Starting a side gig can be really exciting—a new project can feel empowering and energizing and you feel turbocharged to make progress and get yourself out there. However, it can be hard to sustain that for a variety of reasons, including time in one’s schedule, a feeling of a lack of forward progression, or just unexpected life events. There is a reason why some doctors joke that emergencies always seem to happen at two o’clock in the morning! If you have been feeling like you have slid into a slump with your side gig, check out these three tips to boost your motivation.

1.      Schedule time for your side gig. It can be hard to organically find time in your schedule to work on your side gig, especially when you have your main job to focus on as well as a family and a social life. This is why it is so important to pre-schedule time for your side gig! How often you do this varies based on your availability, so take a look at your schedule and realistically look at when you can devote time to your side gig and put it on your calendar. If it is already scheduled, it is harder to miss.

2.      Remember that building your side gig can take time. To do something well, it is necessary to give the time it deserves. While you sometimes hear success stories that seemingly happened overnight, more often than not those instances are rarely overnight—they are the result of time and effort and hard work. It is kind of like looking at social media—you are seeing everyone’s highlight reel, not the time and work that went into creating those moments. True progress and success take time, so be sure to give your side gig the room to grow that it (and you) deserve.

3.      Give yourself a break. Embracing a side gig can be a major asset for you, but it can also become a source of stress because you are working hard and putting in a lot of effort. Do not forget to take some time for yourself to relax and just like you are scheduling time for everything else in your life, you need to schedule some self care as well. Think about it: you cannot drive the success bus if you gas tank is empty!

What are some of your favorite ways to keep up your motivation while you work on your side gig? Tag us on social media @therealbodepro and show us how you stay Bod•ē Strong throughout your day