Your side business might start out well, with a solid schedule, a few hours each night, and a sense of control. But things don’t stay the same. Schedules change. Changes in energy. Things that matter change.
You may have just given birth.
Your job during the day may have gotten harder.
You may have moved to a new city, started school, or begun caring for a loved one.
Your routine changed for any reason, and all of a sudden your hustle might halt.
The truth is, though, you don’t have to stop. You only need to change.
This essay will show you how to modify your hustle when things become tough without losing your motivation or getting burned out.
It’s Normal for Things to Change, and So Is the Way Hustle Works
Chris Guillebeau’s book The $100 Startup talks about how most businesses started as side projects and evolved over time as life threw them curveballs.
People who achieved well didn’t have a lot of time. They were the ones who changed.
You won’t always have two hours after dinner to work on your side business. Some seasons will provide you 30 minutes on the commute, 15 minutes before bed, or one quiet morning a week.
That’s enough, but only if you mean it.
Step 1: Understand That “Hustle Seasons” Are Real
There will be instances when your hustle is growing swiftly. Some people do it when they’re trying to stay alive. That’s OK.
This is how to say it:
- It’s time to build: you’re making, launching, and testing
- Refine Season: You’re improving things that are already there.
- Maintain Season: You’re doing the least amount of work to keep things moving.
What do a lot of hustlers do wrong? Trying to stay in “Build Mode” forever, even when you can’t.
Instead, alter how hard you work based on the time of year.
Step 2: Change the Way You Look at Progress
Your idea of success should alter when your habit does.
Instead of:
- “Release a new product this month” → “Send one sales email this week” is a good idea.
- “Work 2 hours a night” → “Work 20 focused minutes during lunch”
- “Post every day on Instagram” → “Batch 4 posts on Saturday morning” is a good idea.
When time is short, small, consistent activities are always better than massive, random bursts.
Side Hustle: From Idea to Income in 27 Days tells us that you don’t have to go fast; you simply have to keep going.
Step 3: Look for Your New Window of Opportunity
Your old routine for hustling might not work anymore. That doesn’t mean you don’t have time; it means you need to find your new window.
Give this a shot:
- When do I feel the most focused, even for 20 minutes?
- Are there any new “dead zones” I can use, such on my way to work, while I’m waiting, or in the early morning?
- Can I trade time I spend working hard for time I don’t need anymore?
Some useful changes are:
- Use the time you spend scrolling around social media to make things.
- Do one work for your side business instead of watching one Netflix program.
- Get up 30 minutes earlier twice a week.
It’s not about the hustling culture; it’s about moving time around in a creative way.
Step 4: Give Someone Else the Job, Make It Easier, or Take a Break (On Purpose)
If your life gets busier, think about:
- Delegating: Use sites like Fiverr, Upwork, or Toptal to hire a freelancer to do little jobs for you.
- To make things easier: get rid of products or services that don’t work.
- Pause: Stop doing things that aren’t urgent, but do it on purpose, not out of anger.
It’s okay to make things easier. You can say, “Not now, but not never.”
You shouldn’t have to work hard to make a living.
Step 5: Make Things Automatic When You Can
When you don’t have much time, automation can save your life.
A few fast wins:
- Use ConvertKit or Mailchimp to set up email reminders.
- Make a lot of material at once with Canva and then use Buffer or Later to plan when it will be published.
- Use HoneyBook or Bonsai to automate contracts and invoices.
- Use templates for emails, proposals, and replies.
Automation keeps your hustle going, even when you can’t.
Step 6: Look Back at Why You Started Your Hustle
Your reasons for doing things typically change when your life does.
You may have begun your side job to generate additional money, but now you want more freedom or to establish something that offers you a sense of purpose beyond money.
Take a second to ask:
- Why do I still care about this hustle?
- What part do I want it to play in my life right now?
- How can I change it to fit this new season?
The more your hustle matches up with your existing situation, the longer it will last.
Step 7: Set “Minimum Viable Momentum”
Setting a simple, non-negotiable goal for each week is the greatest way to stay on track when life becomes crazy.
This might be:
- “Send one email to my list”
- “Get in touch with one of your old clients”
- “Put one new item on Etsy”
- “Write 500 words for my class”
What is the goal? Keep the wheels moving. Even slowly.
Because movement makes things clearer, gives you confidence, and opens up new possibilities.
Step 8: Let Go of the Guilt
You’re not getting behind. You’re getting used to it.
There is a distinction.
It’s fine if you’re not in “hustle beast” mode right now. It’s fine if you’re weary, busy, or focused on your family, health, or healing.
You’re still in the game as long as you don’t give up totally.
A lot of the stories in The $100 Startup and Side Hustle started off as weekend projects, nap-time businesses, or late-night experiments, which is what life allowed at the time.
You are not less devoted because you are changing; you are stronger.