How to Side HUSTLE

Boost your wellbeing and make some extra $$$ by embracing your talents and starting a sideline project

It’s official – nine to five is dead! New research reveals that one in four Aussies now have a “side hustle” – aka another project outside of their day job. Chances are you’ve see this new wellbeing phenomenon in action as your social media feed fills with posts from friends who’ve embraced their entrepreneurial spirit – from the work colleague who’s developed a cult beauty product out of her kitchen to the friend who’s an accountant by day but teaches yoga at the weekend. Even your fave celebs are all over it! Here are three reasons why you should jump on the bandwagon…

1 YOU’LL BE YOUR OWN BOSS The ultimate career goal is to become your own boss one day, so think of your side hustle as a practice run. Test out your new business plan while maintaining the safety net of your regular income, and once you’ve proven your business model is legit and there’s a demand for whatever you’ve decided to do on the side, you can slash back your hours at your “day job” and devote more time to getting your startup off the ground.

2 YOU’LL UPSKILL If you’re interested in website development or launching your own app, take an online course to learn new skills or volunteer at a company or organisation in the field you’re passionate about. While it might not make you money straightaway, having those skills in your repertoire could open doors to a career you hadn’t considered.

3 YOU’LL GET PAID TO DO WHAT YOU LOVE The beauty of side hustling is you can turn hobbies into cash. Love writing? Start a blog. Once you have an audience, advertisers will pay to appear on your site. Or, if your passion’s photography, try to pick up freelance work on the weekend. Just make sure you’ve got the right equipment and software to ensure your work looks professional. Try playing around with Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 6 (Officeworks, $205)2 before you get started.