I want to start this blog with this: If you are a blogger or creative who still works a 9-5 job, you are by no means alone.

We all fall victim to the Instagram comparison game and sometimes it feels like everyone else is working on their building their own business full time. However, this just isn’t the reality for most of us, even for some huge online influencers!

There are a lot of reasons that people continue working full time and don’t make their side hustle their full time job. Some people aren’t ready to give up the stability of a 9-5 job and some people genuinely love their 9-5, they just have other things that want to pursue on the side.

Whether you are intending on making your side hustle your full time job one day or if you intend to keep it on the side, there are a lot challenges that come along with with working full time and working on your own projects. While I am far from perfect in this area, here are some things I’ve learned over time as well as some advice from other creatives managing their own side hustle with a full time job.

Be Intentional With Your Weekends

Assuming your full time job is during normal office hours like mine, all of your side hustle work is done in early mornings, late nights, and primarily on the weekend. I have to be extremely intentional about how I spend my weekends because it is the main time I have to create content. Since so much of what I do is image focused, I am so limited during weeknights because I barely get home before it is dark outside.

Create A Content Calendar And Plan Ahead

When you’re time is so limited, it is crucial to plan ahead. While it takes a lot of discipline and time to plan ahead, it will help prevent you from having to create content in a time crunch and ease a lot of stress. Not only will this help you become more organized, your content will be so much better because of it.

Be Part Of A Community And Learn From Others

Now I know, community is one of those buzzwords in the industry. But there really is so much truth in the power of good community. Find some fellow creatives that have a similar work life to you and learn from each other. Ask each other how they manage their time, how they unplug on a regular basis, and how they still maintain a social life.

Dedicate Time For Recharging

When working full time and working on a side hustle, it’s not surprising to become physically and mentally drained. Be intentional about setting aside time to put work aside and recharge. Take note of the things that refresh you and be sure to do them on a regular basis. For me, I love taking my dog on walks with my husband. It’s always refreshing to get outdoors, get moving (when most of my work is on my phone/computer), and take the time to discuss things outside of work with Noah.

Don’t Let Your Sleep Suffer

Along the lines of dedicating time to recharge, a good night’s sleep is one of the things I cannot sacrifice. During weeks where I’ve had minimal sleep, I am bound to be grumpy, feel terrible, and be very unmotivated to get things done. While you might be able to run on very little sleep (for now), recognize what areas are you can’t neglect in order to maintain your sanity.

Remember Why You Do What You Do

When you work full time in addition to running your own side hustle, there are a lot of sacrifices you have to make. You might not get to hang out with friends as much as you’d like or have a very strict budget to invest into your side projects. However, regardless of the sacrifices you make everyday, remember why you what you do. For most people working side hustles, it is about sheer passion. Take time to remind yourself why you love blogging or how much you love your photography clients, it will put everything into perspective.

Know Your Limits (or have someone close to you who does)

If it was up to me, I would never say no to any potential projects and be overloaded at all times. Thankfully, Noah is consistently there to make me turn down the projects I don’t have time for and encourage me to put work aside to recharge.

Remember To Give Back

When so much of your life revolves around your career and work, it is easy to fall into selfishness. Never neglect taking the time to go out of your way to show your loved ones how much they mean to you. It is also extremely helpful to have a specific outlet where you can serve others and are reminded that life doesn’t revolve around you and what do you.

Don’t Let Your Full Time Work Suffer

Even when you have a side hustle that you’re very passionate about, it is important to always remember that your main commitment is your full time job. Always be sure to save plenty of mental energy for your full time job and never cease to give it your best work.

Do you have any more tips on balancing a full time job and side hustle?

Please leave them in the comments below! <3