How to Balance Your Side Hustle with Your 9-5

I think that finding balance in our lives is a universal struggle. People work, have relationships, have children, have hobbies and various other things that are constantly competing for their time. The biggest challenge is finding a way to fit everything into our lives and not fall apart in the process.

I definitely don’t have it all figured out but wanted to share how I am keeping my head above water. Here is how I have been balancing my side hustle with my 9-5.

Waking Up Early

This is an absolute must for me. If I want to get things done before I head off to work, I need to roll outta bed by 5AM. Might sound crazy, but it really is some of my best focus time of the day. Alarm goes off at 5 and I’m sipping on a cup of coffee a few minutes later. The house is still quiet and I’m able to follow up on emails, publish and promote new blog posts, and schedule new content. I am typically able to work for about an hour before I head out for my morning run, which is also crucial to my process.

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Use a Planner

I use a combination of my Google Calendar and a more traditional planner. And when I say traditional, I mean “pen and paper” because the layout of my particular planner, is anything but traditional. The one I use and recommend is the Transcending Waves Planner. It is the most unique planner that I have ever tried as it is based on principles from positive psychology.

Use code ALOHALOVELY for 10% Off a Transcending Waves Planner

I love the way the pages are laid out and how it focuses on improving your productivity as well as helping you focus on achieving your goals and dreams. There are pages for planning your months, weeks and days in interesting detail. It forces you to reflect on what you are prioritizing in your life and why. Brilliant!

This planner is very durable with high-quality leather design, I just love the feel of it!. It closes with a great magnetic strap and easily fits in my daily bag. Check out all of the page layouts here.

For me, using a planner in addition to my Google Calendar is key. I am more focused and getting more done because I am giving myself time to reflect on my direction by using the Transcending Waves Planner. Seriously, check it out.

Schedule Ahead

I try to schedule as much as I can ahead of time. Whether blog posts or social content, the more you can have ready to go the better. Here are some tools I use to make things a bit easier.

Iconosquare
I like to schedule my Instagram posts using Iconosquare. It’s so much easier to schedule your posts ahead of time, to include captions and hashtags. Then you are simply prompted to post via your phone. Iconosquare also offers analytics and other features but scheduling is what I use most. You’re even able to see how your feed will look with future posts, pretty handy for creating the perfect grid!

Iconosquare Preview

Tailwind
I absolutely love using Tailwind for Pinterest scheduling. It makes it so easy to schedule your own pins as well as repin other user’s pins. You are also able to take advantage of Tailwind Tribes where you can join other bloggers and influencers to cross-share content. I’m now at about 460k monthly viewers and am slowly seeing an increase on conversions to my blog. I schedule around 30 pins a day as well as mix in some manual pinning as well.

IFTTT
IFTTT is a free platform that helps you coordinate different actions across applications. You can do this through what the platform calls applets. For instance I use an applet that will automatically tweet my Instagram posts on Twitter. I am more active on Instagram than I am on Twitter so this helps fill in the content void I might otherwise have. The possibilities are endless.

Just a few of the many applet options.

Efficient Time Management

If you have a 9-5, finding time throughout the week can be difficult. I already mentioned I use a small chunk of time each morning to get things done. In addition, I am always looking for ways to utilize my time more efficiently.

Prioritizing what you need to do will help tremendously so you don’t waste any precious time. I’m more of a Google Calendar kinda girl verses a bullet journal keeper. I simply schedule things out, create check lists and am able to keep organized that way.

In the evening, after the kids go to bed, is another bit of time I can claim to build my side hustle. Even if I can only fit in an hour before I’m toast, every little bit adds up! I also bring my laptop or notebook to my girls’ swim practices, for example. If I am able to get a little work done while they are busy, great! I try to limit distractions during family time, because ultimately they are my priority.

Know When to Ease Up

Sometimes you are simply not going to have enough time to get things done. And thats okay! Realize when to let up a bit and chill. Quality is better than quantity. Your side hustle isn’t going anywhere and you can always pick up where you left off.

I believe that if you are passionate about building your side hustle you will find a way to make it work. You have to have some discipline and be creative with your time, but it is possible to grow a side hustle while still maintaining your 9-5.

If you have a side hustle and a 9-5 how do you manage getting everything done? Please share your tips and tricks in the comments. Aloha!

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How to Balance Your Side Hustle with Your 9-5