Working side-hustles is not easy. Not only is it difficult to find the time to pursue part-time gigs, but working side-hustles can also be extremely stressful. People depend on free time to relax and unwind from the stresses we encounter in our everyday lives. As a result, if you use free time to pursue part-time gigs, it is very easy to become overwhelmed with stress.
As I previously mentioned on this website, during my own student debt repayment saga, I oftentimes worked 90-hour weeks between my main job and my side-hustles. In order to devote the most time possible to side-hustles, I slept much less than usual and gave up time that I would ordinarily use to relax. All of these sacrifices oftentimes left me feeling burned out and overwhelmed. However, I employed several strategies when dealing with stress associated with working side-hustles, and these methods ensured that I was able to work as hard as possible without burning out.
One strategy I employed was to give myself 30 minutes of free time every day. I made sure to preserve that small amount of time for myself no matter how much money I was making from side-hustles. Knowing that I had this time to relax at the end of each day was a huge boost to my morale, and I think this dedicated period of rest every day allowed me to work harder at my side-hustles.
I spent my free 30 minutes each day on a number of activities. Usually, I spent this time watching TV, and I made sure to watch 30-minute long television shows during this time so that I could start and finish an entire episode during my rest period. Sometimes I read books during this period, but since I view documents all day as a lawyer, and most of my side-hustles involved reading as well, I usually spent my rest periods watching television. In any case, this 30-minute respite was my time to unwind, and keeping this rest period inviolate was critical to managing my stress levels while working side-hustles.
Another way that I dealt with stress while working side-hustles was by continuing to attend events with friends and family. Of course, I could not attend every social event to which I was invited, since making a significant amount of money from side-hustles requires one to spend the most time possible pursuing part-time gigs. When deciding which events were most worthwhile to attend, I considered a variety of factors.
I was more likely to attend social events while working side-hustles if I knew that numerous friends and relatives would be in attendance. I reasoned that such occasions were more valuable to attend, since I would be able to connect with more people than if I attended an event with only a few friends. Also, I made sure to attend events if the person inviting me had attended a similar event of mine. I tried not to let side-hustles get in the way of being a good friend or relative, and if you are strategic in how you manage your social obligations, you can work side-hustles with a minimal amount of disruption to your social life.
While working side-hustles to pay down student loans, I also made sure to treat myself with creature comforts in order to alleviate the burdens of working long hours. I previously mentioned on this website that I purchased prepared food while working some side-hustles so that I could devote more time to making money. When buying meals, I purchased food each day that I enjoyed, even if this cost more. Although I spent hundreds of dollars a week on meals, eating food that I enjoyed relieved my stress and allowed me to be more committed to making money through side-hustles.
To boost my morale while pursuing part-time gigs, I also often thought about what life would be like when I finally paid off my student loans. I day-dreamed about what I would do with all the money I spent each month on student loans once I no longer had debt, and I thought about how good it would feel to finally be debt-free. When working long hours on part-time pursuits to make money to pay off student loans, it is a good idea to keep your “eyes on the prize” and remember what you are working toward. This will help you remain dedicated to pursuing your goals.
It is also important to remember not to push yourself past your breaking point while working side-hustles to pay off student loans. Working part-time gigs is a marathon and not a sprint, and burning out early because you did not give yourself enough rest will cost you. During my own student loan repayment saga, there was a time when I was working a lucrative side-hustle when I burned out and could not continue working this gig at the same intensity for around two weeks. This slow-down hurt me more than if I had just worked the side-hustle at a more reasonable pace all along. Be sure to give yourself breaks no matter how much money you are making from part-time gigs, so that you do not jeopardize your ability to continue working side-hustles.
In the end, everyone has different ways of dealing with stress, and it is important to make time to relax and unwind while working side-hustles during your student debt repayment journey. Taking breaks and treating yourself once in a while will let you stay focused while working part-time jobs to devote additional cash to student loans.