Time Management Hacks for 9-5ers Looking to Earn an Extra Coin

A report titled Leading Economic Indicators was released by The Kenya Bureau of Statistics in June, highlighting trends in consumer price indices (CPIs) and inflation among other things. When examining the report, you will notice the inflation graph has risen steadily over the past six months, which indicates something we already know: that the cost of living is becoming increasingly expensive and earning an extra coin is something many are considering doing if they haven’t started already.

The time to create multiple streams of income has never been more urgent. The challenge that people with ‘regular jobs’ face, is to find time to actually do that. I put regular in quotes to distinguish eight to five-ers from full-time entrepreneurs. A regular job demands set time in a work space doing assigned tasks. And so, a regular worker will have to set aside time and make sacrifices to be able to earn from other streams of income.

Workplace terms and conditions have to be considered before getting excited about a side hustle or self-improvement program. Make sure you review your contract because this delicate balancing act involves you dedicating at least eight hours for work. Be meticulous in this and set daily goals you have to meet for your job. You can go an extra step and fill in a performance review form every week to keep track of your work life.

John, 38 is the head of operations at an electronics store in the city center. He has learned how to artfully manage his time between his job and side hustle. Since he does most of his hustle online, it doesn’t take away too much of his time. He reckons employment is not the ideal way to live because of uncertainty and encourages people to take on one or two income generating hustles if they can manage to do them well.

Online work could be what you need to do to supplement your income. In fact, most of the times you don’t have to leave the comfort of your home since you just need access to a computer and an internet connection. You could do product reviews, write academic papers, contribute to online magazines or rate apps for a small but steady income. Sites like the controversial Public Likes, has taken over this type of hustle by storm though you might want to exercise caution there.

When reviewing terms, you could decide to renegotiate your employment contract. Blended work forces today have seen permanent employees and freelancers work hand in hand. This could free up some time for you to take on a side hustle or go back to school.

Make realistic goals for what freelancing could mean for you. It could take a while before you see returns from the work you do. Be ready to do many free jobs or earn meager wages before you can establish your reputation as being good at what you do.

Lydia, 27 an office administrator at an upmarket security firm, has been attending evening classes to get her degree in Finance. She has come to an agreement with her employer who lets her off early so that she can do that.

When considering a career upgrade that will consume, save for it. This money will help you avoid dipping into your regular income which could then strain you financially. There are many ways to go on about this, the most popular one this season has been the fifty-two-week savings challenge (#52weeksavingchallenge)

This challenge ensures you put aside money on a weekly basis so that it accrues to a huge sum by the end of the year. The beauty of it is that it is small amounts of money that you could be using to do other things anyway. A vibrant community has been built around this challenge to help you stay motivated and to keep you accountable.

Ask. People are often afraid of uncertainty and what it could mean to their job security. The worst that could happen is they say ‘no’, in which case you can look for alternative ways to carve out time. That will prepare you to seek out shorter courses with flexible time schedules. You could carefully select a variety of free online courses being offered by prestigious universities around the world.

Work towards sustainability. The economic binds in the report I mentioned earlier bring consequences that could be felt for many months. It is important to consider evaluating the sustainability of the income you get on the side. Is it taking money out of your pocket more than you can get it back?

My experience comes from working side jobs creating content, self-improvement courses with a full-time job as well. In some instances, when time is not managed well, the hustle suffers or work suffers and that is normal. I have learnt to say ‘no’ to opportunities that would benefit less in comparison to others that would build me more.

The Pareto principle which was coined by management strategist Joseph M. Juran, emphasizes on the 80/20 rule which when dissected states that less causes more. That 20% of your effort results in 80% of the result. Hence, targeting your energy on only the things that matter gives you the best results. Virtual organizers can help you sort through your 20% so that you can focus energy for maximum result.

Article written by Gathoni Kinuthia – a freelance superstar content creator for six years and enjoys creating and curating content. She has contributed an extensive body of work to websites, corporate blogs, newspapers and magazines