I ventured into the world of side hustles by accident. I’d always write for magazines and blogs on the side from a young age, while juggling my full-time job working in retail or studying at university.

I didn’t see this as a side hustle, mainly because I wasn’t getting paid, but also because it was something I’d always been doing.

Fast forward, and I now have a full-time job and two side hustles (freelance journalist and freelance comms associate for a PR agency). I’ve also taken on a passion project, Career Girl Collective, an online community that educates and empowers young women writers. I love the fact that each role I take on gives me the opportunity to explore different versions of myself, my creativity and my desire to help others.

It’s always interesting to hear people’s reactions when I list off my side hustles. They rarely ever assume that I just like what I do. It’s either I’m overworked, on the verge of a breakdown or that I’m being forced to take on many different jobs due to capitalism or, more recently, the cost of living crisis.

Juggling a full-time job and side hustles can be challenging at times, but I always prioritise my mental health. Not only this, but contrary to popular belief, I still find the time to go out with my friends, take myself on solo dates, and binge watch the Netflix series just like everybody else.

A recent study conducted by GoDaddy and the University of Kent revealed that more Brits have turned to side hustles to earn some extra cash since the start of the pandemic. If you’re one of these people considering starting a side hustle, it’s important to ensure that your mental health isn’t compromised. Here’s how.

Have a solid morning routine

If you’re not a morning person, this will be one you’ll struggle with.

This isn’t the part where I insist you get up at 4am every day and have an intense morning routine.

Nor will I reinforce the toxic ‘work 24/7’ culture that implies that sleep is some kind of reward, only deserving to those who work hard. But, I will say that having a solid morning routine sets your mood for the rest of the day.

‘Blending a full-time job and side hustle means your mornings need to work extra hard for you,’ says Jenny Stallard, founder of Freelance Feels, an online community for self-employed.

‘It might be a case of getting up early, to use that first hour or so before the “real job” starts.

‘Consider your short and long-term goals when it comes to the morning, too. Is there scope for journaling, or emailing potential new contacts so that, while you head into your day job, your side-hustle is working for you at the same time?

‘Getting ahead of the day means you’re one step closer to your business dreams.’

Sort out your time management skills 

Being able to prioritise and manage your workload efficiently is one of the top skills required of anyone who wants to pursue a side hustle. This requires you to be highly organised, but you also need to be realistic about how many tasks you can complete in one day to make sure you’re not overexerting yourself.

When I first started my side hustle, I had a look through my week and worked out how long specific tasks took me to do. Once this was done, I organised my day efficiently, assuring that I delegated enough time on my calendar to each task.

Get some fresh air and exercise 

I try to go for a little walk every day, and even though I usually end up at my local Starbucks at the end, my mind is at ease when I’m walking. I’ve also come up with some of my best ideas while walking. By the time I come back from my walk, I feel re-energised and ready to get on with the rest of my day.

‘Walking helps improve creativity, promoting more freely flowing thoughts,’ says body-oriented therapist Nicola Vanlint.

‘Fresh air provides an increased level of oxygen circulating into our blood, slowing down heart rate and lowering blood pressure. Our brains also benefit from more oxygen supply. Facilitating the release of serotonin, the feel-good hormone associated with increased energy levels, happiness and mood stabilisation.’

Know when it’s time to rest 

When I first started as a freelance journalist, I made the mistake of thinking that I needed to work 24/7. This eventually lead to me burning out. I became snappy with everyone, I was hardly eating, tired all the time and I even started to hate writing.

This taught me a very valuable lesson, listen to your body. When it’s time to rest, do just that – rest.

‘I know it can be incredibly easy to fall into the trap of neglecting relaxation when working, but these are vital, particularly in avoiding burnout,’ BACP accredited psychotherapist Heidi Soholt tells us. ‘Symptoms like fatigue, procrastination or increased irritability can mean it’s time to take stock.

‘It can be helpful to assess your life in terms of four key areas – physical care, achievement, connection with others and enjoyment.

‘Is one being prioritised? Ignored? Finding a way of including each in your day is key to achieving a healthy work/life balance.’

Your side hustle toolkit:

Few things get you in the mood for a new project like buying yourself some new kit. Blame that old tradition of getting a new pencil case in September.

If you want to buy some bits for your side hustle goals, here are a couple we recommend.

Pomodoro timer

The pomodoro technique really does work to help you get stuff done. Pick up a physical timer so you can hide away your phone and avoid distraction.

Buy for £14.59

Groov-e light curve touch control FM radio alarm clock 

To help with those all-important early starts.

Buy for £31.99

GirlGo Planner Pro Schedule

Ignore the name, this is for everyone. Feel free to ignore the slightly cheesy stickers, too.

The key thing here is the hour-by-hour planner, which helps you to stay on top of your day. That’s essential if you’re trying to do more than one job.

Buy for £21.99

A.P.C No. 2 green jasmine-scented candle

When you’re working from home and not sticking to a traditional 9 to 5, it’s easy to let work and life blur into one big mess.

So try this trick: light a candle when you’re working, then when it’s time to finish for the day, blow it out.

Sounds small, but it’s a little mental marker of when the work day is done and dusted.

Buy for £50

How To Start A Side Hustle

For anyone pondering taking the leap, there’s a book for that.

Buy for £10

Loop

A handy massage tool for easing back pain – essential if you’re going to be at your desk for hours on end.

Buy for £25

This fact box contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on purchases made through one of these links but this never influences our experts’ opinions. Products are tested and reviewed independently of commercial initiatives.

Do you have a story to share?

Get in touch by emailing [email protected].

Source: Read Full Article