A side gig is a good way to supplement your income during recovery and make ends meet while you look for new work. However, a side gig shouldn’t cause you severe stress, and it shouldn’t take away from your commitment to recovery. If you want to effectively balance your side gig with your sobriety, you’ll need to follow these essential steps.
Set Sustainable Goals
Starting a new side gig is a good way to keep yourself busy and productive while working through recovery. To keep yourself from burning out, it’s helpful to set some reasonable expectations around your new venture. Remember that this is a side gig and a way to earn a little extra income. Don’t be deterred if you do not make a large amount of money or if you have trouble finding clients at first. It takes work to make a new gig successful, so set some primary goals that you know you can achieve. Maybe you’ll reach out to three new clients each week or create a business budget. Use a productivity app to keep yourself on the right track and visually keep tabs on the progress you’ve made, as well as what you yet need to do.
Make Time to Take Care of Yourself
If you pick up a side gig to supplement your income, you should try to find something you like and will want to do. You can earn extra funds by being a pet sitter, selling crafts on Etsy, or even teaching music lessons. Whatever you choose, ensure that it is meaningful and makes you feel good about the time spent. It’s also essential to maintain your commitment to your sobriety. You can reaffirm your recovery by practising simple self-care habits, such as the ones listed in this addiction survivors guide. Dedicating yourself to a proper diet, getting plenty of exercise and maintaining your mental health are all essential in ensuring your sobriety. As you venture back into the workforce, stay committed to these healthy goals. Set aside time in the mornings for workouts, do meal prep on weekends, and take care of your mental health.
Stay Organized and Use Schedules
When you haven’t been working for a while, getting back into a good routine can be a bit of a challenge. To succeed in your side gig or any other kind of business, you need to make good use of your time. Staying organized with appointments will help you build a positive reputation with your clients and gain helpful reviews. Reviews and recommendations can go a long way in helping you promote your small business, so stay committed to maintaining a good work schedule. You also need to stay organized to effectively manage your business and your recovery efforts. Allot specific times during the week to solely work on your side gig, and avoid the temptation to multi-task. Humans are by nature not very good at working on multiple tasks at the same time, so staying organized and focused can help you stay more productive.
Create a Productive Home Workspace
Every small business owner needs a positive, productive workspace to succeed. Since you will be working on your own, setting up a workspace at home is a good option. You should set up a small home office space, where you can work on administrative tasks, keep track of your schedule, and tackle budgeting work. Use wall calendars and white boards to stay on task and further affirm your schedule. If you set up a home office or workspace, make sure it is well lit so you can stay awake and see what you are working on, and keep it free from distractions. If you find it difficult to focus at home, try working in your local coffee shop. Sometimes, the presence of other people and the lack of home distractions can make getting work done a bit easier.
Starting a side gig is a good way to make extra money while looking for your first job during recovery. Just be smart about setting up your side gig, balancing your work with your treatment, and making sure recovery remains your number one priority.
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