People Who Side Hustle Are Sharing What Keeps Them From Burning Out

Spoiler alert: You need to take breaks.

Having a side hustle can be super rewarding — both emotionally and financially — but it can also be a huge commitment. Between getting the work done, sending emails, marketing yourself, and holding down your main job, doing it all is no easy task.

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So we asked members of the BuzzFeed Community to share what helps them run their side hustle without getting burned out. Here's what they had to say:

1. Set aside time to make a plan for each week — including time to chill out and see loved ones.

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"On a Sunday evening, decide what you want to achieve during the week: add important meetings, non-negotiable time with friends and family, and rest time.

At the end of each day, schedule in the calendar for the next day each activity you want to complete and the time — so time isn't wasted."

—yeah_yeah_waaaa

2. And make a routine that helps you keep up with your personal chores too.

@pawsofwinterfell / Via instagram.com

"Do your best to stick to routines so things don’t get forgotten — e.g. groceries Saturday, laundry Wednesday, etc."

—anne13

3. See if there's an easy way to schedule your side gig around your full-time job.

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"I teach full-time. But in my side hustle, I work for Shipt and deliver groceries, prescriptions, and balloons. I try not to pick up jobs every day so I can have some downtime. I also usually put myself on the schedule for Shipt right after I leave the school. That way, I can just do it all before I go home. On the weekends, I may do more Shipt orders so I can make a little extra money. But really, it's about doing what works for you when it works for you. Being out all at once is easier for me."

—kimikap5

4. Prioritize your work based on the deadline.

Pixelfit / Getty Images

"I have four healthcare jobs and I’m in grad school full-time. A lot of my days go entirely to my commitments, and it can get depressing. I depend heavily on my day planner, where I jot down my obligations, appointments, assignments, bills, etc. I know it sounds counterproductive, but I never do more than I have to in a day. If something needs to be done by a certain time, that’s what I’m doing for that day and nothing more (unless I feel motivated to do more).

"For household things, I depend on online shopping and subscriptions. I order produce and meat from Imperfect weekly and make my meals for the week so that I don’t have to worry about it."

—desireemurphy89

5. Make time for hobbies so you don't get overwhelmed.

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"I have a full-time job, a freelance job, and take two papers at uni. Because my freelance job pops up at the most unexpected times, it's difficult to plan for it. So I try to plan and structure everything else. Lectures, breaks, workouts, meetings, lunches, even showers. I leave two hours before bed empty so I can spend that time working on my freelance job, hobbies, or whatever else. I've had a side-hustle for 10 years and finally found a method that works for me.

"I normally have a hectic schedule, so planning my rests is very important for me. (Took a lot of therapy to figure this one out!) A few days a week, or every day when I'm feeling mentally drained, I set an hour during the day to focus on taking a break. I put on relaxing sounds (mynoise.net is a good place to start) and read, meditate, build figurines (Gundams are my favourite), or just breathe. Doing things that seem unproductive can be the most productive thing you can do."

—yakdetectorpattosan

Taking care of your mental health is so important, but if you're working on the side because you really need the money, you might be worried about the costs of therapy. However, it doesn't have to be as pricey as you might think. We recently rounded up some lower-cost ways that you can prioritize your mental health without breaking the bank.

6. Remember to take breaks — even short ones can make a difference in your energy level and mood.

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"They don’t have to be super long or frequent if you don’t have the time. Even just a snack break, or take a few breath breaks to help you stay motivated."

—konda5

7. You don't have to toil away at your side gig for hours on end. Shorter bursts of work can really add up.

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"I schedule an hour for myself each day to focus on the business — could be designing, fulfilling orders, blogging, shooting photos, catching up on finances, whatever. It doesn’t seem like much but it adds up."

—erikam25

8. Check in with your goals on a regular basis to make sure you're on track and to keep your motivation up.

@debtfreecharts / Via instagram.com

"I make sure I have at least one weekend day when I am not working any job at all. Also, I constantly look at my progress in my goals (especially with finances) to remind myself why I’m doing my side hustle in the first place."

—ashtond44665a64f

9. If your side gig is based on a passion, don't get so caught up in making money that you lose sight of what you loved about the business in the first place.

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"I make and sell crochet stuff online. I find that I enjoy making my designs over commissions. After a while, I got tired of making the same products over and over and over again, so I set aside a few days a week to work on my own designs. I also make sure to have self-care days where I don’t pick up the hook at all, and instead, focus on taking care of myself and my mental health."

—annem4e39bbc9d

10. Consider a side hustle that's less time-consuming.

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"I do overnight pet-sitting so I’m making money while going to work full-time! Basically I live at people's homes while they’re away, take care of their furry ones, and not much else of my usual routine is changed."

—kirstiem4b2003068

If you're thinking about getting into dog-sitting or taking care of other pets, check out what the pros think newbies need to know about this side hustle.

11. Choosing a gig that you enjoy will make it feel less like work.

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"I think it helps if the side hustle is something you love or you're really good at and comes easy. I take translation jobs on the side, and I love it! Each new document I get (usually official documents or reports from NGOs) is an opportunity to learn something new, and (to me) every translation is like a puzzle to be solved :).

"I will say though that I only accept new work based on how drained I'm feeling at the moment from my day job and the size/topic of the paper. That said, the money is really good and although the larger sums go right to my savings, the cash from smaller jobs is my 'treat myself' money I blow on little pleasures so I actually get excited when someone contacts me for that kind of work."

—trilingualmom

12. You don't have to say yes to every offer.

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"You are allowed to say no! I puppy-sit and tutor privately, and it’s so important to let yourself have a break and not always take on another client or work an extra day/hour. If you feel like you need some downtime, prioritise it before it gets critical."

—lauram403c29da7

13. It's okay to ask for help.

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"I am a full-time shift leader at a bookstore; I am also a reseller on Ebay. The main thing I have learned is that asking for help is okay. My family will take packages to the post office for me so I can sleep in a little longer, my brother even tries on some of the items if I can't tell if they're male or female. Most weeks I'm totally exhausted, but honestly, it's so satisfying."

—alishas475c9a96d

14. And look into platforms and services that can help you manage your business.

Upwork / Via upwork.com

"I freelance as a copywriter on top of my full-time job as a marketing specialist. I keep a handle on the chaos by using an app to control the flow of business! Having a resolution center and an "Out of Office" switch that can turn off my availability if I'm overwhelmed really helps. For me, it's worth paying the commission to have a steady source for clients and a third party handling any major issues I run into. I've found that private clients can spiral out of control with no warning, and they have no respect for working hours! The app is a nice way to filter out the problem clients. As an added bonus, if I have a client I never want to work with again, I have this great "block" button that means they are out of my life forever."

—camryn8

If you're looking for a platform that can help you find clients and manage payments, you might want to check out Upwork or Fiverr.

15. Spend time with the people in your life who keep you grounded and make you feel good.

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"I'm a graduate student at Duke and have three jobs in order to live and pay for that... I work as a TA, as a library clerk, and as an assistant youth minister at a church. The latter is truly where my heart lies these days. The only way I can balance all this is to live by my color-coded Google calendar, regularly call my grandparents (try complaining to a woman who grew up during the Great Depression...), and vent with my BFF. And ALL the coffee. And prayer. And regular 2 a.m. walks to clear my head. And talking to a counselor every now and then. And making sure that every day has 15 minutes devoted to me alone."

—marya44e915dfe

16. And finally, always carry a notebook (or use your phone) so you can jot down ideas as they come to you. This can help you manage your time and keep your to-do list fresh.

@karmaisis / Via instagram.com

"I’m kind of doing this backward, because I’ve been a self-employed jewelry designer for seven years, and I’ve recently been taking temp-day jobs as side hustles to make ends meet. One of the best pieces of advice in managing my time and productivity — WRITE EVERYTHING DOWN. With two jobs, I have a lot of ideas going through my head all day. More often than not, I’ll remember things that I need to get done for one job, while I’m working at the other. If I’ve gotta make an update to my website, check inventory, or I get a wave of inspiration, I write it down. I carry a purse-sized spiral notebook with me at all times, and I use speech-to-text note taking on my phone. This way I have a running to-do list and can maximize my time at both jobs since I have a clear idea of the things I need to handle."

—tarac490b27d7e

Is there something you would add? Share your best tips in the comments below.

And for more on side hustles and money management, check out the rest of our personal finance posts.