How to build a side hustle when your day job leaves you completely exhausted

Hey zxcv, it’s Mark.

Most people already have a full time job, so starting a side hustle on top of that can sometimes feel a bit overwhelming.

I know this feeling all too well. I remember the days of working a full-time job, I was tired and believe me the last thing I wanted to do was start a side hustle, but I knew it was the only way I’d ever escape the 9 to 5 grind.

I also knew I’d rather do it when I was younger and full of energy as if I left it too late then it would be 10 times harder. This is even more important with the rise of AI, truthfully many people are going to be out of jobs in the next 5 years and that’s why it’s essential to build a second income stream.

So here’s three tips to building a successful side hustle when your day job leaves you feeling exhausted…

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Tip One: Tackle The Tough Tasks In The Morning.

If you’re too tired to work on your side hustle after a long day at work, try tackling the tough tasks of your side hustle before you go to work.

Years ago, I shifted my strategy to prioritise the difficult tasks first thing in the morning.

This way, I knock them out when I’m most productive, and the best part is that once those two or three tough jobs are done, finishing off the easier ones in the evening becomes a breeze.

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Tip Two: Work Smart, Not Hard

The world is full of hard workers that aren’t very successful. The secret to success is focusing that hard work in a smart direction.

When starting out in business, it’s so easy to get caught up and try to do everything yourself, but that is the definition of working hard and not smart.

The moment I started leveraging other people’s skills, my whole life changed.

I was able to concentrate on the areas I excelled at, make much better decisions on a more consistent basis and spend more time with my family.

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Tip Three: Don’t Burn Yourself Out

If you’re already working a full time job, it can be easy to work too hard on your side hustle and burn yourself out.

Between the ages of 21 and 31, I definitely put my head down and worked too hard.

This led to me getting stress induced shingles. My doctor told me I needed to take a break and go on holiday.

This taught me how crucial it is to know your limits. Push yourself hard, but take strategic breaks to avoid burning out and losing weeks to illness.

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zxcv, what was your biggest takeaway from this email? I’d love to know, so hit reply to this email.

All the best,

Mark Tilbury