It’s 6pm, you’re still at work and you have to drive 1 hr back home…yep, you’re probably tired- I know I am at the end of my day. And on top of that, you still have other things to do like go to the gym, clean, cook, and finally your side-projects.
How do you manage to keep your side-projects on track? After multiple failed attempts to keep on track, I think I’ve found a system of rules that is working for me. Here it is…
My System of Rules:
- Set up goals, a plan, and a detailed scheduled. These things are important for many reasons: 1) setting up a goal gives you something to look forward to 2) setting up a plan makes the goal tangible 3) creating a schedule makes it “real” and prevents you from getting overwhelmed . Once you create a schedule it’s easy to follow and make it something “you have to do”, like taking a shower or brushing your teeth. You don’t question it, you just do it.
- Don’t rethink the schedule once it’s set. Consider the time you reserve to do your side-hustle like an appointment or a class- you can’t miss it! Once you start making exemptions, the schedule will dissolve.
- Set up time frames. I time my to-do list so that I don’t waste too much time in a single task.
- Give up perfection (at the beginning). I am a perfectionist at heart, but I had to learn to give it up temporarily. Otherwise, I would have been stuck waiting for the perfect moment and spending more hours than I should making something perfect. Also, giving up perfection lifts a weight off your shoulders. It’s better to do something than to do nothing at all.
- Think about your ROI. Think of your side-hustle as a business. Consider the amount of time you invest in something vs the potential return . You don’t want to spend hours creating something that will not yield returns fast.
- Get your partner on board. If you’re in a relationship, your partner may feel neglected since you’ll be spending less time together. So, help your partner understand your goals and let them know your schedule so that he or she is prepared.
- Take breaks :)
Do you have other good ideas I could add to my list? Share below!
#LateNightThoughts #30DayChallengeDay3