4 Great Benefits of Having a Side Job

In a perfect world, we would only take on side jobs because we really wanted to. Unfortunately, wage stagnation means that many workers take on side jobs (or even second full-time positions) in order to make ends meet. Working too many hours is never recommended, but side jobs can have their benefits (assuming you still have some downtime in your schedule). Let’s take a look at some of pluses.

side job

(Photo Credit: Death to the Stock Photo)

1. Earn more money (without signing up for additional stress at your main job).

There can be serious health consequences to working long hours. It’s not good for our health or even for our company’s bottom line. However, assuming that you’re not taking on more than you can handle, a side job is a great way to bring in more money. Rather than taking on more hours at a stressful job, why not consider taking on one of many popular side gigs that will give you the extra dollars without also taking on additional pressure? Just be sure to choose the right kind of work for you – and focus on finding something that won’t come with any extra stress.

2. It can support the freelancing/part-time lifestyle you crave.

Millennials are developing a reputation for being interested in taking on side jobs, partially because it supports the kind of schedule and working arrangement they’re after. According to a report from the employment website FlexJobs, one-third of millennials said that, ideally, they would prefer part-time work plus freelancing on the side to a more traditional working arrangement. As opportunities for this kind of lifestyle expand, more and more workers are tempted to jump on board.

“The millennial generation has far more options for part-time, freelance and other flexible work than previous generations,” Sara Sutton Fell, CEO and founder of FlexJobs told CNBC. “Millennials have grown up with technology and mobility in a way that really provides less attachment to ‘one way of doing things.’ i.e. a full-time job.”

3. It could help you work toward goals your full-time job doesn’t support.

It’s a wonderful feeling when you’re working toward your dreams, goals, and ambitions. Unfortunately, not everyone is lucky enough to have a full-time job that makes them feel they’re on that path. Side jobs can be a great way to exercise the skills you want to develop, and to explore a field that might not be paying you the big bucks just yet, but that you find wildly intriguing nonetheless. The trick is to continue to stay motivated in both areas of your life, and utilize both working opportunities to their full potential.

“It’s easy to get stuck in the rut – trudging through your day job and accepting whatever work meanders your way in your side gig,” wrote Abby Hayes, a journalist and freelance blogger, in U.S. News & World Report. “By focusing on long-term and short-term goals for both sides of your work life, you can avoid the tug of mediocrity to turn your life into something fulfilling.”

4. It’ll help improve your hustle.

If you take on additional work, your schedule will become more complex and trickier to manage. You’ll need to be more organized, motivated, dedicated, and independent – so you will be. Through strengthening your “muscle to hustle” you’ll be preparing yourself to accomplish and earn more as your career moves forward.

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