One totally valid reason to say no to a side hustle

I don’t have a side hustle. 

It’s not that I can’t find one or that I don’t have the time for one — it’s intentional.

It’s also, I’ve realized, a peculiar choice. As someone whose financial goals include paying back about $65K of debt quickly, a side gig would certainly speed up that process, right? 

Probably.  

So why not pick up a side hustle? 

Honestly? I have mixed feelings about the whole thing. 

What is a side hustle?

A side hustle is a sideline — an activity done outside your main job – -that brings in extra income.

It’s a popular concept in the debt-free community and for good reason: more money in makes it possible to pay off debt quickly, while also creating income diversity. 

Many who are far more knowledgeable than I have written about why this is important, but essentially, it comes down to the current economic climate.

We live in uncertain times. Debt levels are high. The job market looks very different today than it once did — and it’s still changing. Amidst this backdrop, there is certainly a case to be made for having many different streams of income.

When it comes to side hustling, there are so many different options, especially online. From selling items on platforms like eBay and Kijiji, to doing surveys and polls, to work-at-home jobs that let you pick your own schedule, there is something for everyone.

If that’s what you want to do, anyway.

My work history, in brief 

I value hard work.

For as much as I look forward to powering down my computer at 4:30 p.m., on Friday, I like my job and strive to do the best work I can every day.  This is the approach I have always taken to work. The older I get, the more I think this attitude comes largely from my faith.

I believe I am blessed to have a job and I have a responsibility to work out of that place of blessing, whether I’m writing news release or bagging groceries.  

It’s all important. It all matters.

But for as much as I think working hard is important, I have concerns.

Primarily, I am concerned about work-life balance, a concept I would suggest is increasingly sacrificed at the altar of getting things done.

It’s easy enough to do — our lifestyle doesn’t just support this, it also makes it possible.

The problem with always being on

We live in a world where it is possible to work 24/7. Not only is it possible, it’s easy, encouraged and celebrated.

Technology has developed so much; a phone isn’t just a phone anymore, it’s a pocket-sized computer that makes it possible to be accessed any time, in a variety of different formats.

It has become normal to both receive and reply to work emails after hours. A willingness to work during ones off-time (whether compensated or not) is considered dedication, an example of going above and beyond.

Don’t get me wrong: there are absolutely scenarios that require work beyond what is traditionally required.

 But increasingly, I can’t help but think we’ve got it all wrong — and it’s not just our time we risk losing.

Who are you?

It’s a simple, but revealing, question.

Revealing, because the way you choose to answer, I believe, speaks to how you define yourself.

I wonder how many people offer up the job they do as an answer to this question? I wonder how many people see their lives as defined by the work they do?

And I wonder, in those cases, what happens if their employment circumstances change?

I decide very early in my career that I would not build my identity around my job. Yes, my job is an important part of my life and I am committed to doing my best work, but my value as a person is not linked to my career.

Yours isn’t, either.

Much in the same way we are made to do more than just pay bills and die, we are also more than whatever title we wear.

Why I don’t have a side hustle right now 

Rest is the heart of why I intentionally choose not to pursue a side hustle at this time. More specifically, I don’t have a side hustle because I really, really suck at resting. 

It is likely a byproduct of having a Type A personality, but I really like getting things done. To-do lists are my jam and my typical response to “how are you?” is “Busy!”

One book that really made me think about my relationship with rest was Transformed by Caesar Kalinowski. This was a challenging text in many ways; in particular, the chapter about re-creating made me think about how absent the rhythm of rest has become from my life.

I’m not talking about self-care (which is also important). This goes deeper than that. This is about intentionally setting aside time to recalibrate the soul.

I am not sure how to achieve this while also maintaining a lifestyle of constant hustling…so I’m not. 

Instead, I am focusing on giving my best while I’m at work — and taking time and space to rest when I’m off the clock.

Have I mastered this? No, not yet. But I am getting there — and I do think learning the rhythm of rest will benefit me in the long term.

Final Thoughts

I am intentionally choosing rest now, but what that looks like will no doubt change over time.

I am not trying to discourage side hustling, nor am I ruling out finding a side hustle of my own one day; instead, I am seeking a lifestyle that includes both hard work and rest as part of its rhythm.

What do you think about side hustling? Do you have one? What does that look like for you?