We recently asked the BuzzFeed Community to share their best tips for time management, while keeping up a side hustle. Here are some of their best answers:
1. Use Asana, a free organizing app, to break down tasks into smaller steps.
I run a sewing blog on the side and I put Every Single Thing I need to do for it into Asana. I love checking those boxes off, and smaller tasks feel more manageable than having giant projects looming over me.
2. Use the Pomodoro technique and work in 25-minute bursts.
The Pomodoro technique encourages productivity by breaking down a task into 25-minute bursts of work (also called a pomodoro.) Every 25 minutes, take a short five-minute break, then move on to another 25-minute burst of activity. Every four pomodoros, allow yourself a break longer than five minutes.
3. Automate as many of your tasks as possible.
It’s especially worth it to automate tedious financial-related tasks, like paying off your credit card bills, student loans, or other payments. You can free up even more headspace by setting up monthly reminders on your calendar for routine errands like car maintenance check-ups, grocery shopping, and regular meetings.
4. Once you have a working routine started, don’t skip days.
When I was in nursing school I was a full-time student and worked two to three jobs, because I didn’t have a choice. And honestly I never really felt run down. To keep going, you just need momentum, and to be held accountable to something.
5. Block out time for every task on your to-do list to make sure everything actually gets done.
To-do lists are a great way to organize thoughts, but an awful strategy for getting things done since nothing is assigned a specific deadline. Make your to-do lists more effective by blocking off time on your calendar for each task, and commit to it as you would an appointment with a friend.