As more people turn to side hustles to supplement their income, they’re becoming aware of how difficult it is to keep track of everything. Fortunately, there are strategies you can employ to stay on top of your side hustles, stay organized, and make the most of multiple sources of income.
This article examines the seven most effective strategies for juggling multiple side hustles while remaining organized.
1. Make a schedule for yourself
Setting yourself a schedule is one of the smartest things you can do when you have multiple projects. Making a schedule is one of the most effective ways to stay organized and avoid becoming overwhelmed. The most important thing is to stick to your schedule, so make it as realistic as possible.
An overall schedule of what you need to accomplish and when you need to accomplish it is a great way to ensure you don’t take on too much. It’s difficult to stay on top of everything when you’re working on multiple projects at the same time. Having a schedule to refer to can assist you in keeping track of each project separately.
So, how do you go about creating a schedule? Many apps are dedicated to creating schedules, or you can use the calendar app on your phone. A handwritten schedule, on the other hand, is a great way to visualize your calendar.
A good tip is to color-code your side hustles so that you can tell which one is which.
2. Every day, make a plan
After you’ve created a schedule, think about what you want to accomplish each day. Set aside some time to consider how you want each day to unfold. You might decide to divide your day into blocks, each one devoted to a different side hustle. Alternatively, you may only be able to devote a few hours per day to staying current.
Your day, however, is likely to look, and planning every day as much as possible is a great way to stay on top of tasks and avoid falling behind on any project. It’s also a great way to ensure you don’t get too busy and, hopefully, maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Your phone is most likely an excellent tool for helping you plan out your daily activities. Your phone’s apps, including your calendar app, can store a daily schedule. You can also set up alerts and notifications to help you stay on top of things on your phone.
Read 11 Legit Ways for Teens to Earn Money.
3. Master the art of prioritization
You can further break down your daily calendar by prioritizing the tasks you need to complete each day. Having a to-do list for each day can be overwhelming, but prioritizing can help you manage your expectations and what you need to accomplish each day.
You can prioritize your projects in a variety of ways. For example, if you have trouble staying on top of due dates, you might choose to organize by when each task is due. You could also organize your tasks by time, completing the larger, more difficult tasks first and then moving on to the smaller, likely easier ones.
4. Think about where you need to focus your attention
Even if you have multiple side hustles, one business or source of income is likely to take precedence over the others. This could be your main source of income or the project you’re most enthusiastic about. Whatever your motivation for prioritizing this project, make sure you devote the necessary time and effort to it.
Your side hustles do not have to suffer because you have a single focus. On the contrary, it can be a useful tool in ensuring that you give them adequate time. It’s easy to get carried away when you’re doing something you enjoy, so prioritizing one project over others can help you block out enough time to complete everything you need, ensuring no project goes unfinished.
More great tips on keeping your side hustle organized can be found on the Organized Jane blog.
5. Establish a System
We mentioned earlier that you should color-code your tasks in your schedule according to the projects you’re working on. This is just one way to start systemizing your side hustles and creating a more organized schedule for yourself.
Color-coding and filing are examples of ways to organize your side hustles. For instance, you could devise a complex filing system to ensure that you never lose anything, or you could organize your time according to the amount of time you have available. Whatever method you use to systemize your side hustles, you’ll notice a difference in how you manage your time and money.
Consider what else you could systemize in addition to your tasks. Invoices and receipts, appointments and meetings, and social media accounts, for example, could all be systemized. Systematizing these processes is an excellent way to stay organized and have everything you require for your business.
6. Keep a close eye on your time
Most things in life require time management, especially when multiple projects are occurring at the same time. To be successful, some people need to track every second of their day, while others can get by by auditing specific amounts of time. Your decision will be based on what is most convenient for you and your schedule.
Consider how much time you can realistically devote to each side hustle. Rather than thinking about how much time you’d like to spend or how much you think you should pay, you should be realistic about your time. A reasonable daily wage is much more manageable, and it will prevent your side jobs from taking over your life.
We discussed the benefits of systemizing your accounts for each business or side hustle earlier. When it comes to organizing your finances, however, you’ll probably appreciate your system the most. Whatever method you use to stay organized, your finances must come first.
No matter how much money you make or how much time you put in, everything from tax returns to business insurance is critical to the success of your side hustles. However, if you aren’t naturally financially savvy, dealing with such issues can be overwhelming. So, when it comes to finances, it’s best if you stay organized from the start.
Fortunately, there are numerous apps and software programs available to assist you in keeping track of your finances. If you find yourself easily overwhelmed by money, consider using an app or software to better manage your finances. QuickBooks and FreshBooks are two excellent options for managing everything from payments to invoices.
Last Thoughts
Side hustles are becoming increasingly popular as a way to supplement income while also putting skills to use. However, as we’ve seen, successfully starting and maintaining multiple side hustles necessitates a great deal of organization and planning. As a result, you must be realistic in your expectations, stay focused, and stick to a schedule as much as possible.
Learn more from Skills and read How to Find Quality Typing Programs for Kids.
