For the most part, people who get a side job do so with a goal set in mind. If that’s your case, you might be trying to buy a new car. Or maybe you’re looking for a little boost to keep up with mortgage payments. The possibilities are almost endless.
But therein lies a question. What happens once you have reached said goal? As the title says: should you let go of it? Or should you keep it?
To help you in the matter, here we’ll tell you three scenarios in which it might be better to keep it. If you happen to identify with any of them, that’s when you’ll know the decision is worth it.
Your side job is not affecting your health in any way
Jobs are stressful. Ideally, you found a job you feel comfortable with, both emotionally and physically. Even better, your side hustle should share the same characteristics. Sadly, that’s not the case for everyone.
This is where we invite you to analyze your current situation. Is the extra amount of responsibilities affecting you in any way? Think about it in depth. Are you usually tired? Not only after getting home but also during working hours? Are you getting sick constantly?
If the answer is yes, you might do better in letting go of your side job. No extra income is worth sacrificing your wellbeing. On the other hand, there should be nothing wrong with staying if you don’t relate to these scenarios.
Your side job’s income is making a remarkable difference
Of course, an essential part of having a second job is getting a decent paycheck out of it. But here’s the thing, not all paychecks are of actual value.
It might be an amount of money that you can easily spend on driving to this job among your worst-case scenarios. Or it might be an amount of money that’s so small you can’t use it for anything meaningful. Again, the possibilities are endless.
Ask yourself. Is there an actual worth to this paycheck? It would be best to think about long-term goals when answering this question, like building an emergency budget or making a big purchase.
If this secondary job does help you take a few steps towards this goal, you may proceed with it. If not, well, there are other options out there that are more worth your time.
Your side job is flexible overall
Finally, there’s one last thing to consider at all times. No matter how successful your second job is, it remains as such—a second job, which means that your first and primary job should always be your top priority.
For the most part, you should put some effort into ensuring that your second job fits within your free time. But that won’t always be the case. Sometimes they’ll ask for some of your unavailable hours.
It is at this point that you should evaluate how flexible this job is. Can they allow you to compensate for these hours at a later date? Can you keep managing yourself this way?
If your schedule is flexible enough to keep it balanced with your primary job, there should be no trouble keeping both of them. If you’re struggling to maintain this lifestyle, it might be better to leave this side gig entirely.