Where do you find the time for side projects?
justinjackson.ca
Where do you find the time for side projects?
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Re: Where do you find the time for side projects?
#2> The short answer is: I work on side-projects whenever I have a spare moment. I sacrifice other things (watching TV, reading the newspaper, playing video games) so that I can do creative work.
This is the real answer. You do not find time, you make it.
Re: Where do you find the time for side projects?
#3One thing I can suggest. Don't commute to work and if you do make it as short as possible. This time is wasted.
Re: Where do you find the time for side projects?
#4> The short answer is: I work on side-projects whenever I have a spare moment. I sacrifice other things (watching TV, reading the newspaper, playing video games) so that I can do creative work. This is the real answer. You do not find time, you make it.
Yup!
Although, I've found that setting a good foundation (having some goals, using inspiration wisely, and having a task system) really help as well.
Re: Where do you find the time for side projects?
#5One thing I can suggest. Don't commute to work and if you do make it as short as possible. This time is wasted.
Couldn't agree more. That's been one of the biggest changes in my life since I switched to remote work. Now, I can commute by bike (10-15 minutes at the most).
I talked about it here: http://justinjackson.ca/remote/
Re: Where do you find the time for side projects?
#6Scheduling time for yourself and sideprojects is super important. I just started to do this recently and it's making a world of difference. So lock down a night a week or whatever and make it your "sideproject" time rather than grabbing a beer with someone or whatever.
Great Post Justin! I love how open you are with this stuff :)
Re: Where do you find the time for side projects?
#7I am killing myself trying to make time. Not recommended.
Two Kids, one full-time job, one part-time job and a growing number of side projects... WHY? BECAUSE.
Re: Where do you find the time for side projects?
#8Start freelancing, then raise your rates and use my little calculator [1] to "make time", then work on side projects.
Also: as someone who did a lot of side-projects over the last few years, my advice is "start a side product" instead (if you want to end up living out of it, that is).
[1] https://www.wisecashhq.com/goodies/bootstrapper-calculator
Re: Where do you find the time for side projects?
#9The short and skinny for me:
> The short answer is: I work on side-projects whenever I have a spare moment. I sacrifice other things (watching TV, reading the newspaper, playing video games) so that I can do creative work.
In late August of last year I had come to the conclusion that I needed to start and finish a small project to get a feel for what it takes to see things through and gain perspective on what it takes to bring an idea to reality. I've been building things for as long as I've been able but in software it's never, "finished," and I always have my nose to the grindstone. So I picked a hobby I'm passionate about, scoped out a project I felt could be reasonably completed in my spare time and at the advice of a friend I signed up to be a vendor at a local comic/arts/games festival... and I only had an idea!
Needless to say it put a lot of things into focus. I did sacrifice time with my wife in the weeks leading up to the event. I spent every spare moment I had when I wasn't at work or taking care of my family on it (with the occasional night off of course). I realized pretty early on that I wasn't able to do everything: I farmed out illustration and typesetting work to other freelancers. I never did find an editor in time which hurt the project a little I think. But every step of the way up until that milestone I was thinking about what I needed to do next in order to get there.
And when I was finally there? I printed twenty books. Sold six. And couldn't have been happier with the outcome. I have a website up, the beginnings of a fun little project and this year my goal is to work on marketing and promotion: something I have never done before.
You just have to play with the hand you've been dealt.
Re: Where do you find the time for side projects?
#10One thing I can suggest. Don't commute to work and if you do make it as short as possible. This time is wasted.
Not always the case if you can ride public transit. I've gotten a couple coding projects done on the bus.