6 Tips to Stay Sane While Chasing Your Dreams w a Day Job (& Family)

Anyone aspiring to a bigger life (and wanting to avoid going broke in the process) has surely thought about a side hustle. According to CNN, more than 44 million Americans take on a side hustle. Those most likely to take on something more are younger professionals early in their careers. Can someone in the thick of their career take on an additional project? Sure! And you don’t have to pull a Jerry Maguire to do it. With some effort, you can be a top performer in your day job, pursue your dreams on the side, and have magic with your family. Here’s some tips to make that happen.

• 1- Plan your time

The single most powerful thing I’ve taken on to get more done is plan my time. Each week, I break out my calendar and assess the number of work commitments I have. When I’ve spelled it out on a single sheet of paper, it’s easy to see where Facebook or Candy Crush might suck me in. Those 30 minute drive times are now earmarked for audiobook listening. The spare hour I find after setting up a presentation- is now a completed expense report.

In her book “168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think”, Laura Vanderkam astutely points out that most Americans overestimate how many hours they work, and drastically underestimate how many hours they sleep, clean and play with their children. Dozens of hours slip through the cracks each week- if you can reassign how you spend that time, you can make big things happen. Though being scheduled to the hilt might seem restrictive, I actually find it to be the opposite. I can do whatever I want, I just need to make it a priority.

• 2- Outsource

Outsourcing or delegating busywork can clear a HUGE chunk of time. I’m sure you’ve heard the adage- if your time is worth $50 an hour, you shouldn’t be doing something you could pay someone $5 an hour to do. Hate vacuuming? Terrible at cooking? Side hustle need a website or logo? All great activities to outsource. I asked neighbors for recommendations on a once-monthly cleaning service and discovered Fiverr.com. Not only does the cleaning service free up my time, they do a WAY better job than I ever did- which somehow makes it easier to focus. You can find incredibly talented freelancers to do almost anything on Fiverr. The only reason I have a logo, website and business card for my side hustle are the capable souls at Fiverr.

• 3- Systematize

Many tasks we do in every part of our lives are exactly the same every time. Setting up systems so these things are made easier (or unnecessary) can be life changing. What do you do over and over again in your day job, family life or side hustle? Personally, I found paying my family’s bills to be tedious. After setting up autopay for each utility, wasting mindspace on this is a thing of the past. My day job requires that I order large lunches or breakfasts 3 or more times per week. I approached my rep at Panera Bread to keep standing orders for me. Formerly each order would require I spend 20 minutes on the phone discussing cream cheese options and fumble for my credit card, now I email my rep “breakfast for 20, deliver 7:30am”.

• 4- Magic moments

But Mandy, doesn’t a side hustle mean I’m trading time with my family? My kids are only small once!! You’re right. Mom (or Dad) Guilt is the real deal. The beauty of having planned my week means I can steal “wasted” time from Law & Order: SVU, not my son. What planned time also means is an opportunity to make it as special as possible. I give completely undivided attention (no calls or texts will be taken) when I’m wearing my mom or wife hat. 20 minutes of full attention is better received than an hour of distraction. Further, this time feels more special. When these “magic moments” occur, I write them down in a small notebook I’ve named just that- Magic Moments. Recording my kid’s hilarious antics not only takes away my Mom Guilt now, but will be a great read in 15 years.

• 5- Supportive spouse/network

A successful side hustle and significant balance don’t happen overnight. A HUGE part of getting things how you want them will depend on extremely open communication with your supportive spouse. Though not everyone is as lucky as me in this arena (Hi Tom!), having someone who’s on your team is invaluable. Find someone- spouse, friend, parent- who will be your barometer in tricky situations and let you know the hard truths.

• 6- Progress, not perfection

Being a top performer in your day job, running after your dreams and being a great parent/spouse is absolutely possible. The most important thing to remember progress is what we’re looking for, not perfection. It will be easy to get burnt out if you expect too much. As Tony Robbins says, “Progress equals happiness.” Do just one thing per day that puts you closer to your goals- your progress will compound over time, and you will amaze yourself.

Mandy McAllister has been a perennial top performer in medical device sales. Her side hustle, Good Fortune Properties, is focused on acquiring diversified multifamily assets in the Midwest. After many years of “chasing commission,” she has made it her mission to secure financial freedom for her family and others.