How to Find the Energy to Side Hustle

Side hustling is no doubt my absolute favorite way to earn extra money. Not only does side hustling allow me to give myself a raise and diversify my income, but it also always me to embrace my creative side in a way that my day job doesn’t.

While there are so many side hustle ideas and strategies out there to choose from, some people who are on the fence about side hustling wonder about the time and energy commitment required to make it work.

The money does sound nice, but setting aside the time and the energy to work after you’ve already completed a full work day may not appeal to everyone. I spend about 15-20 extra hours per week on my side hustle and while I’ve been dedicated to waking up early, cutting out time sucks, and scheduling out my priorities, some days I still feel super tired physically.

But I’ve been doing this for 15 months now and lately, I feel like I have a good momentum going – so good, that I’m planning on juggling my full-time job and my side hustle for a few more months just so I can save more and become even more prepared to make the leap into self employment.

If a side hustle is more of a necessity for you as it will help you pay off debt, save more, meet your current monthly expenses, or just become more financially stable, here are a few things I do to muster up enough energy to work 7 days per week between both jobs and still keep my sanity.

Know When It’s Time to Go to Sleep

Sleep is very precious to me as it should be for everyone. It’s important to allow your body the proper amount of time to rest and decompress each night. For me personally, if I don’t get a good night of rest, I’m worthless in terms of productivity the following day.

Even though I wake up early, I try to organize my schedule so I can get to sleep by at least 10pm. If I happen to stay up later than that time, I always set my alarm clock to wake me up later so I still get an adequate amount of sleep.

Maximize your Natural Energy with the Time You Have Available

Everyone has that time of day where they feel naturally energized and motivated to work. Since my prime time is during the morning, I try to tackle my most difficult tasks early in the day when my energy level is highest.

Lately, I’ve been really good at doing this and I’ve been finishing up tons of freelance work before I even make it to my day job at 8am. It feels great to have the bulk of my work completed early in the day so I don’t have to force myself to become energized to do work that may become a mental strain later in the day.

If you’re not a morning person, I’d recommend hashing out all your work during the evening when you feel spurts of energy. Maybe even a cup of coffee would help at this time. Also, having a side hustle that’s flexible gives you a lot of control over your situation. If you are tired one evening or just don’t feel productive, skip working for the night and start fresh in the morning or alternate working during some mornings and some evenings during the week to match your energy levels.

Do Work That Fuels Your Creative Mind

The type of work you do can also affect the energy and motivation you have to get it done. With so many side hustle options out there, don’t feel the need to choose something that everyone else is having success with if you really don’t like it. Trust me, you won’t be motivated to do the work and motivation can fuel your energy level.

For example, I chose freelance writing as my leading side hustle because the work I do makes me feel inspired and creative. I’m proud of myself when I knock out a really good post and I’m excited to write about topics I enjoy and truly care about.

For example, I’m writing this particular post at 4:30 pm which is a time when I usually reach my productivity slump for the day. However, when I thought about covering this topic, I immediately felt like my energy revived itself because I’m usually excited to express myself through blogging and freelance writing.

Eat Great Food

Not just food that tastes great….eat food that is good for you as well. Your diet plays a huge role on your health and the type of energy you have throughout the day. Staying away from caffeine and sugary drinks helps me most.

Instead, I choose to eat foods with natural sugars and flavors like fresh fruit and yogurt. Choosing light and fresh foods and snacks to eat throughout the day won’t weigh you down and eat away at your energy. Woman’s Day reports that some of the most energizing foods include:

• Brown Rice
• Sweet Potato
• Apples
• Bananas
• Spinach
• Almonds
• Salmon
• Yogurt

 

Take Naps when Possible

This is another secret of mine. Naps aren’t just for kids. Despite how busy my schedule is, most weekends, I try to squeeze in time for an energy boosting nap rather than power through a work session that I start to resent.

I set my alarm to wake me up in about 90 minutes, then I knock out some more work and continue enjoying my night. Depending on your schedule, see when you can squeeze a nap in even if it’s just once a week.

Switch Up Your Location

Speaking of naps, doing work with the same surroundings day in and day out can become a snooze fest. If your side hustle is location independent, you can switch up your work location by working outside if the weather is nice or heading to your local library or favorite coffee shop.

A change of scenery can do wonders and since my ‘office’ is in my bedroom, it’s great to work out in public among other people and feed off their energy as well. Plus, I won’t have the temptation to walk five steps across the room and hop into bed instead 🙂