Hustle with Heels Podcast

Ep.7 5 Game-Changing Habits for Side Hustlers with Full-Time Jobs

• Cindy Excell

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Balancing a demanding corporate job with a side hustle isn’t easy, but there are habits that make it possible—and rewarding.

This week, I’m sharing the five essential habits that transformed how I approach my side hustle while staying focused in my full-time corporate role.

In this episode, you’ll learn how to create a structure that allows you to make steady progress on your business, even with a packed schedule.

These habits have helped me manage my energy, stay productive, and find a rhythm that supports both my corporate career and my entrepreneurial goals.

If you’re ready to make meaningful strides in your business without sacrificing your day job or burning out, this episode is for you.


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Sign up for my Free live workshop, Taking Control of Your Financial Future on Your Terms, here

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Welcome to the Hustle with Heels podcast. I'm your host, Cindy Excell, a corporate girl, start hustler, wife, and a mom of two. In 2020, I started my first start hustle as an online fitness coach while working in my corporate job as a private wealth manager. Over the years, I have been living proof that a corporate career and a side hustle can absolutely co exist in harmony.

Today, I'm helping corporate women and early stage entrepreneurs create wealth beyond their 9 to 5 jobs and build an online business on their terms. On this podcast, I'll share my knowledge, strategies, and stories that will help you start and grow your side hustle. Whether you are ready to diversify your income streams or are looking to build a side business that aligns with your goals.

I'm here to support you every step of the way. Now, let's get started.  Welcome back to another episode of Hustle with Heels podcast. This week has been absolutely crazy with my corporate job. In fact, I was working until about 1030 last night. I don't really often work overtime with my daytime job anymore, but from time to time, while we are going through an extremely busy period, such as at the moment, we are actually going through a massive system and a business process change, which means there are a lot of work that needs to be done before the certain date.

So I would say probably for the last few years, every now and then, maybe once or twice every few months, I still have to work overtime with my daytime job. But it is definitely not a regular thing for me anymore. When you have a sound hustle while working full time corporate career, every now and then you have to put your focus on your corporate job because you are still an employee and you're still getting paid to do what you do during your daytime.

So this is completely normal. However, this shouldn't be something that happens too often because while you are building your side of business alongside your corporate career, you actually need to protect your time, you need to protect your energy and the time you spent on your side of business so that you are able to show up for your business and the stick to the schedule that works for your side hustle.

Today, I'm going to dive into the habits that helped me build my side hustle successfully while working full time in corporate. These habits aren't just about being productive. They are actually about working smarter, stay resilient, creating the pace and the rhythm that works for you. Hustle with intention and creating balance between your work, your business, and your personal life.

Because juggling corporate life and a side business is not easy. I have been doing that four and a half, nearly five years since the beginning of 2020, and I have done a lot of trial and errors trying to balance the two roles and my family life. I want to share with you these habits I have formed through my journey on how to Maximize your time, your energy, and stay focused on your business while still delivering on your full time job.

So grab a pen and paper or open up a Google doc on your computer, because today's episode is packed with actionable takeaways. Now, I want to kick things off with habit number one. This habit might seem counterintuitive, which is stay as productive and efficient as you can at your daytime job and then fully detach when you clock out.

This was not always easy, especially if you're like me, always checking on your work emails even after you finish work, just in case if something that is urgent needs your attention. I have been always like that throughout my entire corporate career, even well into the first couple of years, while I already started my side hustle.

I still remember when I was on holidays with my family, with my kids. You know, I was still making the phone calls for my work. So I have been always working like that, but for the last probably 18 months, I have stopped doing that because I have learned that energy in business is real. It is so critical.

It actually impacts how you show up in your business and how you take actions that move your business forward. How many times when you come across a busy period at your 95 job, Or under stress from your work, then you unconsciously brought those energy into your personal life. I have done them so many times.

Even lately, I experienced some quite stressful time at my daytime job. Back at home, I caught myself a few times that I raised my voice at my kids and it became super agitated at small things. I realized that something going on at my work that actually impact my Energy negatively. So I need to reset my energy because this negative energy impacted me on how I show up for my family, for my kids and how I show up in my business.

That means I actually need to completely detach from my corporate role when I finished my work. So this takes some practice because. I was once very proud of being called workaholic, but not anymore.  I think it is actually healthy to be 100 percent or even 120 percent concentrated on your daytime job, when you are during those working hours that completely detach yourself and your energy from your corporate role.

Once you're finished work and be present for your family, your kids, your loved ones, and the protector energy for your side business. And the best way to do that is by staying focused and being productive during your corporate hours. That means looking through all your tasks, your activities, and your responsibilities at your nine to five job.

So what kind of routines or system that you can create that are going to increase efficiency and productivity for you. The quicker you complete your tasks at work, the more mental capacity you will be able to spare for your business. I still have responsibilities and a duty of care for my clients and my employer at my work.

And I try to get as much done as possible. And I try to be as efficient as possible during those working hours.  These days, I actually don't think workaholic is something that people should feel proud of anymore. Because I truly believe that most of the time, if you stay focused and have an efficient and effective system for your nine to five, you should be able to get your job done within those designated hours.

No doubt from time to time, you probably have to work overtime like me, you know, for the last couple of weeks. But I do believe that that shouldn't be something you do all the time, because the last thing you want to do is to carry any of the mental baggage into your sad hustle time.  Think about your roles in your corporate job and your side hustle.

It's almost like you have two identities. So this is what I say that as a identity shift. So when I finished work, I switched off from my corporate identity. This is so important and the moving into the identity of the business owner for my side of business. So that I don't carry the stress and energy into my side hustle hours.

This is not easy, um, and it definitely takes some practice. Here is your action steps. Be very clear on what you need to do during your working hours for your 9 5 job to stay as a high achiever and complete a high quality work for your corporate role. And set a clear boundary for when you finish your job.

And, uh, you can even create a quick ritual such as a quick walk. Or a quick meditation or whatever that works for you to help you mentally transition into your side hustle time. Next one is one of the habits I used for both my corporate job and my side of business, which is time blocking. I know that time blocking is not a new concept, but the magic actually comes in while you stay hyper focused on the tasks during those blocks of time.

Have you come across a situation where you work on the task that you keep getting distracted or interrupted by other things, such as notifications from your emails on your phone, or text, or a phone call that you suddenly remember you need to make, or even just your own wandering thoughts? So you bounce in and out of your tasks, you're getting interrupted over and over.

Before you know it, two hours have passed. You barely made any progress. A quick 30 minute job somehow stretched into three hours of frustration. And by the end of it, you feel exhausted and you are wondering where the time went. Here's the thing about tasks and time, if a task can be done in 20 minutes, but you give yourself two hours, guess what?

It was somehow magically take you that entire two hours to finish that task. You will start overthinking it. You start tweaking things that you probably don't even need tweaking, maybe even procrastinating halfway through because you feel like you have all the time in the world. It is called Parkinson's law.

Parkinson's law is the concept that work expands to fill the time you've allowed for it. This may mean that you take longer than necessary to complete a task, or you procrastinate and complete the task right before the due date. And this is so real. But when you set a focused time block, let's say 30 minutes, and you commit to finishing that task within that window, it is incredible how much more efficient you become.

There is no room for overthinking or unnecessary distractions. You get in, you get it done, and you move on. Think about it. How often do we sabotage ourselves by giving tasks way more time than they actually require? I've done that plenty of times. What should have been a quick job ended up consuming my entire morning.

And that's why time blocking, when it is paired with focused effort, it can be a big time changer. And here is how you do it. You start by listing everything you need to do for the week for your start business and prioritize the most important tasks. And for each task, you estimate how much time you realistically need, and you need to be honest with yourself.

If a task typically takes 30 minutes, don't give it an hour. Remember Parkinson's law, the task will expand to fill the time you allow it. Then you block time on your calendar. Each block can be anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours. And treat these time blocks like non negotiable appointments. And then you batch similar tasks or you group similar tasks together.

This will help you keep your momentum going. For example, you schedule all your content and creation tasks into one block, or you group all your admin tasks into another block because switching between unrelated tasks can actually waste your mental energy and waste your time. And then during your time block, you can create a focused environment as well, such as you turn off your notifications.

You close unnecessary tabs and let other people know that you are not available. If distractions are inevitable, you can try a tool like noise cancelling headphone, or you can put some focused app on as well. The idea is that when you block out time, you want to eliminate as many distractions as possible.

The next step is a key, which is you need to stick to those blocked time. So when the time block ends, you stop working on the tasks, even if it's not perfect, you can even schedule another time block later on, but don't let one task bleed into the next. You need to stick to your schedule and honor your time.

And at the end of the day, or at the end of the week, you can reflect on how your time blocking went. So did you overestimate or underestimate the time that needed? And then you can adjust your time blocks accordingly for the next week. Because the secret here isn't just in time blocking. It is about creating a focused and destruction free environment where you can actually get things done.

If you can master this habit, it will change the way you approach both your work and your side hustle. You will feel more productive, less stressed, and way more in control of your time. So here is my challenge for you. Try time blocking this week. You can even start small, maybe just one or two blocks a day to see how it feels.

Pay attention to how much more you get done when you honor those time blocks and stay focused. Habit number three is that learn to utilize a small chunk of time to get tasks done. You know, those random 10 or even 15 minutes that pop up during your day. Maybe it's while you are waiting for a meeting to start, or maybe you're sitting in a car during a, you know, kids pick up.

Or even between your tasks. Most of us scroll on our phones or let that time slip away because it feels too short or too insignificant to accomplish anything that meaningful. But here's the thing, those small chunks of time, they add up. And when you start using them intentionally, they can actually make a huge difference.

Now to make those small pockets of time work for us, we actually need to firstly understand what types of tasks can be done during those five, 10, 15 minutes time, because not every task fits into those small window and that is okay. So focus on the ones that do. Those are the things like replying to client emails, drafting a quick social media post, reviewing your schedule for the week, or even jotting down some ideas for your next program or for your next social media post, or even jotting down the ideas for your next piece of content or your next program, etc.

So go through the tasks and activities for your business and make a list of quick tasks and keep them on your phone and keep them handy. When you are already know what needs to be done, you can jump right in instead of wasting time figuring things out. To give you an example, yesterday I went to pick up my younger daughter from her school after her ballet lesson.

I got there like 10 minutes earlier. So I used that 10 minutes to record a draft script of the first habit in this episode. It was just a draft. It wasn't perfect. And then when I got home last night after kids went to bed, I already had a draft script to work on so that I didn't have to start from the scratch.

The point is, we are not aiming for perfection during those short bursts of work. The goal isn't to finish every task flawlessly, it is to make progress. Progress even in very small steps adds up over time.  Think about it. How often do we say, I don't have time. But when we add up all those small windows with less sleep by, we realize that we actually had a plenty of time.

We just didn't use it. So again, this is the challenge for you next. So from this habit, my challenge for you is this. Next time, when you have 10 minutes, instead of grabbing your phone or zone out, look at your quick task list and pick one thing to work on. You will be amazed at how much you can actually accomplish in those small and intentional moments. 

The next habit is so simple, but it made a huge difference in my side hustle business, which is pre planning my week every Sunday. Now, I know that many of us like to relax on Sundays, but if you are listening to this podcast, then I know that you are not like many others. You have big vision for your side business.

That's why a little bit of planning can actually help you make the week ahead flow so much smoother. Without planning ahead, you will often end up accomplishing more of what other people want for you and risk doing less of what you want for you and your business. Every Sunday, I actually spend about an hour planning out my side hustle tasks for the week ahead.

I actually even do that for my corporate role as well. I look at what my goals are for the week, both for my corporate job and for my side of business, what needs to be done. And then I prioritize those tasks. I schedule my time block in my diary. Depending on the tasks, sometimes I break them into small and manageable chunks so that they don't feel overwhelming.

This is specifically for my side of business. This habit actually ensures that I'm not scrambling day to day. Trying to figure out what needs to be done. Instead, I have a clear plan of action for the week, for my business and for my daytime job. And I'm able to hit the ground running. Even when my corporate work gets hectic.

Here is the action steps from this habit. This coming Sunday set aside one hour to plan out your week, pick one or two goals for your business for the week ahead. And then you pick three to five of your top priorities. So this should be the tasks that will move the needle for your start business and move you towards or achieve those one to two goals you picked for the week.

Once you have those, you break them down into smaller steps like subtasks, for example, instead of setting a task as launch lead magnet, break that into small subtasks, such as write lead magnet outline, design the PDF document, create the landing page, et cetera. Then you assign these subtasks into the specific days of your time block.

So this step actually ensures you are not going to be overwhelmed midweek, try to tackle everything all at once.  Now, the final habit I want to share with you today is becoming resourceful. This habit is probably one of the most underrated ones, in my opinion, for early stage entrepreneurs, it is actually a quality that can benefit your corporate job, even your life in general.

It's about the shift in your mindset from, I don't have what I need, I don't know how to do this, to how can I make this work with what I have. Being resourceful doesn't mean that you have all the answers or endless tools at your disposal. It simply means that you get creative, find solutions, and make things happen no matter the obstacles.

Resourcefulness starts with asking better questions. Instead of saying, I can't do this because I don't have X, Y, Z. Ask yourself, what do I already have that I can use or who I can reach out for help or for advice. Or what's one small step I can take right now to move forward. Because when you ask better questions, you actually shift your focus from the problem to the solution.

This opens up possibilities you might not have noticed before. Sometimes being resourceful means doing more with less. What I meant by that is that maybe you don't have the best truth or the big budget for your side of business yet. And that is okay. Start with what you do have. Things like, if you don't have a budget to spend on expensive design software, you can use free tools like Canva.

If you can't afford to have a business coach, you can dive into podcasts, free webinars, or even books to learn what you need to learn. Or if you don't have time for a full hour training, you can watch 10 minutes YouTube tutorial during your lunch break. So think outside the box. You can start your site business with a lot of free resources.

Join communities, attend events, connect with like minded people online. The more you surround yourself with like minded people, the more resources you will have at your fingertips. You can simply maximize what's already available to you. At its core, being resourceful is about when challenges arise, instead of seeing them as roadblocks, you view them as opportunities to learn and grow.

Resourcefulness is a habit that separates those who get stuck from those who thrive. It's about finding ways forward, no matter the circumstances, and trusting your ability to figuring things out as you go. So while you are resourceful, you don't draw on what's missing. You actually focus on what's possible.

So my challenge for you on this one is that next time when you face a roadblock, instead of saying, I can't do this because flip the script, ask yourself, how can I make this work? Or, what is the one creative way to approach this? Being resourceful will completely change how you approach life and your business as well. 

All right. Now let's quickly recap the five habits that helped me build my side hustle while working in corporate. Number one, stay productive and efficient at your daytime job, then completely detach. Number two, time blocking. Number three, learn to utilize a small chunk time to get tasks done. Number four, pre plan your week every Sunday.

Number five, becoming resourceful. These habits have been game changers for me, and I'm confident that they can help you as well. The key to making it all work is consistency. So consistently showing up for your business and the practice, these habits and the making time for your business, even in small increments.

At the times you will feel that you are so behind with your business. You haven't ticked off the to do list yet on your schedule. In fact, that's how I felt since. Last week with my business, then my business coach reminds me, shout out to my coach, Ruby, that I'm never behind because this is my timeline.

And I'm just allowing my flow to show me the way and the time is always perfect. So I wanted to share this with you. If you are feeling like you are constantly trying to catch up, remember. There is no right speed or fixed schedule that applies to everyone, because this is your timeline, your business, your journey, and your unique story and your process. 

I hope these five habits I shared with you today is going to make your journey smoother. If today's episode resonated with you, I'd love it if you could leave a review or share it with somebody you know who's also trying to build their sad hustle. And as always, feel free to reach out to me on LinkedIn or on Instagram if you have any questions or if you just want to chat about your sad hustle journey.

Thanks so much for tuning in and I'll see you next week. Thank you so much for listening to the Hustle with Heels podcast. I hope this episode has inspired you to take action towards your sad hustle dream. If you enjoyed this episode, please take a second to rate and review it. Each review helps me help more corporate women.

And early stage entrepreneurs just like you. Don't forget to take a screenshot, share it in your Instagram stories or on LinkedIn and the tag me at Cindy Excel. I will see you next week.