I had no idea how much work goes into having a family; growing up, I saw pictures of energetic career women with families, and they all looked so happy, and I would think to myself, “That is what I want” to be able to balance a family and a full-time job and a side hustle.

No one anticipates how exhausting it all is. Balancing a family and the demands of work is not easy; it requires a person to find a way to keep both at bay while giving their best.

Almost every mom would agree that parenting is a job, and a very difficult one, and being a wife is also a very difficult job, so when you add a full-time job and a side hustle, you are overextending yourself.

So, how do I manage all these responsibilities? There is no sugar coating on the fact that it is not easy, but it is possible.

The whole thing began when I stopped waiting for the right moment to start doing something, this being my side hustle.

It was time to stop waiting and just do it.

As much as I thought about starting something on the side, I was always held back by my belief that I had to perfect everything in my life before I could do so.

How would you be able to manage your already busy life if you added a side hustle?

 I mentioned before that having a family and a full-time job already requires so much from you.

Therefore, adding side work would require you to make some changes to your home life, changes that you and your family must agree upon.

The changes you need to make

Your day job is the one thing that will not change because you will want to continue to do your best at it since a side hustle is not meant to interrupt what you already have going on — you only take on side hustles when you feel comfortable enough in your life to do so when you have found a way of balancing work and family without compromising the other.

Your home life will change, time will become a valuable commodity, and time management will be key.

Here are 11 tips that will help you balance family, full-time work, and a Side Hustle

1.  Self-care

Because self-care is so important to your success, I am placing it as number 1.

There will be an even greater necessity to take care of yourself now than ever before.

Have a little self-care time, perhaps diffusing essential oils or scheduling an in-home massage (this will save you the time you’d normally spend driving).

In other words, it is about enjoying something for its own sake without feeling guilty about it.

2.  Choose a side hustle you are passionate about

Choosing a side hustle that you will be passionate about is a must; you already have a busy schedule.

If done right, your side hustle could bring you extra income, make sure to pick something that you are passionate about because you’ll have to love it enough to want to involve it in your busy schedule.

3.  Know your WHY

Knowing why you want to start a side hustle and always referring back to it will allow you to remain focused and inspire you to keep going.

4. Set clear boundaries

It is very important that you set clear boundaries in your personal life, meaning no distractions, and ensure that your family respects those boundaries.

5. Have a calendar/schedule

A routine and a schedule will be necessary not just for you, but also for your family.

For you to stay on top of things, you need a calendar to help you plan and stay on track.

6.  Make a Budget for your business

Plan your business budget and adhere to it, and when you buy anything on behalf of your company, use the business credit card.

Always keep your receipts for tax purposes.

7.  Open a Business Bank Account

Keep personal money and business money separate – never mix the two.

Establish a debit or credit card in the name of the business and use it for all expenses related to the business.

8.  Register your Business

Find out if you require registering your business.

When it comes to registering a business, every state has a different set of requirements.

Do some research on what you will need, in some states sole proprietors are not required to register, but that’s all the info you should be looking into.

9. Family time

There must be a schedule for family time. This should not be a rigid schedule, like “Tuesday night at 7 pm movie night,” make it where you and your family determine what activities you want to do, and you can work out a schedule for spending time together once a week or twice a week.

Spending time with your family is important, but it will be even more important now that you have limited free time.

You could plan a game night, go hiking, or go biking together. Beat that! Or a Giant 4 in a row would be great for a family game night.

10. Allocate time for your side hustle

As for when you want to work on your side hustle, it depends on the type and how much time you put into it.

Whether you have a partner or not will make a difference as well, but you need to choose a time during the day or night when you can work on it. Allocate the number of hours you want to spend on your side gigs each week.

As far as working on my side hustle, I’ve discovered I’m most productive after I put my children to bed, and for those with older children, this may look different.

11. Outsource, don’t let it become your full-time job just yet

 Although it can be enticing to rush into getting your side hustle up and running, it’s important to stick to the schedule you set up for it, especially in the early stages, so that you do not take time away from your full-time job and family.

Save time by outsourcing, or better yet, use automation! Take advantage of virtual assistants

I tried to do it all myself, but it was not only time-consuming, but also extremely stressful, so getting help with my website relieved me of stress and saved me a considerable amount of time.

Check out my article on Best Side hustle ideas for moms.

Final Thought

I hope you find these tips useful, please feel free to share your tips and what has worked for you 😊