Let’s stop glorifying side hustles: they’re exhausting

This sounds great, and it certainly fits with the narrative we’ve all been sold. It’s fair that we’ve come to believe this story, too, because this is what a side-hustler wants you to believe. They’re trying to make their venture successful – after all, this is usually their dream job, which they’re trying to transform into a full-time business – so they outwardly convey it as such.

Behind the scenes, though, you’ll find that the truth is a little more nuanced.

In closed Facebook groups, and in the company of other side-hustlers, the conversations all come with a weary tone. So many of us are burnt out.

After the day job, these are people who work every evening (not 5 to 9 – it’s more like 9pm to 1am), and all weekend. They aren’t rolling in cash; the opposite is often true as they strive to turn their great idea into a business that can cover its own costs, let alone turn a profit.

It’s the burnout that often leads to choosing one path to follow; they simply can’t sustain the two over a long-term period. And once they’ve decided they can only live one life, it’s money, not dreams, that dictates which one to go for.

There are some great stories out there of people who have managed to quit the day job and follow their heart. There are inspirational stories of one-time side hustles that are now million-dollar businesses or book deals that have taken the world by storm.

But there are more stories of people who have had to give up on the side hustle. They’ve found that, even though Dolly and others tell us that it’s “Gonna change your life, do something that gives it meaning”, sometimes it’s just not worth it.

A side hustle can be the gateway to a new way of working and living. But don’t go in with blind visions of a glamorous 5 to 9 lifestyle.

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As it is, many workers face constant guilt over stretching themselves between their work, their family, and efforts to live a healthy life. A side hustle is one more thing that doesn’t fit into the 24 hours of a day.

Megan Blandford is a freelance writer.