Many readers of this website likely have a full-time main job that takes up a majority of their time and energy. In our modern economy, many jobs do not simply have a “9 to 5” commitment, and instead require us to work nights and weekends when we would traditionally have off. As such, it can oftentimes be difficult to manage the responsibilities of a main job while working side-hustles. However, if you keep a few strategies in mind, you can successfully pursue part-time work without affecting your main job.
It is important to note at the onset that your main job is far more important to you than any side-hustle. No matter what types of part-time gigs you pursue, your main job will usually be your primary source of income. Without your primary employment, you will likely not have money to pay rent, buy groceries, and otherwise live your daily life. In addition, your main job is likely one step of the career you are building, whereas side-hustles are just a means to make additional money to pay off student loans. As such, if there is ever a conflict between your main job and your side-hustles, you should favor your primary job, since this is likely more important to your long-term goals.
One way to balance working a side-hustle with a main job is to never work a part-time gig while you are “clocked in” at your main job. Employers are far less likely to approve of “moonlighting” if the can see that this is creating a tangible distraction at your primary job. Even if you have a lunch break, a coffee break, or any other free time while working your main job, you should refrain from pursuing part-time gigs. During my student debt repayment saga, I personally never worked side-hustles while at the office. No amount of money I made from part-time gigs was worth causing tension with my primary employer because I was working part-time gigs at my main job.
Along similar lines, you should never use any resources of your main employer when pursing part-time gigs. Using a company computer, phone, or other resource to pursue side-hustles will similarly create tension, since no boss wants to think that an employee is making money from resources that an employer purchased. During my student debt repayment saga, I worked for a few employers who provided me with laptops, and I never used these computers to pursue part-time gigs. I oftentimes carried around two laptops so that I did not need to use my work computer for side-hustles, and this was a huge hassle. Indeed, I cannot even count how many times I left one of the laptops at airport security! However, this separation was necessary to ensure that I minimized any grievance an employer might have about my part-time pursuits.
It is also important to research employer policies regarding side-hustles. Some employers might have language in their employee handbooks about part-time pursuits, or there could be an unwritten policy about “moonlighting” as well. Many employment policies will just relate that part-time work is discouraged or state that employees cannot pursue side-hustles that are in the same field as their primary job. In any case, it is important to research what preferences your primary employer might have about part-time pursuits so that you create as little tension with your main job as possible.
If your employer does have issues with you working part-time gigs, you could mention how part-time work provides benefits to your employer. For instance, when I was conducting the freelancing work I discussed in a prior article, I made meaningful connections with a number of other attorneys. These lawyers could eventually refer business to the firm that employed me, especially since I was doing good work for these attorneys as a freelancer.
In addition, while working for the academic services company I discussed in a prior article, I had to continuously study New York law. Because I remembered the statute of limitations for a particular cause of action due to this side-hustle, I was able to get a case dismissed since it was filed too late. All told, there are a number of situations in which individuals can make meaningful contacts or develop useful skills through side-hustles, and illustrating this fact could help smooth over any tensions with your main job.
In addition, working side-hustles might enable people to pursue certain kinds of main jobs. For instance, during my student debt repayment saga, I worked at a small firm for two years that did not pay me as much money as my previous job. However, I enjoyed working at this firm, since I gained valuable experience. Pursuing side-hustles allowed me to work this job, because part-time gigs supplemented my income. My boss at this firm knew about my side-hustles, but also knew these part-time pursuits allowed me to work at that firm, and he was fine with me pursuing side-hustles. All told, you can be honest with employers about how side-hustles empower you to work certain types of main jobs, since employers will be sympathetic to this point.
In sum, you can employ a number of strategies to balance the duties of your main job with side-hustles. You can take steps to separate your main job from side-hustles, and there are a number of ways you can convince an employer to support your part-time pursuits. Although your main job will always be more important to your financial security, there is no reason why your primary employment should compromise your ability to work side-hustles.