How to Manage a Side Hustle and a Full Time Job

As many of you already know, I work full time on the marketing team at Redfin. Yes, that means my “side hustle” is blogging. The most common question I’m asked is how do you manage to work a full time job and blog? I usually laugh when people ask me that because I walk the fine line of being organized and absolute insanity.  But almost three years later, I’m still managing so I must be doing something right. With that realization, I’m sharing my tips for how to manage a side hustle and a full time job.

1. Organize, organize, organize

If you’re working a full time job and a side hustle, you have to be organized. For me, this means keeping a separate work and blogging agenda. I mean a literal agenda where I write everything down. I add all my events to both my work and personal Google calendars. I’ve even tried some organization software like Trello that I’ve found to be really helpful!

2. Set aside specific time to your side hustle

If you don’t want to spend 24 hours a day pursuing your side hustle and your full time job, set aside specific time to dedicate to each. For me, 9am – 5pm is dedicated to work only. Aside from checking Instagram on my lunch break ;) After work, I carve out an hour to two hours per night to work on my blog. When that time is up, I stop. This lets me work efficiently without blogging bleeding into my personal life or keeping me up all night.

3. Don’t lose sight of your full time job

A side hustle is sometimes called a passion project because well..we’re so passionate about it! That can sometimes mean getting carried away from our full time job. For me, I’m not trying to leave my full time job because I enjoy it and because I’ve always been driven to build a more traditional career. So even if you love your job and your side hustle, keep in mind not to lose sight of your most steady employment.

4. Learn to say “no”

Learning to say no has been my most powerful way to balance my full time job and blogging. I love saying yes to everything and everyone but I’ve learned that’s not always in my best interest. It’s important to understand when saying “yes” to a commitment at work or to your side hustle will truly benefit you.

5. Talk to other people who manage a side hustle and a full time job

Talking to other people who are living a similar double life, can reveal new tips and tricks about managing your time. It’s a little cliche, but I always say, “you don’t know what you don’t know.” And the easiest way to learn and improve is simply to ask.

6. Don’t forget your passion

In times of exhaustion, frustration, and even joy, it’s important not to forget why you started working and why you started hustling. Keep chasing that passion! If your end game is to make your side hustle your day job, use your passion to fuel you. If you find yourself passionate about both your job and your side hustle, use these tips to be successful and stay sane.

Do you have any tips for how to manage a side hustle and a full time job? Comment Below!

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Side note – I got to contribute to a feature about Seattle on KAYAK’s blog!