Have you seen a tightrope walker? She walks without a fleck of fear on her face, and she seems quite sure of what she is doing. About eight years ago, I used to wonder how we all do some of this tightrope walking in life. Well, not on a rope practically but doing the balancing act, nevertheless. 

How it All Began

We manage work-life balance like a pro within a few days into our career. We add more weights on both the sides of the stick- a promotion here, a marriage there, a bigger team to manage here, a child to add. We all rather welcome these additions and kudos to the women who do these and are excelling at it all life. This said, if you had met me some years ago, and asked me to do this tightrope walking in terms of balancing two jobs or a job and a side hustle, I would have said no.

I realized that I still had some time in hand after my office job. I wanted to put that time to use. I have never been a TV buff much and I have just a close friend circle. This meant I could afford to pursue my hobbies or passion simultaneously. 

Where the Side Hustle Took Shape

It was an accidental attempt at creating a necklace/ chain of pearls that struck a chord. I had to give my friend something handmade, and that was enough for me to start the side hustle of jewelry making.

What started by accident, later moved me to work a little more seriously. I found that there were many more complex designs I could do if I bought good-quality beads.

I started beading and at that time, it used to be the humble necklace designs. But this was just not satisfying enough. I began reading up, watching, and learning more about the art.

My first sale gave me a small amount of money. Though it did nothing to improve my finances, was still an encouragement. I also learned several hacks to ensure a better income. 

Nithya’s Imprints is Born

It was not long before the Nithya’s Imprints brand and the site was born. I took a free layout from WordPress and began putting up all my designs on the site. I shared it across all social media platforms.

Slowly, my sales drew some attention and even buyers began placing orders. This meant I had to make frequent visits to the beads store. It also meant I had to spend some time innovating on designs, and then buying beads and making these.

Handmade jewelry usually takes time and the more the complicated design, the more time. Remember, all of this, I was doing as a side hustle while still working full time. How was I able to devote time for the same?

To be honest, it was tough. In the initial days, it cost me a few sleepless nights as well. But all new ventures would take some amount of your energy ergo I just went about with my persistent efforts. 

Time Management is the Key

I found that the only thing necessary for anyone to do a side hustle was managing time. They just had to bring in discipline in life. You had to wake up early and give time for the passion or the side job. I agree a lot of this stems from our interest in the second job or the hobby we pursue.

Learn to prioritize and yes, there will be some compromise on some aspect of life if you wish to take your passion to greater heights. Now, I am a full-time freelance content writer and that gives me more of a flexible time frame. But I still stick to my discipline and never miss a chance to use the rest of my work hours productively. Now, I am happy to take Nithya’s Imprints at a greater height than what it was in the initial phase.

You can decide to stop whenever you want. But in these times of uncertain economies, going for a side hustle is more than just a pursuit of passion. I believe now, I am that tightrope walker, tiptoeing, or rather bent on taking giant strides in my career path as well as building a name for myself as an individual.

So, gear up, and roll up your sleeves. Chase the dream that you always had and make a name for yourself!

Meenalochani

She calls herself a fringe-dweller, a dreamer, and a little bit of a go-getter- the things that went to that chemical X when God made her. Born in the southern part of India, raised in the east, she is a content writer now. When she is not writing blogs and articles, she weaves stories on beads for her brand, Nithya’s Imprints, or doodles for fun.