If you’re a full-time parent who’s thinking of running a side hustle, you’re not alone. With record-high inflation, it’s estimated that nearly 50 percent of Americans have at least one side gig in addition to their full-time job to make ends meet (even parents earning $100k+). But having some extra pocket cash, while a great bonus, is not the only reason many parents seek a side gig.
According to Neha Ruch, mother, entrepreneur, author, and founder of Mother Untitled, which helps parents succeed in the gig landscape, staying cocooned in our homes and finding ways to work from home during the pandemic ignited a cultural re-examination around work and family.
“Remote work opened a new way of thinking about how people made room for their priorities and their families,” Ruch tells Scary Mommy. “We are seeing parents — whether working in the traditional workforce, working part-time, or fully at-home focused on caregiving — make room for passion projects as a way of staying connected to the workforce on their terms, or as an act of true self-care to tend to personal hobbies and interests outside of family life.”
Balancing a side gig with parenting, plus a full-time career in some cases, can be tricky. Boundaries can blur between Mommy and “side hustler,” and keeping motivated during the ups and downs of it all — parenting and gigging — is challenging. Below, Ruch shares her tips on how to successfully run a side hustle and parent.
What should you look for in a side gig?
First, you might be stumped at what exactly you can or want to do as a side gig. To help make things easier, Ruch suggests that side gigs, at whatever scale, should be additive to your life.
“Ideally, they help you develop a skill, foster an interest, or make money,” she says. “Of course, if two of those are ideal, the trifecta is a homerun and very rare. Also, consider how much time you can give this work. Building your own business or project is self-directed but also demands a lot of heart and headspace (and sometimes money).”
For ideas, Ruch suggests freelancing or consulting for other businesses as a great way to offer and nurture a marketable skill. It is also an excellent option for home parents looking to stay connected to the workforce or even traditionally employed parents looking to explore other options.
“The gift of this day and age is there are so many marketplaces for flexible work opportunities, including Mother Untitled, yet starting among your peers is still my first stop,” she says. “Once you say out loud among peers that you’re considering a new idea or interest — for example, freelance writing — someone is sure to know someone or somewhere to start your search.”
But how do you balance parenting with side hustle culture?
Deciding to add something else to the buffet of options you must choose to spend your time on is a big deal in a stage when time is limited. This is why, says Ruch, it’s essential to acknowledge that while the benefits might be clear, taking on a side hustle may also be challenging.
“The key here is to know if you’re choosing to add something to the buffet, you must take something off (at least for now),” she explains. “When I was working on Mother Untitled during naps and nighttimes while my children were young, I actively let go of other expectations of myself. I skipped elaborate meals, leaned heavily on easy or frozen foods to free up the sleeping hours, and saved for clean-up to something I could do with my husband once a day, at the end of the day.”
Another critical factor, according to Ruch, is really committing to your side hustle no matter what is happening around you.
“If you take it seriously, you can ask that other people do too,” she says. “If that means you trade weekend mornings with your partner, in the case of two-parent households, with a friend, or hire paid help, there is no magic time — you must set it aside and set yourself up to get it with some degree of consistency.”
Ruch also suggests considering what unique metrics of success could look like for your project.
“Maybe it’s simply to learn, to build a community, or to gather experience in a particular field so you can make a career pivot down the line,” she says. “You can revisit this yearly as you recalibrate how much time and resources you can invest in it. Above all things, don’t let your pace outweigh your purpose. There were five years while I was mostly at home with young children that I could only plant seeds for Mother Untitled, but I knew the mission was clear, and I gave it the time and energy I could until one day, the timing was right to grow it into the movement it is today. If you’re in a slow season, remember small seeds are powerful.”
What are the drawbacks of taking on a side gig as a parent?
Ruch acknowledges that the blurred lines between flexible work and home can be a blessing and a burden. It’s all too common, she says, to try and hold side projects in the fringe hours of family life. “And if that is the case — that this is something you’ll do during naps or night times — be mindful of your expectations of growth so you aren’t burning the candle at both ends,” she cautions. “When you are ready to grow the project, make sure you invest in yourself by dedicating your time to it in a sustainable way for your family.”
That means, says Ruch, having the childcare to invest time without stress on the family system. “The most significant risk in the era of flexible work is that we think this is another way of having it all — doing more things without more support,” she says. “Parenting warrants support, full-stop, and as and when we add more things that take more time, we need to resource ourselves accordingly.”
But Ruch also stresses that being able to do meaningful work in a way that works for you or keeping yourself connected and inspired alongside family life is powerful. As such, “It warrants a different level of intentionality in managing your time and priorities,” she says. “It means that each week, and sometimes every day, you must be clear about whether parenting or your project will get more attention and when, and then do your best to be present for each.”
This article was originally published on scarymommy.com.