Day job and side hustle — How to juggle like a master

Today's world is commercial at heart but unfortunately, equally expensive. Thankfully, though, the young ones contributing to the global economy are motivated and ambitious. Instead of moaning at the rising inflation and the obvious onset of recession, more and more people are looking for a side hustle that can keep them afloat. Depending on where you look, about 25-50 percent of millennials have a side-job or passion project of some kind that keeps the money and the creative juices flowing. Understandably enough, there is a need for strict time management and some serious multi-tasking skills if one is to cram all that work into the 16 hours of the day that seem to pass by in a second.

It is often seen that work pressures cause passion projects to take something of a backseat. Setting aside time for your side hustle and following it strictly will help keep both jobs on track. Use that calendar app on your phone to the limit. Schedule everything, even if it does not seem like a chore, like family time. Weed out unproductive time (30 minutes or so) from lunch time, or in the early hours of the day to devote to your side hustle. You will be surprised by how many hours you can redirect to your side job this way.

With technology at our fingertips, it is now possible to save time doing things our predecessors could not even imagine. Automate whatever you can. Delegate whatever you can. Micromanaging may seem tempting but doing half-baked work simply in order to do it all by yourself is a poor work strategy.

To-do lists are your best friend. Time them hourly and make sure to schedule 20-minute tasks as 20 minutes and not a half hour. It is realistic to include staring-at-the-wall time occasionally but not every half an hour. Just the fun of crossing finished tasks out will motivate you to complete work on time, although that really should not be the only inspiration!

Figure out what time of the day is most productive for you and if that is not already taken up by your "real" job, be fiercely protective of it. Do not be scared to say no to unimportant engagements during that time, and even opt out of doing people more than an occasional favour, then. Reserve the best of your brain for your project — the peripheral work can wait until your energy levels are at half-mast.

Finally, and most important, it is crucial to remember that you have a life that cannot and should not be overlooked. Ignoring play time for constant work is the surest way to approach burnout faster and the last thing you want is to start resenting your passion project due to the lack of a proper break.