Side Hustles Can’t Survive on Crumbs

POV: You’re dying to start that creative business, side hustle or freelancing journey but you’re just so darn tired. 
 
We get it. 
 
Let me tell you a secret, you’re not tired, you’re just creatively drained. 
 
Before Boring Studios, Eden and I were in 9-5s.

Towards the end of our 9-5 lives, we started a couple of different side hustles, working on these from 6-10 pm and sometimes 5-7 am.

With basically no downtime for self-care, relationship building or just plain fun, these side hustles were taxing. 
 
The idea of it was exciting and when we had the energy and time after recharging, the work flourished.

But this “inspired” time was truly few and far between. 
 
It was hard to concentrate or be inspired so in the end, our side hustles failed. 
 
Let’s be real. Our brains only have so much energy, just like our bodies.

Working in general can be taxing; you have decisions to make and problems to solve.

Working for someone else can be taxing on a whole other level; being told what to do, not being heard, being blamed for things you didn’t do, getting frustrated that there are no clean plates in the kitchen, waiting for the microwave to heat up your lunch, talking to people you don’t like… 
 
When you’re working a 9-5 using your brain energy up all day, it can be hard to produce more without recharging it with food, exercise, downtime, and fun.

But like we also need to sleep…
 
Just like how your sims can’t work if their fun bar is in red, neither can you. 
 
Maybe you have a work-from-home job that’s easy and filled with lots of breaks or flexibility.

You could probably create a thriving side hustle. 
 
But maybe you’ve got a 9-5 that's actually an 8-6, plus travel time and a short (or non-existent) lunch break. 

Don’t beat yourself up that you can’t create a thriving side hustle.

We couldn’t do it either. 
 
At the end of the day, we spent so much time on something with 10% energy on it and it was a waste of time. 
 
Well, I guess it wasn’t a complete waste of time. It really just pushed us to the edge and ultimately also made us quit our jobs 
 
Now, I’m not telling you to quit your job. 
 
But I am telling you that you shouldn’t beat yourself up for having no energy at the end of the day to work on the things you truly love or aspire for.

Go for a walk, read a book, take a bath, go to the gym, eat a nutritious meal or have a long chat with your bestie about your goals and aspirations. 
 
You need to get your fun bar in the green to be able to create or think again. 
 
Work smarter, not harder, because hustling to the bone will get you nowhere. 
 
XO 
P