hustle as a busy working mom
#1. The Parent Split-Shift
I’m a huge advocate for the “parent split-shift”. If you haven’t heard of the parent split-shift before, it is essentially working during the day, taking off a bit early in the afternoon to spend time with your kids, and then plugging back into my side hustle when the kids go to bed.
This is how it works in my house- I work until about 4 or 5 pm and then head home to spend some quality time with my kids. During this time I am able to be fully present and focus solely on them. Quality over quantity. I am able to get dinner ready, take them to the park, give them their baths and put them to bed. Then after bed time, I am able to plug back in and get more accomplished.
The key to this strategy is making sure that you stop working at a reasonable hour both in the afternoon and evening. Otherwise, you run the risk of burning out.
#2. Side Hustle Focus Day
I strongly believe you need to take action on your side hustle every day in order for it to be successful. If that is difficult to commit to, dedicate one day a week to your side hustle. It could be a day during the week where you arrange childcare for your kids after school or you can pick a weekend day where your spouse can handle the kids for the day. Whatever works best for you and your family.
If you are able, try to keep your “side hustle day” consistent so you can and your family can plan for it accordingly. Make sure that you have a to-do list for this day consisting of tasks that will bring the most value to your business. Start with the items that will bring you the most money and work only off of that list. This will ensure that you are maximizing productivity during this time.
#3. Side-Hustle Sprint
Another highly effective strategy for fitting in your side hustle is the side hustle sprint. If you just can’t seem to find a larger chunk of time, schedule your side hustle in 20-minute increments throughout the week. If you are intentional and focused, you can accomplish a TON in a short amount of time.
At the beginning of the week, take a look at your schedule and identify times when you can schedule some side hustle time in. It could be in the morning before the kids wake up, at nap-time, when your spouse gets home from work, or whenever you can find it!
Before your side hustle sprint, identify 1-2 items that you want to accomplish. Be realistic with yourself, you don’t want to set yourself up to fail. For example, you likely won’t be able to write a complete blog post in 20 minutes. You can, however, write an outline and the intro. If you can’t accomplish the whole task in 20 minutes, you can break up the task into several increments. In this example, you can spend your next sprint writing the body of the post. Little blocks of time add up quickly! Block this time on your calendar and write down exactly what you should be doing during this time.
#4. Side Hustle Vacation
I discovered this technique when I was in grad school. When I would try to study for finals at home, I found that I was too distracted to really concentrate. I would sit down to study and then the next thing I knew, I was reorganizing the garage. The weekend before finals each semester, I would book a hotel room for the weekend and basically hole up and study for 48 hours straight. It was amazingly productive.
I know it’s hard to get away from your home and family, however, try to do this for yourself from time to time. A side hustle vacation affords you the opportunity to get away from the day-to-day and truly focus on your side hustle. This is a great approach for things that really require your focus or things that you may have been putting off for a while.
While I miss my kids immensely during this time, I always come back feeling refreshed and accomplished and a much better mom!
With all of these strategies, it is important that you are being kind to yourself and carve out regular “me” time. Otherwise, you run the risk of damaging your relationship and health . It’s the whole “put the oxygen mask on yourself before others” thing. Your cup has to be full before you can pour it for others.
You need to take care of your self before you can take care of others.
Tell us! what tips do you find time for your side hustle? Leave a comment below.
Check out Darling CEO on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter.
Other posts you may enjoy:
- How to Balance Work & Kids (Without Going Completely Insane)
- Work from Home with Kids
- Working from Home: Keep your Toddlers Entertained
Shop this post:
I really enjoyed your opening at the beginning of the post. I think it is good to give insite to why you are writing the post.
These are some great tips for mom’s that work! I am SAHM so I use nap time and bed time as my time to get stuff done.
I love the aesthetic of your page. These tips are great. I am not a mom, but I do have to fit the “side hustle” into the regular hustle. Doing so much is challenging but the side hustle is so much fun!
I’m not a parent but my life is pretty busy, these tips definitely helped
I love this! Especially the side hustle vacation – I think I’m going to book a side hustle retreat for me and my Salty Mama partner asap 😉
Great tips! Easy to read and very clean!
Sincerely these are some good tips for moms… I hope to be one soon
Oh, great tips for sure! I love the idea of a side vacation… seems like a good idea for many busy workers!
I love my side hustle vacations, they are a great opportunity to recharge and get a lot accomplished. They should be a recurring item on our calendars!
I love this! This post was so important cor me because I’m constantly trying to juggle too much! I’m a single mother, so im currently in tne stages of figuring iut how to manage my work, side projects, and children effectively. Thank you for these tips!
You are a supermom! I don’t know how single mothers do it, you deserve some kind of award. I think it is a constant struggle and it takes practice to figure out what works best. Keep up the awesome work, Mama!
This is the most common question I get on my blog. How do I schedule my side hustle? I have 40 work hours a week; I put aside 20 hours for client work, and the other 20 hours for my pet projects. I am a believer in making a plan, and consciously sticking to it.
Yes, a plan is critical! You save so much time in execution if you are intentional and deliberate with your time. Thanks for reading and great job on growing your business!
The last point is so important and is so neglected! We need to make time for selfcare and looking after ourselves else it’s pointless!
Yes, it can be so easy to put ourselves last. Taking care of ourselves makes us more productive, healthy, and happy for everyone else. Thanks for reading!
Focusday which is i like to preferred the most as a sidehustle.
Some great tips! I made Monday as my off-day instead so I can do some extra side hustle!
My hustling is 24/7. It never stops. Never.
Absolutely!
Nice tips
Some great tips here, thanks so much!
So many people say they just don’t have time for a side hustle but if you really want it, you will find the time! These are great tips!
Absolutely. Time is the only common denominator- we all have the same exact amount. We have the same amount of time that people like Bill Gates and Oprah have. The difference is how we allocate that time. Thank you so much for reading and for your service. You are superwoman!
These are definitely a great list of tips for working mom’s. I am gonna refer this to some of them I know. Going to inspire them for sure.. 🙂 Thanks for sharing
I love the idea of a side hustle vacation!!
I am not a mum personally but I think it relates to even people like me. Managing a blog or business when you have other priorities but you have given pratical suggestions like the side hustle sprint.
Absolutely! It is hard whenever you are juggling multiple priorities. Thanks so much for reading and awesome job on your side hustle!
I am still trying to find the right combination and now I have a few more excellent ideas to try.
If you figure it out, let me know. I feel like the right combination is a moving target. 🙂 Thanks so much for reading!
I love these, thank you for these great tips! 🙂
Elisabet | http://www.fashionpoetry.eu
Yes! These are great tips while side hustling! Especially those split shifts
Split shifts are key. Thank you so much for reading!
I am a mom that does a lot of my side hustle at night too! In the day time I manage to fit in some time on my lunch hour. You are right about writing daily goals. I notice that if I do not write down a daily “to do” list then I will be all over the place.
Me too! When I don’t write down goals I am all over the place and I feel so unproductive (even if I did accomplish a lot). Great job on working on your side hustle, it is tough work but so worth it!
Dedicating one day a week for side hustle works for me. It’s one day to focus on my tasks so that I have the rest of the week for other stuff. 😊
Awesome blog!
Thanks for the tips. I am always doing something on the side. Sometimes when I feel like money is getting tight, i realize it because I have stopped doing anything extra.
Though I’m not a mom, I totally understand most of this!! The hustle of a working full time college student can be so demanding and draining! Thank you for the tips to keep hustling along at life!!
Absolutely, these tips apply to anyone that is busy. I remember my college days feeling like I was being pulled in a million directions. Keep up the awesome work and thank you for reading!
Not a mom yet, but these will definitely help me on my side hustle… thank you for sharing 🙂
Thanks for reading!
Good tips definitely will try them!
Your side hustle strategies are awesome! I often struggle with applying the baseline rule, “take care of self first,” but it always feels good when I do.
Yes, it does feel good. I am a much better spouse/employee/mother/friend/etc. when I spend a little time on myself. Thank you for reading!
I’m not a parent, but I’m still pretty busy, so I enjoyed these tips! If often find myself doing what you call the “side hustle sprint.” Thanks for sharing!
These are some great tips!! I’m not a mommy yet, but, I could definitely implement some of these into my routine!
Thank you so much for reading! I really appreciate and I am glad you found them helpful!
I needed to see this today!
I know you did! 🙂 Thanks for reading.
These are all really excellent tips! I appreciate the dedication of the one day to the side hustle as well as the acknowledgement that sometimes there just isn’t that time so it’s more of a sprint!
Thanks so much, I’m glad you enjoyed them! Thank you for reading!
I love the idea of taking a side-hustle vacation or a study vac. I think I may do that this fall when I’m in grad school.
Ahh, it is one of my favorite times of the year. So relaxing and productive. Let me know how it goes if you decide to do it! Thanks for reading.
Haha I love this. So need to work on getting another side hustle.
Thanks so much! xoxo
I myself am finding it hard to side hustle . I’m not even a mom! I just have a busy job of the busy life .
This post spoke to my life. Gotta try the side hustle vaca. I’m here for it!
Awesome! Thank you so much for reading 🙂
I enjoyed reading your tips, I also am trying to balance a regular hustle, kids and a fiance who lives 30 minutes away. I try to squeeze in time when I can but I think if I use some of your tips I might actually be more productive.
Your plate is full Mama! Keep up the awesome work, but make sure you are getting some time for you. Thank you so much for reading.
Simple and useful tips, but this will also help dads who are in similar situation.. 🙂
Absolutely! Can’t leave the awesome dads 🙂 Thank you so much for reading!
I love Number 1! I usually spend the whole day with my little ones and once their dad gets home and settled is when I let him take over so I can focus fully on my work. Plus there’s this super cute coffee shop around my house I love escaping to so I can work
How awesome. The best of both worlds! And all is well in the world in quaint coffee shops. Swoon! Thank you for reading!
Great tips! I have been working on the 20 minute power drives. But I can see that I need to arrange one day to focus solely on tasks and lists. Thanks for the insight!
I have found that it works really well for me. Thay way I can place my focus elsewhere the rest of the week. I can relax a bit more. Thank you for reading and keep up the great work!
I absolutely love these tips!
Awesome, thank you!
Great post! As I have my first child and stop working for the first time, I will need to figure out my side hustle, so these tips are super helpful!
Congratulations! You will do great, just take it one day at a time. Thank you for reading!
I’m currently a side-hustle-sprint gal, but after reading this, I’m going to look into becoming a Side Hustle Focus Day person. As my business is growing, it may be time to work this out!
It is really just trial and error to find your groove. Keep up the awesome work. Thank you for reading!
I am very happy to know that I am not the only one in this. Hustling is such a skill! 🙂
I simply love your tips! My kids are teenagers, so I am side hustling against my full time job, but your tips apply there too. Thanks!
This are so helpful for a new blogger. Thanks!
I love the idea of parent split shift!
I am such a night owl so I see, to always get more done after everyone’s gone to bed anyways!
I’m definitely going to try out #4. It is actually an idea I had to finish writing my novel from last years National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). But I could do it a little more often for my blog business too!
I seriously love all your tips! I already practice a few of them but I will totally be adding the rest!
I’m all about the Side- Hustle. As a Mom myself I try and do it all. I am the bread winner and love it but someday’s I’m winning others I’m surviving!
Love this! I’m not a mom yet but I appreciate this post and love the tips you gave about pursuing the side hustle! I think that’s super important
They are tips that can apply to anyone. Thanks so much for reading! 🙂
Love this!!!! Thank you!
Thanks so much! I’m glad you liked it!