How to Balance Work and Life with a Side Hustle - Guest Blog
Guest Blog by: Katie Conroy of advicemine.com
While starting your own side hustle can be exhilarating, exciting, and a confidence booster, it can also be exhausting — especially when you’re a parent. Furthermore, creating something from scratch can require a whole lot more effort, dedication, and commitment than you originally anticipated. So, if you are finding it challenging to strike a balance between the two, you're not alone. Life coach Jennifer Jakobsen can guide you through the process and help you navigate the tips and resources below.
Why resting can be productive
Figuring out your next steps, particularly when it comes to a side hustle, can be draining, especially when it requires you to think on your feet while raising a child. However, paradoxically, having a catnap every now and again or every day for that matter (who's judging?) can boost productivity by giving your brain the rest it needs to reboot itself. So, instead of feeling guilty about it, take advantage of napping where you can.
Stretch your legs
Exercise is enormously beneficial for your overall well-being — there's simply no other way to put it. In fact, it's essential for your health, as a sedentary lifestyle is harmful in so many ways. So get up and stretch your legs (even when you'd rather not), and you're guaranteed to feel better, look better, and do a better job at maintaining your side hustle while you parent.
Eat right, feel right
Eating a balanced and nutritious diet for you and your family can do wonders not only for your body but for your mind too. Healthy and mindful eating usually correlates with clarity. Scientifically speaking, your brain needs the right vitamins and minerals to function optimally. And when running a side hustle while chasing after kids, most would agree that you would need all the brainpower you can get!
Take it easy
While you may feel more productive when under the pump to do something, sometimes too much work pressure (especially when prolonged) can leave you feeling more underwhelmed than overly enthused about your new project. Notwithstanding the fact that, as CNBC points out, stress can lead to other health issues such as high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and more. Therefore, taking a much-needed break to de-stress and unwind is vital to avoid burnout.
Less is more
When running your own business, taking on less can actually mean more for the long-term success of your business than if you were doing it all alone. Therefore, outsourcing areas within your business that you know aren't your key strengths is a good thing to do so that you can tend to the more pressing things on your plate.
For instance, there are many professional freelancers out there who are willing to take over some or other function from you (depending on their expertise) like website design; in this case, if you’ve ever wondered how much do web designers make, simply use a job platform like Upwork to get the latest rates. If you find you’re juggling a lot and are just barely coping (parents, I'm talking to you), outsourcing help is a great way to free up time and energy.
Local Market Launch notes another thing that can help you run your business/side hustle more efficiently is innovative timesaving technology to help you manage and boost the productivity of your existing tasks even more. Furthermore, such technology has been specifically designed with the busy 'mompreneur' in mind to help you streamline your day better.
You can also use the latest tech from companies like Adobe to give a big assist when it comes to graphic design as it pertains to marketing. Adobe’s free online banner maker, for example, provides a wealth of creative motivation and ideas to create your own customizable banners that you can use on social media and your website. These tools are especially helpful if you find graphic design and formatting a bit challenging. The time and energy you’ll save will quickly prove a godsend.
The best of both worlds
Who's to say you can't be happy, healthy, and successful at raising a family and running a business at the same time? Indeed, striking the ideal balance between work life and home life/ family life can be challenging when you feel like you have so many things competing for your attention. However, it is not only possible, but self-care should be right up there with your other to-dos to ensure that you can do it all and more!
Certified Professional Integrative Coach, business owner, and mom, Jennifer Jakobsen offers a unique perspective on how to kick the parenting guilt and negative self-talk that many mompreneurs experience, and feel confident and in control. Reach out today and let’s get started on the next level!