HUSTLE HACK .03

Chances are you started your side hustle because it was fun. And because who couldn’t use a little extra cash?

But running a business is no small feat, and trying to do so on top of working a full-time day job doesn’t leave room for much else if you’re not mindful.

When you can’t remember the last time you slept for more than five hours, went outside for something other than to take out your trash or had a meal where you weren’t also checking your email; it’s time to take a step back and evaluate your routine. You’re on the well-trodden path to side hustle burnout and trust us when we say, burnout is not just bad for you, it’s bad for business.

Luckily, burnout is also avoidable and these three tips will help you maintain a sustainable routine to keep your business on track, even around a demanding day job:

It’s easy to feel like you should act on any business opportunity that comes your way, especially in the early stages of launching your side hustle, but not all opportunities are created equal.

As an entrepreneur, your time is your most valuable resource. Before diving in, consider the return on your investment. If a potential client, customer or transaction is only worth $100, does it really make sense to spend your whole Saturday winning that business? Probably not.

However, if that same client, customer or transaction has the potential to become a long-term partner or regular income stream then maybe it does. Why maybe? Because at the end of the day you’re not only balancing what’s best for your business, but also what is best for your lifestyle.

If that client becomes a long-term partner will you have to forgo your Friday night poker game or your daily walk with the dog? These are questions only you can answer.

The key is to ask yourself first before blindly saying yes.

Reserve time every day for yourself. This isn’t as indulgent as it sounds. Fifteen minutes between phone calls to take a walk outside. Two hours to cook and have dinner with your roommates and enough time to sleep so that you can wake rested to do it all again the next day might be all that looks like.

Breaks, even small ones, will improve the effectiveness of your working blocks and reduce the time spent staring blankly at the screen. Similarly, scheduling time for everyday tasks like getting to the grocery store before they close will prevent life’s basics from turning into added stress that you just don’t need. 

There is no shame in outsourcing. In fact, recognizing when more resources are needed and knowing how to delegate is not only key to avoiding burnout, it’s also key to the growth of your business.

Outsourcing basic tasks or routine projects can also be more cost effective freeing up your time to work on bringing in new business or rebalance the scales of your work-life equilibrium. For those of you who can’t let go just yet, finding help for non-business tasks like hiring someone to clean your house so you can keep focused on your business is always an option too.

The moral of this story is: there will come a time when something has to give and the key to avoiding burnout is recognizing when that give can’t come from you.

Inevitably there will be days when you feel precariously close to burnout. It’s the nature of the hustle. On those days, revisit these tips and remember, your side hustle is supposed to be fun!

Have other tips for avoiding burnout? Share them with us at @VELO_US using #TheVeloUSHustle.