With the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus, many of us lost access to freedoms and pleasures that we had previously taken for granted.
Should You Make Your Hobby Your Job?
Because of circumstances beyond their control, thousands of people have made the decision to become self-employed. In fact, recent history has demonstrated that economic downturns frequently result in an increase in self-employment opportunities.
We anticipate a flurry of activity at the gym, a Friday night out with friends, and a celebratory street party, but we also anticipate an increase in the number of self-employed individuals.
For those considering turning their hobby or passion into a career, the following are some questions to ask themselves:
Work/Life Balance And Hobbies
Nobody should dread waking up in the morning. You are entitled to something greater than a job you loathe.
This describes your situation; if this describes you, you should begin planning your escape route, whatever it may be, as soon as feasible. Making a living out of your passion is possible.
People frequently remark that if something appears to be too good to be true, it probably is. However, picking a career path is not quite that straightforward.
Some people consider it a blessing, while others do not. Making your interest into a career can be a difficult endeavor, regardless of whether you want to freelance, join a limited company, or operate on your terms.
A hobby is a crucial part of one's personal development and enjoyment, and the last thing you want to do with them transforms them into a stressful and pressurised form of escape from the stresses of everyday life.
So, where do you think you belong? It all depends on your interest and whether or not you're cut out for the full-time career version of your passion. Hopefully, after reading this, you'll have a better understanding of the situation.
Reasons NOT To Make Your Hobby Your Career
The lingering "What ifs?" that comes with quitting one's 9-to-5 job and the security of a monthly paycheck is familiar to anyone who has ever worked for themselves.
When it comes to working with another one of your greatest passions, additional questions and doubts will inevitably arise in your mind.
It's not always enjoyable to confront these fears, but you must be confident in your ability to do so before turning your hobby into a career.
The Novelty May Fade
Consider why you enjoy your hobby so much – is it an escape from the boredom and monotony of work? Taking it up as a career may remove any sense of novelty and spontaneity. Is repeating an activity as much fun?
Or, to put it another way, would you still like your favourite song if you had to listen to it every day?
No Room For Error
The fact that you are making money from your hobby diminishes your margin for error. The ability to make mistakes is severely restricted when you have a paying customer who expects nothing but the best from you.
Having said that, do you really have the perseverance to listen to someone who believes they know more about something you've been doing for years than you do yourself?
A CREATIVE SLUMP
If your dream job requires creativity, be aware that it can dry up, leaving you jobless. Nobody likes writer’s block, but will you be able to put food on the table if you’re not producing at your usual level?
There’s a good chance you’ll end up disliking your situation. If you are creative and want to make cash fast then you should think about selling homemade products online.
You can do this alongside any other career or hobby you have.
It is one of those side hustles that doesn’t take a lot of your time. There is always a want and a need for unique homemade products especially round christmas time.
If you feel you have something special then get it listed online and show your talents of to the world. Yes, you read that right, if you trade well enough and have a great following then you could have orders from around the globe.
If you use something like ebay to sell your products online then you should think about using an online tool such as the ebay & paypal fee calculator.
This will give you a rough idea as to whether it is worth your while selling and how much you could potentially make.
Reasons To Make Your Hobby A Career
But enough with the negativity – yes, there are risks to turning your hobby into a career, but there are also dozens of exciting benefits.
You're off To A Fast Start
A career that you are passionate about will provide you with an understanding of your target market as well as what your competitors are doing and what problem you are solving.
If you have a genuine interest in the advancement of your field, you will not become complacent in your market research, your skills, or your education and training.
Advancing
Some people work better under duress. Targets and a bank balance may also motivate you to step up your game and become a go-to industry expert. You could promote your business through social media, blogs, interviews, and even podcasts.
SELF-IMPROVEMENT
If you make a living out of your hobby, people frequently inquire as to what you’ll do for fun in your spare time. Of course, you should look for a new interest. For those who do not have a primary vocational interest, finding something to do in their spare time will be a difficult task for them to complete. For example, if you are interested in playing an instrument, you can self-improve by using something such as a Beat machine.
Create. You have the world at your disposal when it comes to opportunities (provided you have any spare time). You only have one life, so make the most of it by doing the things that you enjoy doing.
Find work that you enjoy doing, and you will never have to go to a job again in your entire life!
Seeking Help
It is likely that someone else is engaged in work that is similar to yours; therefore, why not contact them directly?
In order to avoid approaching local competitors, you can communicate with someone from a different country via the internet. Local freelancers can frequently turn out to be valuable allies, leads, and collaborators for your company.
Don't be afraid to seek advice from your friends; they are well-acquainted with you and have your best interests at heart.
Joining online groups is completely free, and you can take advantage of numerous Facebook groups and meetups.
Another way to get help is by using guides on how to set up certain businesses for example if you love pampering your pooch, you may want to check out Starting a Dog Grooming Business: The Complete Guide.
E-Learning
You could also try your hand at e-learning. E-learning has been growing in popularity for several years, and it now offers easily accessible tutoring in a wide range of subjects.
If you intend to work for yourself but need to improve your skills first, the resources listed below may be of assistance:
Canvas – an online learning platform designed to inspire teachers to create engaging lessons. The courses are currently all free and range from reading, writing, and math basics to teaching using the computer game Minecraft.
Lumosity- is an online and mobile brain-training service created by a neuroscientist team. It's a new favourite way to challenge our minds, used by over 60 million people.
With this service, you can improve your memory and problem-solving skills.
Memrise – like Canvas, but more of a learning social network. Almost anyone can submit courses on topics ranging from accounting and finance to capitals and celebrity trivia.
The community rates courses to help you choose. Memrise has a larger course selection than Canvas, so if you want to learn a new skill, you can find more ‘absolute beginner' courses.
Codecademy – a free interactive website that teaches programming basics. Learn HTML, CSS, and Javascript, then move on to more complex languages like Python, Ruby, and PHP.
Duolingo – a language learning app for iPhone and Android. Spanish, Danish, Irish, French, German, Portuguese, Hindi, Esperanto, Japanese, and Dutch are currently available. The app uses clever gamification to inspire you to become a silver-tongued linguist. Pass increasingly difficult levels, encouraged by a cute green owl who dances around the screen to twinkling trumpet sounds.
Datacamp – an online learning tool for data scientists. You'll learn everything from basic computational finance and financial econometrics to the programming language ‘R'. Like Codecademy courses, Datacamp modules are organised into chapters and subsections to help you progress quickly. This one isn't for the faint of heart.
It's simple to sit back and wait for the "right time." The information in our jargon-free business guides will provide you with everything you need to know about starting a business doing something you enjoy doing.
Avoiding Faux Pax
Just because you enjoy something does not imply that you will become better at it or that you will be compensated for it. Getting some clients in your spare time is a good idea before committing your entire life to turn a hobby into an income-generating endeavour. It is preferable to taste the milk rather than taking a large gulp and being disappointed. It's important to remember that any additional income from side gigs is taxable.
While self-employment has many advantages, it also requires a great deal of self-control. Only you can determine whether or not you have the drive and patience to be successful. You've come this far, and you're convinced that turning your hobby into a full-time career is the right choice for you. If that's the case, congratulations. This may turn out to be the best decision you've ever made.
Hopefully, this guide has given you some food for thought when it comes to potentially making your hobby your job. Do you have any other considerations that should be made? Please share some of them in the comments below.
Leave a Reply