A Simple Guide For Understanding A Side Hustle Routine
Having a good routine is key for refining success. You can create a routine for almost anything and use it to become more successful. You can create laundry routines, meal prep routines and routines for waking up, completing your morning and heading out the door. Routines are created to help us gain efficiency, consistency and success. So why not use them with our side hustles? It’s no secrete that side hustlers are looking for every ounce of time savings they can find. A routine or two or five can help you get there and can make your side hustle more successful.
Learn how to create routines for various parts of your side hustle. Having traditional daily side hustle work routines and special routines, perhaps for the weekend, can truly move the needle. Side hustles require extra time and energy outside of one of our most common routines, our 9-5 job. With that being said, they can also get hard to tackle on a regular basis. No matter how eager or passionate you may be about your business, showing up regularly can be draining for any side hustle. This is where routines can come into assist! By having a side hustle routine, we build a plan that is sustainable for the side hustle grind.
Why routines are important within entrepreneurship
When you think of routines, entrepreneurship may not be the first thing that comes into mind. You may think of working out, meal prepping or cleaning your house. And although all of these activities are that much better with a routine, the power of the routine can stretch further.
Routines are wildly important for entrepreneurs, especially side hustlers. A steady routine can be the difference between keeping a productive week on track and completely squirreling and not accomplishing anything. I’ve been there a time or two. A routine is like having a built-in assistant for our business. They tell us when to work on what and are created to give us energy and balance, not take it away.
As entrepreneurs, we can benefit so greatly from this type of structure. And as side hustlers, the gift keeps on giving! With our limited schedules and fewer working hours each week, having routines built into our business can ensure that we are always working on needle-moving tasks, that we avoid burnout and make the most of our time. Not to mention, the most moo-la!
increase productivity
A side hustle routine will increase your productivity. When you craft your side hustle routine, you decide beforehand what you will work on and when. Carving out intentional work blocks for certain tasks beforehand can help cross more things off your to-do list. Deciding on the spot what to work on is not always great. In fact, it’s hardly ever the smart move to make. Our judgment isn’t always there and we have more of a tendency to squirrel and bring our attention to something that doesn’t directly affect our income.
By creating a side hustle routine, you outline beforehand what tasks will get done when. This is almost like having a personal assistant. You’re less likely to stray, skip or ignore tasks that are previously assigned. Instead, you’re likely to tackle them when your routine calls for it and cross them off your to-do list.
Create a side hustle routine that is designed for you to tackle both high and low priorities on a regular basis. Carve out a set number of minutes each day when you know your energy will be lower for lower priority tasks such as administrative work. Then save your higher priorities for when you have the most energy and most alertness. This $12 cube timer from Amazon is great for routine working blocks! You’re able to flip the cube and set a timer for 15, 20, 30 or 60 minutes and watch a countdown. If you’ve never worked with a timer, this is a great way to bring productivity into your business!
become more efficient
Having a side hustle routine will also make you a more efficient side hustler. Not only will you get more done with a routine but you will be able to work a little smarter as well. Having a routine within your side hustle such as a daily 2-hour work block can make your work more efficient rather than if you just decided to work each night.
That 2 hour work block routine that you create can be carved out with intentional pockets of time with specific tasks. For example, maybe your first 30 minutes of that work block is for any admin work. Then you have a water break and switch to high-priority tasks. After 60 minutes of going through your high priority to-do’s, you get a stopping point. Then for the remaining 30 minutes you take an assessment and see what truly needs to happen next. The countdown cube timer that I use helps me do this in my business on a regular basis.
A routine like this can make your work so much more intentional and efficient. Plus mix in fun and healthy nuggets like water breaks, stretch breaks, 60-second Britney blasts and you have yourself an office party for one!
show up consistently
When you grow a side hustle, consistency is king. Your side hustle is already faced with a limited schedule. Now, this isn’t a bad thing. Building something that earns an income in less than 40 hours a week does not make that thing small. It makes it powerful. However, consistency must be at the forefront of that. Which can become difficult in the beginning phases of building any business. Especially during seasons of slow growth.
It can be tempting to clock out of your 9-5, go home and binge watch 4 episodes of Netflix. Speaking from experience here! However, if you truly want to build a business that gives you more income and opportunity, there will be Netflix sacrifices. This doesn’t mean you need to work on your side hustle every day or make yourself miserable with zero breaks. Instead craft routines that set the tone. Maybe your side hustler routine calls for 2-hour working blocks, 4 nights a week. Schedule those 4 nights in and pencil in the times. Doing this and following your routine will help you show up consistently for your business.
According to Phycology Today, there isn’t an exact number of days for when our routines become habits. What the experts state instead is that the true science behind how our habits form is out of consistency. By being consistent and following a routine (even when we don’t want to. ESPECIALLY when we don’t want to) we begin to develop new behaviors and create a new normal. How amazing is this for your side hustle?
Maintaining a work-life balance
As great as routines can be for your side hustle, they can also serve your personal time as well. When you create true side hustler routines, you devote a part of your regular time to your business. This means you also devote a specific amount of time not to your business. This healthy fence protects you from giving away too much free time.
Create a side hustler routine that doesn’t overwork you. Building a business is intense and can often feel overwhelming. But believe me, it’s just not worth it if you have no one to celebrate with. Remember to hustle but to put your loved ones first. This may require a funky schedule and will require flexibility from you and your loved ones. However structure like routines can truly serve all parties.
Your side hustler routine should be a healthy mix of keeping you accountable but also helping you avoid burnout. Ultimately if you’re not a healthy version of yourself, you’re not going to be able to give back to your business. Thus your business won’t be printing paychecks as it should. Keep the hustle but become best friends with your routine.
how to create your side hustle routine
If you are a side hustler, create a side hustle routine. You can create a standard routine for every time you sit down at your computer. You can also create unique routines like brainstorming routines and routines for non-stop Saturdays that you do once a month. The most important part of any routine is that you allow it to help your side hustle. Your side hustler routine shouldn’t feel like another thing to juggle but more like a true assistant.
Start crafting your routine by taking an inventory of what your week truly looks like. Get real with your schedule and available time. Be sure not to consider the time you wish you had for your side hustle, but your actual time. Build your routine around that and around what knowingly works for you. Include methods that you respond well to and that can truly serve your business.
To get started creating your signature side hustler routine, download my free Side Hustler Routine & Scheduling Sheets. These sheets will walk you through mapping out your side hustle week, penciling in your schedule, prioritizing what needs to get done and organizing it all! Your new best friend of a routine is only a few steps away! Make your side hustle even more successful by applying bullet-proof routines to your business and your life!
+ show Comments
- Hide Comments
add a comment