How to make time for side hustle?

Success is not about the resources you have; it’s about how resourceful you are.”

— Tony Robbins

Have you ever said, “I just don’t have enough time for my side hustle”?

Especially when you read about starting a side hustle?

You’re not alone.

17 years back, when I started building my side hustle, one of my closest friends came to me to know more about it.

He was fascinated by goal of wanting to retire early and work on achieving my dreams

The discussion went deep enough for him to come back another day to understand how I was doing it along with a demanding job.

I was working almost 12 hours everyday. I had a family to support and a lot of family responsibilities.

So, it was normal for him to have that question – “How was I finding time to do it”.

When he came in for the follow up discussion, the first thing that he said was, “Brother, I am not sure how you are managing this. I just don’t have enough time to run a side hustle”.

The tips that I am sharing in this article are the exact ones that I shared with him on that day.

Because it was exactly what I was doing to manage both my job and the side hustle.

It’s a different story that this friend of mine never started his side hustle and kept putting it off using a hundred different excuses.

But these tips have worked for hundreds of other people whom I have helped start a side hustle.

From running photography businesses to YouTube channels and from Food blogging to Website flipping, people have started and built their side hustles using this exact same tips.

Balancing work, family, and personal life often feels like juggling a dozen balls at once.

And while it might seem impossible to squeeze in another task, the reality is that most of us aren’t suffering from a lack of time.

Instead, we’re actually suffering from a lack of focus.

The secret to finding time for your side hustle isn’t in having more hours in the day; it’s in how you use the hours you already have.

The Problem Isn’t Time, It’s Overwhelm

Most people aren’t lazy.

The real issue is overwhelm.

With so many responsibilities competing for your attention, it’s easy to feel paralyzed by the sheer volume of tasks.

You’re juggling work deadlines, family obligations, and social commitments, all while trying to carve out space for your own ambitions.

But here’s the thing: You don’t need hours every day to build your side hustle.

What you need is focus and a strategy to manage your time effectively.

And that is what we will be discussing in this article today!

Practical Tips to Make Time for Your Side Hustle

These tips work and they work really well.

I know this, because I had followed a similar strategy to get started with my side hustle and build it to where it is today.

So, use it, if you feel that you don’t have enough time for building your dreams..

Wake Up 30 Minutes Earlier

It’s amazing what you can accomplish when the world is still asleep.

Waking up just 30 minutes earlier can give you a quiet, uninterrupted block of time to work on your side hustle.

Use this time to tackle the most important tasks that will move your project forward.

If you’re a writer, spend this time drafting blog posts or brainstorming content ideas.

If you’re into e-commerce, you might use these precious minutes to update your product listings or manage orders.

Batch Tasks on Weekends

Weekends are a great opportunity to dedicate focused blocks of time to your side hustle.

Instead of trying to work in small bursts throughout the week, batch similar tasks together on the weekend.

Whether it’s content creation, planning, or administrative work, batching allows you to get into a flow state and knock out tasks more efficiently.

For example, if you’re a podcaster, use Saturday mornings to record several episodes at once. This way, you’ll have content ready for the next few weeks, freeing up time during the workweek.

Eliminate Distractions

Distractions are the enemy of productivity.

Turn off notifications, close unnecessary browser tabs, and create a workspace that minimizes interruptions.

By eliminating distractions, you can make the most of the time you’ve set aside for your side hustle.

If you’re managing a blog, this might mean using a tool like StayFocusd or, ColdTurkey to limit your time on social media or setting your phone to “Do Not Disturb” mode during your work sessions.

Maximize Your Commute

If you have a long commute, use it wisely.

Instead of mindlessly scrolling through your phone or listening to music, dedicate this time to your side hustle. You could listen to industry-specific podcasts, brainstorm ideas, or even draft emails on your phone.

For instance, if you’re building a freelance graphic design business, use your commute to sketch out design concepts or research new trends.

I used to travel to office in a cab. And the travel time was more than 90 minutes.

I used to spend this time writing my blog posts or, ideating on what I need to write etc.

Use Your Lunch Break

Your lunch break is another untapped resource.

Rather than spending the entire hour on social media or chatting with coworkers, dedicate 20–30 minutes to your side hustle.

For a side hustle like affiliate marketing, you might use this time to research new products, update your website, or respond to emails from potential partners.

This is something I practiced.

When my friends would be out on a smoke-break or, chatting, I would spend the time ideating about niches and finding products that I can promote.

Leverage Automation Tools

Automation tools can be a game-changer when you’re strapped for time.

Tools like Zapier, Hootsuite, or Buffer can help you automate repetitive tasks such as social media posting, email marketing, or customer follow-ups.

If you’re running an online store, you can use automation to send out order confirmations, manage inventory, or schedule social media posts in advance.

And with AI and ChatGPT coming in for assistance, there is a lot that you can get accomplished with them.

When I had started there wasn’t a lot of automation tools, except for some curation tools and auto blogging tools. This is what I used back then to help generate content..

Set Clear Priorities

Without clear priorities, it’s easy to get lost in the noise.

Take a few minutes at the beginning of each week to outline the key tasks you need to accomplish for your side hustle.

For instance, if you’re trying to grow a YouTube channel, your priorities might include filming, editing, and uploading new videos.

By focusing on these top tasks, you can ensure that your limited time is spent on what truly matters.

It’s About Making Time, Not Having Time

The key takeaway here is that finding time for your side hustle isn’t about waiting for the perfect moment or having an abundance of free hours.

It’s about making intentional choices with the time you have.

Small changes, like waking up earlier or batching tasks, can lead to significant progress over time.

And remember, every minute you spend working on your side hustle is an investment in your future.

So, the next time you catch yourself thinking, “I don’t have time,” take a step back and reassess.

The time is there—you just have to make it work for you.

Your Turn: How Will You Make Time Today?

So, how will you make time for your side hustle today?

Will you set your alarm a little earlier?

Maybe dedicate an hour on Saturday morning to batch tasks?

Whatever it is, start small and stay consistent. The results will follow.

As Tony Robbins said, success isn’t about having all the resources in the world—it’s about being resourceful with what you have.

The question is, how resourceful will you be with your time?

By making these small but impactful adjustments, you’ll find that the time you need is already within your grasp.

Focus, consistency, and a little bit of planning are all you need to turn your side hustle into something more.

What’s your first step going to be?.

Recommended Newsletters

Here are few newsletters that I would recommend that you sign up to if you are interested in learning the art of running a side-hustle:

• Send and Grow – https://sparklp.co/p/3ad4af3653
• The Story Grid – https://sparklp.co/p/dfc5ea06d0
• The Book Bub – https://sparklp.co/p/3bcef5f1d4
• The Stacked Marketer – https://sparklp.co/p/5c2039bc2c

Sign up to these and follow them. You will get a lot of information and content for your blog posts, podcasts and even social media posts.

I will share more such ideas in my future newsletters.

I put in about 18 hours every month to create this newsletter, starting from researching to writing and editing it.

So, If you enjoyed reading this Newsletter, I would sincerely appreciate it if you could recommend it to others. You can send them to https://theloudspeakeronline.com to subscribe to it for FREE!

What am I reading?

You will remember that I had told you that I picked up the book “Outliers” by Malcolm Gladwell, a couple of weeks back.

But the last couple of weeks have been extremely hectic with my all of the work on my new subscription course and all.

So, I had to sacrifice my reading time to record some of the videos.

I will share my views about the book in my subsequent newsletters.

Until then you check out all of my favorite books at my Amazon store. Go ahead and check it out!

That’s it for this week!

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