e are a community of motivated entrepreneurs. We embrace hard work and our aim is to turn our passions into enjoyable and lucrative side gigs aka side hustles. We start businesses, we chase our passion projects and we know the journey is equally as rewarding as the destination.
If this sounds like you, keep reading as I have some helpful advice that will help you turn your idea into a reality.
First. it's important to realize and remember the reason you are taking on a side hustle or starting your business. It should be to improve your life; to add purpose, creativity and more financial freedom. However, it is critical to ensure you don’t burn out as creating a successful side hustle will take time, dedication and perseverance.
The road to success will not be a straight line. There will be ups and downs and it will be your passion that will keep you going. While on this journey it’s also important that you keep a healthy balance to your life.
It is easy to get consumed by a new business. However, that is a road to burn out. Spending time with family, friends, and practicing self care while you grow your side hustle will contribute to its success not detract from it, Let’s get into the details of how to accomplish these things.
Discover Your Limits
To avoid burnout, you have to discover your limits. What does it feel and look like when you are crossing your burnout threshold. You may stop enjoying something you used to love when burnout starts to sink in so you need to be sure to give yourself realistic deadlines and goals.
It is also vital that you take time to do other things you enjoy and not let your side hustle consume you. You will be more successful and creative if you let yourself take breaks and step away to recharge. Everyone has different limits for burnout so discover yours and be sure to listen to your mind and body when it creeps in.
Go outside in nature, hang out with friends and family and most importantly don’t return to your work until your passion and excitement returns. Slow and steady is the best way to achieve success.
Review Your Perspective
What is important to you? Too often the things that stress us out aren’t that important to us. But when we lose perspective of what is important, we allow everything and anything to push us to our limits. Think of the things in our life that stress you out and how you can either reduce the time spent on those things or cut them out completely.
This may require making changes to how you spend your time or with whom you spent it with. Inevitably you will have to do things that aren’t so enjoyable but if we mix in things to help reduce stress throughout the day, we are starting at a better place to endure the stressful things in a more manageable way. Exercise, meditation, reading a book or even listening to your favorite song can help lower stress levels and change your entire mood.
If you aren’t clear about what it is that stresses you out I recommend you keep a journal for a few weeks. Write down how you feel after doing tasks or after being around people in your life. Look back at your list and see where you can make changes and what you can add more of to keep your stress in check.
Be graceful and forgiving towards yourself
Everyone makes mistakes and has setbacks. Learn from those things and move on. Dwelling on them wont do anything but keep you stuck in a negative mindset. Treat and talk to yourself like you would your best friend.
Try this exercise - Go look at yourself in the mirror. What is the first thing you thought or said? If it was negative you need to start changing how you talk to yourself. A negative tape running through your head all day can really impact your ability to succeed.
Celebrate the Small wins
Celebrate the victories you have no matter how big or small. It is hard to stay on track if you just focus on the end result. You need to be able to enjoy the process and acknowledge your progress. You will know you are passionate about what you are doing when you are able to enjoy the journey and not just the rewards at the end.
Think about an artist drawing a picture or a writer writing a book. They will feel great when they can sell the final product and make some money or get some notoriety but the majority of their time will be spent getting to the final product. If you aren’t enjoying the journey and you find that you are unable to do that, you may need to find a new side hustle that you are truly passionate about.
Keep your eye on the target
Set both short term and long term goals to stay motivated. Give yourself weekly goals or even daily goals if that helps keep you going. Set deadlines that are workable with your life and be proud of yourself when you accomplish them. Hold yourself accountable to meeting those goals and reward yourself when you do.
A reward can be something as simple as watching your favorite show or getting takeout from your favorite restaurant for dinner. We so often only focus on our setbacks and overlook our progress. Make a habit of focusing on the positive. This will help you in every facet of your life.
Be Kind
Learning how to be kind to yourself and live a balanced life is a skill and takes time to develop and master. As you work to get better there may be times you fall short, know that is to be expected and it will be ok. Just keep going. You can always start fresh tomorrow.
In summary, it’s important to recognize what you are passionate about and then figure out a way to turn that passion into a side hustle. You will also need to find a good balance and ways to reduce stress to avoid burnout. Investing in a balanced life will position you for success and keep stress at bay. Finally, remember to be graceful, forgiving and kind to yourself. Celebrate the victories big and small, set goals for yourself and just keep going.
