The habit of side hustling is exciting to start, but challenging to maintain. On the one hand, there’s joy in creating something meaningful in any form; on the other hand, at times it feels like there’s so much that can be do but so little time.

It’s still worth the try.

When thinking about habits that develop around side hustling, one specific friend comes to mind. She would say that every day, no matter what, she would sit at her desk and write for three straight hours. She committed herself to do that without skipping a day. Eventually she wrote a book, and it got published.

Her dedication was outstanding. When she told me about her writing process, I hoped to be like her someday.

There’s another case that comes to mind. I once read a series of tweets from an indie writer who shared one of his habits: hitting a thousand words every single day. He would always carve time to reach his goal.

I thought his discipline was impressive. I know for a fact that a lot of writers set goals based on word count and results can be satisfying.

While it’s wonderful to hear these stories of productivity and success, let’s be mindful about one crucial point: every person finds their own system to work on their goals. Everybody has different lifestyles and routines. Therefore, it’s not always possible to focus on a creative project for three straight hours. Word counts vary from person to person. If someone decides it going to be less than a thousand per day, it’s still valuable.

When working on the habit of side hustling, it’s okay to start small. It’s okay to not imitate those who seem super productive in your eyes. Small progress is always great progress.

Building a habit while starting small is perfectly doable. You’d be surprised to know that it’s simpler than you think.

James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, proposes a rule that feels easy  to implement at any given moment: the two minute rule. In his words, it should take less than two minutes to start something.

A new habit should not feel like a challenge. The actions that follow can be challenging, but the first two minutes should be easy. What you want is a “gateway habit” that naturally leads you down a more productive path.

James Clear

Your day may look different each time. If your routine tends to be demanding, two minutes of your time can help you turn your side hustle into a habit. Two minutes sound like too little. You might feel like you want to accomplish much more. However, keep in mind that small efforts compound in your favour.

So you can start by assigning two minutes to write a sentence. Two minutes to brainstorm ideas. Two minutes to journal about a specific topic of interest. Two minutes to do some research on Google. Two minutes to read an inspiring blog entry.

The key is staying consistent and focusing on the habit you’re creating. It’s not about the amount of results you produce. It’s about ensuring that you keep going. Switching to a two-minute perspective makes your craft more manageable.

What is your next two-minute action to contribute to your side hustle?