There are times when you want to call out of work because *cough* cough* “the flu”. Or as time goes by, you grow uninterested in responding back to emails and answering phone calls. Instead, you much rather scroll through your timeline aimlessly, wanting to go home and do something for yourself. We get it, girl …. you are bored, annoyed and downright tired of your 9-5 and contrary to what most of Twitter and Instagram promotes , you did not quit it to make your passion a full-time profit.
You may feel behind in the hustle because you are not exactly where you want to be right now. You are convinced that your full-time is great for the money and while it is, that is not all. Yes, money is a huge part of why you are there. But choosing to focus on its financial benefit limits you from seeing its other positive attributes. Whether you are a female hustler who is starting a business or an artist working towards her big break, here’s what you need to know to keep pushing through this journey with intention.
Builds Work Ethic
Just because you work a 9-5 does not mean you will be there forever. By creating a “this is not the end” mindset you convince yourself that your job is not a burden but a resource to your vision. And this should push you to show up to work and be at your best.
If you are over-extending yourself at work and completely neglecting your well-being and hustle than figure out which ways you can cut back. Do you have to change your availability? Or do you have to make adjustments to your lifestyle choices? For example, start bedtime at 10 pm and wake up at 7:30 am, so that you can fit in creating a content calendar before work. Think about how hard you work and opt to work strategically.
Transferable Skills
Your job does not have to be related to your dream for you to learn a skill from it. There are a myriad of soft skills you can develop from work to make you stronger, smarter, and more interesting than your competition. These skills may not appear in your resume, cover letter or portfolio but can easily translate during a meeting with a client, an audition, or a job interview.
For example, if you are a part-time waitress, it can be concluded that people skills, communication, active listening and teamwork are your strengths. These personality traits topped with your other credentials can make you a desirable investment. Don’t sleep on yourself.
Networking
What if your survival job is in your dream industry? Now is the perfect time to network, so you can level up. Understand that successful networking is an ongoing and persistent process. You build successful connections by finding new and creative ways to create relationships and maintain them with consistent follow ups. If your 9-5 helps in this area, prove yourself in the current position you are in - gain experience and build a positive reputation within the company and its industry. Through doing this you gain the confidence and connections to successfully work for yourself.
As hustlers, one of the challenges we face is being optimistic about financially manifesting our dreams into opportunities. While reading success stories of our favorite girl bosses is motivational, we occasionally feel a sense of fatigue and distress balancing life being an employee until we become our own boss. By slowly changing our mindset, clocking in will remind us why we are there and clocking out will push us to act on it.
Continue to see the good in having supplemental income and make it work in your favor. In the long run, it will add great value to your personal character and professional profile by motivating your purpose, learning new skills, and meeting like-minded people who can be part of your network. All the more reasons to level up and keep going!
Blog contributor: Shay Fuller