I'm a big fan of side hustles as well, Jenny, and I think you do a great job of highlighting the pros and cons here. It's not for the feint of heart, but if you commit to them, they help you (and your heart) grow.

Best of luck with the launch. I'll be in touch.

@Priya - Thanks! I appreciate you stopping by.

@JenG - Thanks Jen! I think it's something our generation is really getting good at -- and I totally agree that it's one of the best ways to grow in head and heart :)

@Damon - Yes! I try to provide perspective and another voice that you don't HAVE to quit your job to pursue your passion full-time. Many people will, and that is great, but we all have our own threshold and readiness state. Until then, building something on the side can be a huge benefit regardless!

Jenny, from one side hustler to another - this is such a great article!!

I find some weeks when my job is demanding a lot and my side gigs are too, I can just totally burn out! So I try to take "days off." For me that includes JUST going to work, but then coming home and not turning on the computer and working out, seeing friends, catching up on phone calls etc. It doesn't happen too often, but when it does, it can really help me power through the rest of the week.

My question is, do you think side hustles are sustainable? Damon mentioned that a lot of people who write about this discuss side hustles as a means to an end. That seems to be the case to me... what do people think?

Inspiring story! Especially the part about the parallel career track.

Hi, Jenny! I'm so committed to the concept of the 'side hustle' and how it can enhance lives that I now teach others how to do it!

My side hustles have varied over the past eight years, but have included voice-over work, non-fiction book proofreading, and copywriting. They have all fed different parts of my entrepreneurial soul. Now, I've just begun a side hustle, Vocation Inspiration, devoted to helping others find the right side hustle of their own.

In my philosophy, while side hustles can last for as long as you want them to, I do see them as a means to an end, as Jaclyn mentioned above. I see them as either a "dabbling" venture, where you spend 10, maybe 20 hours a month of your free time, or a "ramping up to escaping the cubicle" venture, where it might take up more like every evening and half your weekends (as you'd described in your post).

Historically, I have preferred the "dabbling" approach, because it allowed me to use different personality characteristics and strengths, while ensuring I don't burn out. I'm now in full-on "ramping up" mode--I want to make this 'side hustle' of career coaching side into my full-time vocation.

Great tips to live by--thanks for posting!

Side hustle is my life; I just never had a label to ascribe to it until now. I get to have my cake and eat it too - a high salary and benefits from my full time job and the opportunity to realize a dream from my side hustle. Did I mention I'm married with two children? I don't have any free time, but my creative energy sustains me. I'd love to connect with more people like me. Which is kind of why I'm here.

Side hustles!! This is so what I've been wanting in my life. I love my job but I cannot get enough of what I do. Now, if only I could figure out what kind of side-hustle I can get myself wrapped up in!

While side hustles may have become "trendy" (and I do think it's a great trend), and I think you have awesome recommendations here for "new" entrepreneuers or "new" people who are engaging in the 'side hustle' business, I don't necessarily agree with 2 of your recommendations and here is why:

First, anyone who is a true entrepreneuer vs. what has now been coined as a 'cool' entrepreneuer can tell you that there is no such thing as work / life balance. Thus, work / life balance is not what you strive for - you strive to be fulfilled. period. And many times that involves not having the overused / stereotype of "balance" that people seem to speak of and wish for others. True entrepreneuers love what they do so much that work is their "hobby" as well as something that may bring in money. Would you tell a professional football player during season to find balance? doubtful.

And going on a vacation...huh? Not when launching a company. Not me. And not anyone I've ever known whose in 'start up' phase - which can last for 2-3 years at times.

As you stated, side hustles are 'all the rage' and I think your post is dead on about 'side hustles'. But I also think there is a certain personality type that enjoys the side hustle so much (usually more than their day job), that there are no boundaries; you just GO until the side hustle becomes your FT job...and perhaps there in lies the difference in a "Mark Zuckerberg" and someone who has had teh same side hustle for years without ever converting it.

Check out Gary V. He's a great example

Gary Veynerchuck ( ;

My side hustle of composing and DJing has been the most fun thing I have ever done. It's almost taught me more about business than my undergrad did. Now I want to get my MBA in order to combine my part-time passion with my full-time career.

I agree with you. A side hustle is a great way to shake things up, further your knowledge, and even help you perform better at your day job. When your day job and your side hustle are both a passion related to each other, they serve to compliment each other I find.

One of the best tips I have is to try to get your day job to give you a flexible schedule. If you have the flexibility to handle things when things need handling, both for your day job, and your side hustle, you can get much more done than if you are trying to cram all your hustle into your "off hours". Off hours have been just as good a time to work on my day job responsibilities as they have for the side hustle.

I currently have a couple of side hustles, and while at times they can feel like giant-time-sucks, it's the way some of us must go about keeping the security of our "day job" paycheck while trying to build-do-be more than our day job allows. Side hustles are also a great way to test out lots of ideas and see which end up being the ones we're most passionate about.

Totally agree also with #4. I recently found out several of my co-workers in a different part of the country started reading one of my blogs after coming across it in their personal lives. Thankfully, I've never brought any work or way-too-personal stuff to that blog, but it's going to stick in my mind forever when thinking about future blogs.

@laura @tracy So true. My company tracks everything you do on their work issued computers - any email, IM, websites you visit - so sneaking a few minutes here and there to deal with your side hustle on your work laptop, say to pay a vendor, etc, would be grounds for termination.

Now I schlep a mini PC to work, and connect to the internet using a mobile 4G device, since anyone using the company wireless will also be monitored.

It looks really weird and I get comments from people who walk past my cube, but it's the only way I can maintain privacy and not violate company regulations.

@Lorna, great point. Another thing to keep in mind is a lot of companies, especially in the creative industries, have clauses that your creations while employed are property of the company unless declared beforehand. I hated that at one of my early jobs. Very good to check these things out, lest you might do a lot of work that your day job ends up owning.

@Lorna,

To be fair to the corporation, quite a few of the times, it is the government who causes those restrictions. For example, anything I do on the side whether or not it has to do with my business and my company will be held against my company by the federal regulators.

If one of my employees went out and try to build a personal brand by offering free advice on the web. Someone who find the advice lacking can then file a complaint with the regulators that would go against my company's record even though I had nothing to do with or any control.

The latest ruling on considering activities with family members as something to be monitored was put on by FINRA (a regulator) not the corporation.

We expect additional restrictions and laws by the current government that will cause companies to crack down and cause even further on conflicts between the employees and the employers.

Employees are trying to establish personal brands amidst a flurry of government efforts to extract more income by fining and enforcing a host of conflicting regulations against corporations.

There are no clear answers for many companies. It's a case of damned if you and damned if you don't.

Rank and file employees don't see or know about many of these issues until they are in senior management. The choice sometimes is being strict or being fined millions of dollars.

I have one client who violate county regulations when they structure water usage according to state guidelines. If they structure to county guidelines then they violate the state's. The two laws are completely opposite. As a result, they have to choose and pay whichever is the lesser fine. Each restructure costs them millions.

thanks a lot!
i love my job
great artickle i really like my job better now.
www.reda-ader.blogspot.com

I agree with every point you made here, Jenny. As you know, I have a number of side hustles--I actually can't imagine life without 'em.

The biggest challenge, for a lot of young people, is finding the balance and determining how much personal investment of time is worth their while. I work 7 days a week and most evenings, and it's been challenging for me to explain that to friends and still maintain relationships. But I do designate "No Work Days" and take the occasional weekend off.

There's another group you'll need to draw boundaries with--clients or colleagues. Being transparent with your employer, if you have one, is helpful. But boundaries are up to you, the individual, and I find that this is the most challenging issue for many.

Finally, another consideration is, what will you do if the side hustle becomes your life's work? Are you prepared to leave other obligations you may have kept--front and center, or on the back burner--to purse it? Your commitments may change over time, and this can also be a struggle. I don't have the answers, but I do encourage others to seriously consider these stumbling blocks before they dig in. Otherwise, you can wind up drained--and without sufficient energy for any of your projects!

A big thumbs up to you Jenny for this awesome post. I'm new to Brazen and your article is one of the first I have read along my new journey. I am inspired knowing more about side-hustling and that I was somewhat in that direction from the start (didn't know there was a term for it till now lol). I find it very important to set boundaries between the work/life/independent studies, and I feel this article has put things a bit more into perspective and help me focus my goals in a clearer way. Thank you and I look forward to reading more articles in the future!

Hello my name is Raymond. I really wanted to hear what you had to say on the 29th. I locked in my schedule and everything.

Unfortunately i could not attend the event. I had a pertinent school board budget meeting to attend in relation to my townships well being.

I really would like to discuss/hear your presentation you did pertaining to side hustles. I believe they are very important in this day and age of the ever changing economy.

Was your session recorded on Brazen? How can i access it? How can i see a recap?

Thank You for your time and effort to make yourself available.

@Raymond The recording of the webinar will be up on Friday!

Hi Jenny. Really enjoyed the webinar. I have an extended follow-up question for you. Where's the best place to send?