Stop the Leaks that Waste Your Side Hustle Potential

Our monthly water bill tends to be low. One month, we got a bill that was 15 times more than usual. Whoa, you can imagine that getting that bill sent us through the roof. The water department clearly made a mistake because our routine and water usage had not changed. We didn’t have a leaky faucet or toilet. The rates had not increased in a month. No one goes from paying a few dollars to having to pay a couple of hundred dollars in four weeks. What the hell!?

We called the water department and in their unattached way told us that we must have a leak. They would send someone to check the line between the street and the water meter. Once they determined the cause of the leak, they would share it with us. We needed to be prepared to pay for the repair and we were still responsible for the overage. Damn!

The water department found the leak. The line from the water meter which was at the street to our home had been severed spilling gallons of water into a bed of trees. We never saw the leak and never noticed the pool it made beneath the trees. We had to call the plumber to make the repair, but at least the water department forgave a few hundred dollars of the water bill.

I thought about this experience as I considered five things that drain our side hustle time and our money. Social workers who work full time jobs and are developing entrepreneurial side hustles work with limited time. For eight hours, or more, we work for someone else earning a guaranteed paycheck. When the eight hours is complete, we have family obligations that require our attention.

Before our children reached high school, our after-work schedule went something like the following. Pick the kids up from day care or after school. Drive them to dance, karate, or soccer. Once we got home, we went into the bathe, food, homework mode. These activities were a fact of life and a major part of our daily/weekly routine. Most routines keep us focused and on target. Many of us have routines and habits that leak our ability to maximize our time and earning potential.

Social Media

Social media is a perfect way to build a following when used properly. It is also distracting. How many times a day do you check your Facebook or Instagram feeds when you are on your 9-5 job? How often do you check your favorite news source? Side hustle entrepreneurs lose money when they spend time using social media as a distraction. I know, cousin Susie’s daughter is so cute. You love seeing how much she is growing. How about the pictures of your neighbor’s new husky puppy? They help you relax, and you can’t get enough. The time you spend looking at pictures or scanning your feed drain productivity from your side hustle.

Unfocused Mission

Social media is not the only distraction side hustle social workers face. I encourage social workers to ask themselves a question related to the outcome they will provide as a result of their side hustle product or service. All thoughts, actions, and behaviors should be directly related to making the product or service available and providing the outcome. Social workers may be tempted to follow the lead of others which may not be aligned with the outcome of their side hustle. They may also feel tempted to put the cart before the horse starting projects because it is what others are doing.

Failure to Plan Your Schedule

Sustainable, successful and satisfying side hustles require thoughtful scheduling. Failure to schedule activities contributes to procrastination and missed opportunities. You cannot make money if you are not working on your side hustle. Entrepreneurs obsessively plan their schedules so that they can advance their business, make money and enjoy the fruits of their labor. Side hustle social workers must also schedule their work, side hustle and family activities. Planning your schedule should begin by setting aside designated time to work on your side hustle. This time should be non-negotiable, uninterrupted time.

Planning, scheduling and staying focused will provide a framework for developing a sustainable, successful and satisfying side hustle.

Marcyline Bailey, ACSW, LCSW is the author of Five Smart Questions Social Workers Should Ask if They Want to Boost Their Social Work Income e-book Starter Guide and Planner. These free downloads contain five strategic questions to consider before taking on a side hustle. You may also want to view Side Hustle Success as a Full Time Social Worker one of the webinars in the Side Hustle Social Worker Webinar Series.

“I work with social workers and hard working professionals who want to be happy. I would love to hear from you.” You may join the conversation by commenting on this post or on our Facebook fan page REAL Social Workers Online Magazine or connecting with me on LinkedIn.