5 Things To Do If You Don’t Want To Do Your Side Gig Anymore
Written by
Jake Safane
Edited by
Jenna Klaverweiden
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While a side gig often starts out as an exciting way to make extra money, it’s not uncommon to hustle too hard and burn out. In fact, approximately 2 out of 5 people say their side hustle is more stressful than their regular job, according to a 2023 Self Financial survey.
So if you find yourself in this type of situation, or if you simply think your side gig isn’t right for you, here’s what to do before pulling the plug.
Evaluate the Benefits
While you might be feeling stressed, that doesn’t inherently mean you need to quit your side gig. It can help to take a step back first.
“First, evaluate the upside from the practical and psychological perspective. Ask yourself, practically, are you reaping financial benefits, and psychologically, how satisfying is the work?” said Lynn Berger, a licensed mental health counselor and career counselor.
It may be the case that you’re making good money and typically enjoy the work, but your main job is what’s making the side gig work stressful, because all you want to do is relax at the end of the day, not start your side gig. If that’s the case, maybe there’s something you can change, like starting your side gig early in the morning before your main job so you have more energy for it.
Conversely, if you’re not getting many financial and psychological benefits from the side gig, that’s a big sign to change course.
Slow Down
Even if it seems like you want to quit your side gig, try not to make rash decisions. You may find that with a little time and space, you’re able to tap into the benefits more.
“Take a break,” Berger said. “For example, depending upon the type of work, you may say you are not taking on new clients now. Or, tell your current clients you might need a few more days to finish projects than usual. Get into the practice of underpromising.”
Give Clients Notice
You typically give two weeks’ notice when leaving a full-time job as a courtesy to the employer, which often helps you keep those bridges intact rather than burning them down. A similar phenomenon can play out with side gig clients.
Depending on the type of side gig, if you’ve built any sort of client relationships, it’s good practice to let them know you’re winding down your services. You might even go the extra mile of referring them to another service provider, which can help you build goodwill if you ever need to come back to that client in the future. Consider letting them know how to stay in touch with you too, such as by connecting on LinkedIn if you haven’t already.
Pivot to Something New
If you’re intent on stopping your current side gig, one solution is to pivot into a different type of side gig that doesn’t necessarily require you to start over from scratch. For example, if your side gig is graphic design for corporate clients and you’re feeling burned out or aren’t liking the work, you could pivot into teaching art classes online through a platform like Wyzant.
You might even volunteer, like at your local library, to scratch a creative itch while also gaining experience that you might be able to use at your next job.
Dive Deeper Into Your Day Job
Lastly, consider if there’s something more you can get out of your main job so that if you leave your side gig, the loss of income or experience isn’t as detrimental.
“Focus on your primary position and see if there is upside potential. If not, perhaps make a change in your position to reap more financial reward,” Berger said.
For example, you might talk to your supervisor about pathways to getting a promotion. If that doesn’t seem feasible, consider changes like switching to a different role within your organization. Or maybe you can take on more responsibility at work. That might not lead to immediate financial gain, but it could help you land a higher-paying role at your next employer.
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