10 Ways to Stay Motivated And Productive As A Side Hustler
By: Ajdin Imsirovic 14 November 2018
You get home from work and youâre already exhausted. How do you stay motivated? And even if you ARE MOTIVATED, how to actually stay productive when youâre drained?
Here are 8 simple strategies to keep your motivation high, and stay productive in your side hustle:
1. Know WHY youâre doing it
Print it out as a beautiful poster. Keep it on the wall above your computer. Or as a sticky note, attach it to your computer, your bathroom mirror, your TV. KNOW YOUR WHY!
2. Remember: DISCIPLINE and PASSION are synonyms
If you are passionate about something, youâll do it every day, come rain or shine. Are you passionate enough about your side hustle?
Or at least, about the lifestyle that it will create?
3. Know when the project youâre working on will be finished
Having a specific deadline and knowing when youâll complete the cuurent side hustle project is much better than just saying, âIâll hustle on foreverâ.
If itâs a huge project that will take a lot of time, split it into chunks. Focus on the current one, and think about it as the âcurrent projectâ.
Putting things in perspective helps because we humans thrive on small victories. When we complete a task, our brain thinks: âYay, another dopamine hitâ.
Give yourself a chance, learn to be a finisher.
4. Train your brain to know that when you put those headphones on - itâs work time
When you play that particular song (or playlist), itâs time to get to work. Most hyper-productive people have their own playlists that they use to help them get into the zone.
They play the same music over and over again. Cuz itâs work time. No excuses.
Train your brain and youâll be good.
5. Plan out your day the night before
Schedule out your 9-to-5. Add your side hustle goals for that day too.
6. Use your lunch break for side hustle work
Same with the morning and evening commute.
Find spots inside your regular day schedule to sneak in your side hustle.
The sooner you are done with your side hustle goals for today, the better.
Even if you have not completed all your tasks, the more you can do before your 5-to-9 starts, the easier it will be to finish what youâve planned.
7. Manage your energy levels
You can work long hours in your 5-to-9, but donât do it every day. Give yourself enough time to rest.
Spread out your activities.
Balance the dayjob and the side hustle.
Plan out your week so that on slow days at your job, you intensify your side hustle activities, and vice versa.
Strive for constant energy levels, not for energy depletion.
8. Eat as healthy a diet as you can
Itâs not always possible to eat healthy.
We might have low income, or not enough time, or be surrounded with people who donât eat healthy.
However, as a side hustler, you know that thereâs always something that can be done. Same goes for what you take in.
Like they say, âgarbage in - garbage outâ.
Try to limit the amount of junk, and replace it with healthier alternatives.
9. Keep your emotions in check
Similar to previous points, your energy levels can be greatly affected by your emotions.
Thus, if you know that youâll have to work hard on your side hustle, avoid conflicts and interactions that will increase the likelihood of getting you down. Just donât go there.
Although itâs sometimes not that easy, knowing your WHY will for sure make it easier.
10. Find a hustle partner
Similar to a gym partner, your hustle partner is there to spot you and hold you accountable.
This approach is perfect if you two are working together on a side hustle or on complementary services.