Looking for a side hustle? There is only ONE thing you should avoid

Side-hustling is extremely common in IT.

I'm not especial, so I've been doing it for many years.

But here my uniqueness come: I did it wrong all the time.

What was the error I repeated over and over?

My secondary activity was the same as my main one.

I did this in different formats and packages, but the problem was the same.

Let's dig into this topic to learn from my mistakes and find a better way to do it.

Who does side hustles?

Well, actually, the question may be the opposite:

Depending on the country, between 30% and 60% of the workers have an extra income.

The most obvious reason is to earn more money (for spending more, saving more, or paying debts).

To put it simply: People want more money.

There are other reasons, like stability or creating a practice with more freedom.

Side hustling your 9-to-5

You are experienced and enjoy your main activity. It's natural to do a side hustle performing the same activity as in your primary job. This allows you to:

• Charge higher
• Stay in your comfort zone
• Get immediate returns without significant investments

This practice comes in different flavors. I've already tasted some of them:

• Working overtime (the most common)
• New project, same client, various agencies (the client already knows us, and we are familiar with the environment)
• New project, different clients (like having 2 families)
• On-demand requirements for various clients and different consultancies (if not well structured, this becomes a hell)

Let me tell you that all of the above are horrible ideas. The reasons:

• You are not growing or becoming more valuable. You already know the activity and are not adding anything to your expertise. Once you stop doing it, you will keep only the money you earned.
• There is no leverage. Even if you charge higher than your regular job, there is a limit (your time). You are not building passive income.
• It's boring. You switch off your regular job to switch it on again. It feels like you work a lot of time (and you do).
• It doesn't give you stability other than having a second client. But you won't have a second option if your primary skill fades out in the market.

A good reason is enough… We have 4 here.

Situations when it is still worth it

There are some situations in which you will get benefits of side hustling your main activity:

• You need some money fast for a short-term objective
• A unique opportunity appeared
• You are building a business to replace your 9-to-5 and want some flow before switching.

These situations have something in common: they are temporary.

Things to consider in a side hustle

Now that we know what not to do, Let's think of what to do:

The reason why you are working more time is to earn more money.

A good use of that time would be working on something that will make you more valuable. So you'll get more money from a single job in the future.

But when will you develop the skills to increase your income if you have a second activity?

Exactly, you can only do it as part of your second activity.

The golden rule is that your side hustle should allow you to develop new skills and make you more valuable.

Considering that you will take hours from your family, friends, and personal interests and put the required effort into a new activity, make sure you make it worth it.

In my new vision, any side hustle must have the following characteristics:

• Passive income-oriented
• Making you more valuable
• Can be done at your own pace to avoid burnout
• Interesting for you (an area that you enjoy)

Consider it as an investment. If you stop doing it, something should remain there long-term.

Conclusion

It is up to you what activity to choose.

But the basic rule is to avoid doing the same that you do on your main job.

Your motivation will not last.

And you will end up with nothing but some extra money, which won't pay for all the stress and effort you put in.

Leverage it, have a long-term-oriented mind, and don't fear experiencing new activities. You may find "your thing".

You are sacrificing your time, well-being, and relations. Make it worth it.