It doesn’t matter if you’re driving for Uber or working as a freelance writer; side hustles take up chunks of our time.
The side hustler (us) trades time for money.
What many side hustlers don’t know is the amount of time we spend side hustling can be reduced without earning less money. Actually, my overall goal for any side hustle is to earn more money while spending less time. It’s my definition of a successful side hustle.
However, there are a few factors that determine how many hours we’ll spend each week doing side hustles.
Gain more experience
Simply put, the higher-paid gig workers and side hustlers are the more experienced ones. These workers have also learned how to optimize their time.
They’ve been around the block a few times, know what to look for and know an opportunity when they see one.
It’s no secret veteran freelancers get paid more than newbies. But they also likely type, edit, read and create opportunities faster as well.
It’s because they’ve had their skin in the game longer than fresh freelancers and they use that experience to save themselves time while still earning money.
Enhance your skill
Next to experience, side hustlers with the highest skill levels will earn the most money.
The best graphic designers on Fiverr get paid the most money from fewer orders. It’s because they are skilled enough to attract high-paying clients over and over again.
The sooner you can get better at your craft, the quicker you can start earning more money from your work.
Narrow your side hustles
I’m a huge fan of diversifying my side hustles. I don’t want all my eggs in one basket.
But I also understand more gigs equals less time I can dedicate to getting really good at one single hustle.
Balancing the number of side hustles, I’m actively participating in is another way to cut time spent per side hustle.
Every side hustle comes with its own learning curve. We have to work our way up, learn what works and fail a few times before we get good. The process takes time that could be spent getting really good at a single side hustle.
I try hard not to spread myself too thin with active side hustles and also build passive ones when I can. I have a few e-books that earn me money every month without any effort or time spent.
Limit the number of side hustles you have so you have more time to get good at specific projects.
Put in more effort
One fact I’ve learned over the years as a side hustler is if I keep working hard, good things will come.
I truly believe we have to put our hearts into our side hustles if we want to see success. We can’t just put out sub-par work and expect huge returns. We have to really want it.
Depending on the kind of side hustle you do, this could mean a range of different things.
I wake up every weekend and go to yard sales at random strangers’ houses. It’s so I can source items to resell on eBay for a profit. By doing this, I can save time during the week and not swim around at thrift stores looking for the same items.
I then take that free time during the week and write articles for my blog and newsletter.
This kind of work ethic might not seem worth it to many, but I’ve been slowly building two side hustles with nice returns.
And every day I go out to yard sales or write, I spend a little less time because i get better at what I’m doing, learn valuable lessons and focus on those two side hustles.
Conclusion
By locking in on the side hustles you want to succeed and doubling down on them, you can save time while also earning more money.