I’m Holly, a SAHM to two littles (1&3) in Canada. I have been on maternity leave since my youngest was born and have since decided not to go back to work. It was an exhilarating and terrifying decision. I am SO lucky to be able to be at home with my kids, but I left a career I am passionate about, and we will be downsizing to only my husband’s salary. This is where side hustles come in. These two little words have changed my entire mindset and sky rocketed my creativity.

I’m here on my soap box to tell you why starting side hustles could be such a game changer for you. I’m hoping that this will resonate with someone out there who might be having second thoughts about going back to work after having children and you’re looking for a potential way out someday. Or, maybe you’re a mom at home struggling through every day feeling like you don’t have anything that is just for you. I do not have a magic fix for any of these things, but I can say with certainty that if you’re passionate, creative, and have any sort of entrepreneurial spirit, exploring side hustles can rock your world too like it did mine. I will add I am not advocating for anyone to quit their jobs to pursue brand new side hustles. It takes a while to start making any kind of money. If you’re not sure which side hustle would be best for you, check out the freebie guide to choosing the right side hustle at the bottom of the post!

I decided not to go back to work

I did start to worry about losing a big part of who I was when I decided to become a stay at home mom. My children are amazing and obviously the best things in the world, but I needed something that was just for me. Something of my own. Something to fill my bucket at the end of some very busy kid-centered days.

Staying at home all day taking care of kids is no joke. It can be demanding, exhausting and hard. Was I now committed to finding my enjoyment in cleaning and watching tv at the end of the day? Don’t get me wrong, this sounds great, but I needed something to do with my ever-buzzing brain. Can you relate?

One night while searching TikTok for my next project around the house (I’m obsessed with DIY), I stumbled upon a mom talking about her side hustles. Immediately, I was hooked. I had dabbled a bit in Swagbucks, an online platform that pays you to surveys, but I had never taken it much further than that. I had unsuccessfully tried once to sell products half heartedly on Etsy when it was being touted as a SUPER PASSIVE SIDE HUSTLE, but I had never truly considered anything else.

What in the world are side hustles?!

It felt like my whole world was rocked. Initially, I thought about side hustles as jobs that would have a set schedule (like a call centre job I could take in the evenings), but in just a few minutes a whole new world had opened up to me. These were not set scheduled jobs; rather, opportunities for me to be creative, be my own boss, set my own schedule, and get inspired again.

Side hustles are typically pursued as a way to generate extra income, explore personal interests, or develop entrepreneurial skills. Side hustles can take different forms, from freelancing and consulting to selling products or services online.

I could not research these things fast enough. I was hooked. Overnight, I was a woman transformed with creativity. Truly, I was SO excited to get my start on these platforms. A quick Pinterest search will show you hundreds of articles touting side hustles that will bring in $5,000 monthly, or passive income side hustles that will pay $500 a week, etc. etc. The issue I was coming up against was there were so many new opportunities, I could not choose which one to try first.

My next biggest issue was sorting through the absolute garbage claims that any of these jobs would make you huge amounts of cash immediately. If you want to read about realistic well paying side hustles check out my post on ways to make money in 2024. Most require a lot of time, some sort of learning curve, and effort. I like to think of them as hobbies that may one day provide some sort of financial help to my family and that is a super exciting thought.

Demands of being any kind of caregiver (working, stay at home, etc.)

You are BUSY. I get it. I could come up with a million excuses every day why I don’t have time to do something and they would likely be legitimate. You are juggling a ton of stuff. You have a huge job – you are keeping people alive and ensuring your house is liveable. Just those two things would be enough for anyone.

I started this project with my precious free time in the evenings. My kids go to bed at 7pm. After tackling the daily mess with my husband (he helps which speeds things up a ton), I’m able to get to my projects. I usually work from about 8pm-10pm (most nights later because I’ve become a bit obsessed).

The only thing holding me back was my fear of failure. What if I don’t make any money? What if no one reads my blogs? What if I can’t make my dreams a reality? I was the only one holding me back. If this is something that resonates with you, you’ll always regret not trying. Who cares if you fail? I’m encouraging my children to try new things all the time, I figured I should try to follow that myself.

What can a side hustle do for you?

Let’s break it down. My list will not even go into financial gains. Let’s just look at the other ways side hustling could benefit your well being daily.

Skill Enhancement:

Opportunities to develop and refine various skills, such as time management, organization, multitasking, and problem-solving.

Personal Growth and Confidence:

A platform for personal growth, allowing stay-at-home moms (or anyone!!) to build confidence, set goals, and achieve milestones outside of the “traditional” SAHM role.

Maintaining Professional Identity:

The ability to maintain a professional identity and utilize skills acquired from previous education or career experiences.

Flexibility to Prioritize Family:

The flexibility to work around family schedules, ensuring that the side hustle complements rather than competes with family responsibilities.

Networking Opportunities:

Building a network of contacts within the industry or niche, potentially leading to collaboration, mentorship, and valuable connections.

Pursuing Passion Projects:

The chance to turn personal hobbies or passions into a source of income, combining enjoyment with productivity.

Entrepreneurial Experience:

Exposure to entrepreneurial activities, offering a taste of business ownership without the full-time commitment and risks associated with starting a traditional business.

Professional Skill Application:

Applying and maintaining professional skills acquired from prior experiences, preventing skill atrophy during periods of non-traditional employment.

Balancing Work and Family Life:

The flexibility to create a balanced integration of work commitments and family life, minimizing the stress associated with rigid work schedules.

Creative Expression:

An outlet for creative expression and showcasing talents, whether it’s through writing, art, design, or other forms of creative work.

Building a Supportive Community:

Opportunities to connect with other stay-at-home moms engaged in side hustles, fostering a supportive community for shared experiences and advice.

Learning New Technologies:

Exposure to using new technologies and online platforms. This has been a great workout for my brain. 

Portfolio Building:

Creating a diverse portfolio that showcases skills, projects, and accomplishments, which can be valuable for future career opportunities. I have an entirely new skillset now. I haven’t taken a single paid course to get it, either.

Fulfillment and Sense of Purpose:

A source of fulfillment and a sense of purpose beyond the traditional roles of motherhood, contributing to overall well-being.

Cultivating Entrepreneurial Mindset:

Development of an entrepreneurial mindset. Think: resilience, adaptability, and a proactive approach to challenges. Not bad.

Enhancing Time Management Skills:

The necessity of managing time efficiently, which enhances time management skills and encourages a disciplined approach to work.

Does any of that resonate with you? My only regret is that I didn’t start sooner. I don’t have enough time in the run of a day to get my to do list done, but MAN – I love tackling my projects in the evenings. My brain is constantly coming up with new ideas or things I should write about or create. It has been a real blessing for me to be able to experience this.

What are your options with side hustles?

There are so many side hustles to choose from. Where do you even begin?? Some things to consider:

+ Do you want a quick payout or do are you okay if it takes a bit to set up your hustle? (Etsy, Affiliate marketing, online tutoring, virtual assistant, etc etc)

+ Do you want a hustle that is creative in nature (ie: Etsy) or do you want more of a structured environment (ie: virtual assistant)

+ Do you want a side hustle where you are your own boss or do you prefer to work for someone else?

Those are just a few questions to get the wheels turning. There are SO many possibilities. Try a few out and see what you like best. You might be surprised.

Onwards & upwards! Let’s get hustling.

I figured if it was such a game changer for me, it could do something for you, too! I’m not advocating for you to burn yourself out. I don’t want you to feel like this is just one more thing you need to add to your already full day. Maybe now is not your season. Maybe next month or next year would be better or not.

If you have no idea where you would be interested in, download the FREE guide to choosing the right side hustle here. This should get you started in the right direction. 

If you’re interested in learning more about some side hustles I’ve tried and had various amounts of success with… I’m looking at you Remotasks… you can check out my other blogs here. I’m still fairly new to the side hustle game, but I intend to keep trying out some more. If any of this resonates with you or you have something you’d like me to check out, please contact me here. I’m here to cheer you on!