How to Not Quiet Quit Your Job While Side Hustling

Photo by Kristina Flour on Unsplash

You may have heard of the “new” phenomenon, Quiet Quitting. I may be an old fart, but I’m here to tell you that this quiet quitting is in fact nothing new.

Having been a parent, educator, employee, and employer for decades, I have observed the phenomena of perpetual quiet quitting for as long as I can remember. Though quite recently, quiet quitting has become a popular discussion among employees looking beyond their 9–5.

But in my years of experience in the workplace (and my experiences witnessing quiet quitting) I don’t think that quiet quitting is the way to go — especially for side hustlers.

What is Quiet Quitting?

The term quiet quitting has gone viral on social media and is being discussed in various media outlets. Despite its recent popularity, it’s nothing new. Quiet quitting refers to the idea that employees should do only what the job asks of them — nothing more. Essentially with quiet quitting, an employee mentally checks out of their job and gives as minimal effort as they can without getting fired.

This idea has been around for decades — probably since the birth of the “job”. But the term, and the actual act of quiet quitting, has gained massive popularity since COVID-19. The pandemic completely pivoted the way people viewed work. The stress of the pandemic left a lot of people burnt out — or even feeling betrayed by their employers. This led to a total 180 in the way people viewed their jobs. Rather than wanting to go above and beyond, many employees have decided to adapt the quiet quitting method.

Don’t Quiet Quit While Side Hustling

If you’re a side hustler or want to start a side hustle, you may be tempted to quiet quit your 9–5. It can get exhausting managing a full-time job on top of your side hustle. But quiet quitting while you have a side hustle isn’t wise.

For starters, “an object in motion stays in motion”. This phrase can be applied to the passion that you bring to both your 9–5 and your side hustle. If you’re doing the bare minimum at your 9–5, what’s stopping you from bringing that energy to your side hustle? On the contrary, if you’re a “smart” hard worker during your 9–5, you’re going to carry…