For as long as I can remember, I’ve had a side hustle. One semester in college, I balanced an unpaid internship with shifts at Old Navy, delivering my school’s newspaper, and working at the college library. At the time, I needed the extra money. I was paying my own rent, buying my own groceries, and spending way too much on bacon, egg, and cheese sandwiches. But something in me also liked the hard work. It felt good to be needed — and to feel like I was great at so many different things. I was genuinely proud of my ability to balance it all. Believe me, I know that equating your worth to your productivity is a slippery slope that can end really poorly. But I often can’t help myself when a new opportunity comes my way. I’ll say to myself, “I’m too burned out right now, I can’t take on anything else,” only to find myself later that day agreeing to a new freelance gig or signing up for a craft market. Part of me likes to keep an ongoing rotation of side jobs in case anything happens to my full-time one. Part of me likes my side hustles for giving me the ability to explore my passions outside of work. Part of me just has a hard time saying “no” to things. But if there’s anything I’ve learned from my many side hustles over the years, it’s that you need to figure out how and when to say “no” to a potential gig. If you find yourself with a side hustle that’s more stressful than fulfilling, you need to let it go. It’s not worth it. I’m still figuring out how to do these things myself, but I do know one thing: When you find a side hustle that’s a good fit, it can be incredibly rewarding. Side hustles can help you gain financial security, build new skills, expand your network, and move forward in your career. If you’re trying to figure out how to make a side hustle work for you, our authors have some advice. Recommended Reads Your Job Doesn’t Have to Be Your Passion by Lauren C. Howe, Jon M. Jachimowicz, and Jochen I. Menges Instead, look for a job that will give you the resources — time, money, and energy — to pursue your passion outside of work. I Built My Side Hustle During a Layoff (and You Can Too) by Natasha D’Souza If designed thoughtfully, a side hustle can pay just as much as a full-time job, or more. How to Get Your Side Hustle Off the Ground by Nahla Davies Starting a side hustle may sound great on paper, but it takes more than passion to get an idea off the ground. Is Starting a Side Hustle Really Worth It? by Anne-Lyse Wealth For those of us who are already drained by the day-to-day, but seeking more financial security, how can we determine if starting a side hustle is worth it, let alone what kind of side hustle to start? What Successful Freelancers Do Differently by Ben Laker, Lebene Soga, Yemisi Bolade-Ogunfodun, and Ashish Malik Freelancing can make a great side hustle — it can also make a fulfilling, flexible, and financially smart full-time career. But what does it take to succeed as a freelancer? Like what you see? This article is adapted from our weekly newsletter.
