Anyone who has a side hustle, a job freelancing on the side, knows the deal. Many daydream about walking away from full-time work and writing full time. At other times, when everyone is heading home for the night and you’re still picking up Uber passengers, you may start thinking the side gig isn’t worth the trouble. You may be bored, or you may be exhausted working a second job. Don’t give up! These two great tips can help you get your mojo back, keep on freelancing, and avoid burnout.
Think Big (If You Love What You Do – It’s More Fun This Way)
Cash is always welcome but most people keep with it because of the satisfaction they get from the challenge. You have built a customer base, maybe even a brand, and have clients asking for you now, instead of the other way around. But the success you’ve had freelancing, and the constant grind of doing the same thing, might get tedious. If the extra hours you put in at night and on the weekends are starting to bore you to tears and don’t seem worth the effort, don’t quit yet. Instead, maybe now is the time to go bold, and push yourself to the limits freelancing.
Take stock of what you are doing now and what you are capable of, and try to meet an extremely difficult goal. If you average $1,200 dollars each month driving for Uber, try to double that this month by implementing new strategies. If you write article after article for small amounts, try tackling a new and more challenging assignment that pays more. Doing something extremely challenging, or altogether new, can take you out of your comfort zone and be a little frightening. But the uncertainty may be exactly what you need to get your mojo back and keep on freelancing. Maybe you’re simply in a slump because you’re bored. Aiming high will keep boredom away.
Planning Your Time Is a Very, Very Good Thing
Boredom may be a freelancer’s enemy but so is burnout. If you over-commit to your side job, it can throw your whole life out of balance. Your full-time job and personal life could start to nosedive because of your side hustle and all the time it is consuming; it could even affect your health. If you are exhausted and overworked with your side job, try easing back. Accept fewer jobs or decrease your billing hours. Strive to get the other parts of your life back in balance, too.
Getting control of your life may mean taking stock of the calendar and scheduling yourself more deliberately. It may mean penciling in certain times away from your freelancing gig altogether. Freelancing less will likely lead to a decline in cash flow but that’s not always the case. Many people have figured out how to earn more while working less. However, working less in your freelance gig may also create some opportunities for you as well. If you are now more selective with the work you pick up on the side, maybe you can bill your remaining clients a bit more for the extra attention they get if they are indeed getting more attention. In any case, addressing burnout may save your freelancing gig, and keep you healthy at the same time.
Never Give Up
If takes a great deal of time, talent, and hard work to build a successful side hustle. If your side job starts to feel meaningless, seek out opportunities to challenge yourself. If you are approaching burnout, ease back and regain control of your life. Follow these two rules, and you can keep your side gig running strong for the long haul.
