How to master time management to balance your side-hustle like a pro

In the hustle and bustle of our modern lives, finding balance between our multitude of responsibilities and the confines of a 9-5 job can feel like an elusive quest. The struggle is real, and it’s no wonder we as women often find ourselves stretched thin and emotionally drained. 

We yearn to excel in our careers, meet the demands of our families, and pursue our passions through side hustles or personal endeavours (all great things – yay!). However, the constant juggling act can leave us feeling overwhelmed, guilty, and questioning whether we’re ever doing enough. 

In case you haven’t heard it in a while, you are doing enough. More than enough. But maybe you need a little help mastering time management to help you juggle all of your side hustles and commitments.

So, in this article, we will uncover practical strategies to help you regain control, find harmony, and navigate the delicate dance between your responsibilities and your 9-5 grind.

How to effectively balance your side hustle with your 9-5:

Embrace the power of planning

Effective time management starts with a solid plan. Grab your favourite planner or digital calendar and carve out dedicated time slots for your side hustle. Schedule specific blocks for tasks like marketing, client work, and personal development. Treat these time slots as sacred appointments with your business. By setting clear boundaries, you’ll avoid the temptation to squeeze in side hustle activities during your precious downtime.

Prioritise like a pro 

As a modern-day Wonder Woman, you know the importance of prioritisation. However, sometimes, what we think is a priority is just ‘busy-work’. You need to be able to distinguish the most critical tasks that contribute directly to your side hustle’s growth and success (your priorities) and the work that must get done regardless (the busy work).

Your priorities should centre around activities that generate income, build your brand, or nurture client relationships. As for the other work, try to automate as much of that work, and schedule blocked time to do them so it doesn’t bleed into your main activities.

Remember, you don’t have to do it all. Prioritise what truly matters and delegate or eliminate non-essential tasks.

💡Top tip: Prioritise by deadline vs urgency. It’s easy to ‘feel’ like something due in a month’s time is urgent and prioritise that over the other task which is due tomorrow. List out all of the things you need to do, alongside the deadline date, and work in that order.  

Optimise your productivity

Efficiency is the name of the game. Maximise your productivity by implementing smart strategies:

The Pomodoro Technique 

One of our favourite techniques!

Break your work into 25-minute intervals (called Pomodoros) with short 5-minute breaks in between. Repeat this 8 times for a solid session of ‘deep work’ to tackle the most important tasks head on, with no distractions.

This technique helps maintain focus and prevent burnout due to having regular breaks which you’d typically work through. Make sure your phone or any distractions are out of the way as you do this. You can use this website as a desktop pomodoro technique, or buy a physical timer so you don’t have to rely on your phone.

Batch similar tasks

Group similar activities together, such as responding to emails or creating social media content. This approach minimises context switching and boosts productivity. In fact, 45% of people say context-switching makes them less productive and 43% say it causes fatigue. 

Imagine how much more productive we could be if we focussed on one task at a time?

💡Top tip: Instead of having your email tab open and distracting you each time your inbox increases by a digit, schedule time to respond to emails in the morning, lunch and before the end of day. 

Automate and delegate

You may hate us for this but… you’re going to have to learn to let go. 

The success of our advice above weighs heavily on you working on ways to reduce your workload (so you’re not doing every single thing) to where your strengths lie (so you’re constantly moving the needle and seeing results).

Leverage technology to automate repetitive tasks like social media scheduling or invoicing. If feasible, delegate certain tasks to virtual assistants or freelancers, freeing up your time for high-value activities.

Set boundaries and communicate

As women wearing multiple hats, it’s crucial we communicate our boundaries effectively and clearly. Let your employer, family, and friends know about your side hustle commitments and the time you’ve set aside for it. Providing a degree of transparency here can help people understand how much capacity you have for their needs.

Communicate your availability and ensure you have uninterrupted blocks of focused work time. Setting boundaries not only allows you to dedicate time to your side hustle but also fosters respect and understanding from those around you.

Just remember, people cannot read your mind. It’s important to not assume that your loved ones ‘should just know’ or ‘read the room’. You’ve got to do your part too. 

Practice self-care

Juggling numerous responsibilities can be overwhelming, so don’t forget to take care of yourself. Self-care isn’t selfish—it’s a vital ingredient for success. In his book, Key Person of Influence, Daniel Priestly says:

“The minute you begin to feel yourself ‘working hard’ as opposed to ‘playing a challenging game’ it’s time to take a break or get around some new people. Disappear for a week, get some sun, read up on your favourite role models, explore fresh ideas and spend time with people who are ‘in their zone’. Attend a new event, read a new book and have a few new conversations.”

Prioritise activities that recharge your energy, such as exercise, meditation, reading, or spending quality time with loved ones. Taking care of yourself ensures you have the mental and physical stamina to thrive in all aspects of your life.

💡Top tip: In order to not burn out, you need to be intentional about practising self-care. Don’t wait until your body forces you to listen. We recommend blocking time-out in your calendar for self-care activities. It’s a great way of giving you something to look forward to too!

Accept perfectly imperfect balance

Ever get sick of hearing, “Oh my gosh! How do you balance it all?!”?

For most women, the answer isn’t going to be a long list of a perfect schedule that gives us an equal amount of time to all of our commitments. Instead it’s going to look like seasonal changes. The sooner we understand, the better.

In a recent webinar we held, Double Your Income: How to Build a Profitable Side Hustle around Your 9-5, Rebecca Anderton-Davies spoke about how she manages her schedule as an investment banker, yoga practitioner, author and mother of two. 

She referred to a system presented in her book, Shifting the Dials: A New Approach for Success in Work and Life, which categories our lives into different dials which must be tuned up or tuned down depending on the circumstances at the time.

(P.S. We host incredible – if we can say so ourselves – sold-out monthly webinars around investing, property, finance and entrepreneurship which you can hear about first if you subscribe to our newsletter list)

Conclusion

Bravo, you made it to the end! 

You’re now equipped with practical strategies to conquer time management and embrace your side hustle like a pro. The next thing you need to do is apply this knowledge.

Remember, successful time management is all about planning, prioritising, optimising productivity, setting boundaries, and practising self-care. Be intentional with your time, seize every opportunity, and celebrate your achievements along the way.

Propelle does not provide investment advice. If you are unsure about anything, please seek financial advice from an authorised advisor. Your capital is at risk.