Would you like to make an extra $500, $800, or even $1,000 next month? You can when you pick up extra work on the side. A side hustle is a job you take on in addition to your regular, full-time job. It’s a pretty common way to earn more money, too – at least one quarter of the work force maintains an extra gig on the side. Here’s what you can do, and how to really make it work.
Jobs You Can Do from Home
Delivery services and ridesharing are popular side gigs, but what about jobs you can do from home? If you have a computer and the internet, you’re already halfway there.
Got a great ear and decent typing skills? Consider becoming a transcriptionist. Professionals might ask your to transcribe their appointments or meetings, while the huge number of podcasts out there mean that transcriptionists are in higher demand.
One of the best ways to supplement your income is to become a virtual assistant. This can see you performing a wide array of tasks, from booking someone else’s appointments and flights, to checking emails and managing documents.
Social media management is gaining in popularity as well. If you can create engaging posts to promote someone else’s business, and are proficient with social media scheduling tools, you have a job.
How to Make Your Side Hustle a Success
While there are plenty of gigs out there, maintaining a side hustle isn’t for everyone. Here are some of the most common pitfalls of keeping another job on the side.
The first is letting your full-time job suffer. If anyone – especially your boss – can tell that your attention is waning at work, you’re not pulling it off. You’re not aiming for equal distribution across all jobs; your full-time is most important. Especially if you’re receiving benefits that could help you long-term.
This leads us straight into the topic of time management. Think carefully about how many hours you can dedicate to your side hustle, and then subtract a few. When you overcommit, you’ll be falling short at both jobs. But if you take on less than you really have time for, it’s no big deal – you can add on accordingly.
Many side hustles fall apart directly after the planning stage, and this happens for a few different reasons. The first is money. If you have to sink a lot of money into starting your side hustle, you’re not doing what you set out to do – earn more. The second is that we aren’t enjoying our side job – we really didn’t know what it took until we were doing it.
It can be exciting planning for your new gig, but just remember that it’s a real commitment. If you invest a lot of money in getting started, it’ll be doubly hard to realize you aren’t cut out for the job. Even so, side hustles can be incredibly rewarding. You can learn new skills, keep your mind sharp by changing things up, and make more money. The key is to pick something you truly enjoy and ensure you’re spending the appropriate amount of time on it.