Summary

The article emphasizes the importance of maintaining enthusiasm and fun in part-time online content creation to achieve long-term success and avoid burnout.

Abstract

Creating content online while balancing a full-time job can be isolating and challenging, often leading to a monotonous routine that risks burnout. The article argues that true success in part-time content creation comes from sustained effort over many years, akin to the commitment demonstrated by successful writers who have been creating for nearly a decade. It suggests that injecting happiness into the creative process and choosing activities that are enjoyable is crucial for a fulfilling and sustainable creator journey. The author advocates for a balanced approach that prioritizes fun and self-kindness over relentless work, highlighting the benefits of gradual improvement and organic growth in both skills and audience. The article also points to the Part-Time Creator Club as a resource for those looking to enhance their part-time creative endeavors.

Opinions

Creating online content part-time can feel lonely and is often misunderstood by those who do not share the same passion.
There is a risk of content creation becoming a monotonous "churn" that can lead to complacency, fatigue, and ultimately burnout.
Success in content creation is not an overnight phenomenon; it requires a long-term commitment and consistent effort.

Most People Give Up Creating Part-Time. Here’s How You Stick At It Long Enough to Make It a Success

And it will change everything

The loneliest job in the world is creating online.

There are few that understand the desire to create alongside the day job. It doesn’t make sense to everyone. You have a 9–5 right?

But for you and me, it makes total sense. It’s something we’ve built up over the years, it’s become ingrained in our lives to create online.

If you’re a Part-Time Creator but your motivation is nosediving, read this.

The danger of churn

Building alongside full-time work can be a slog.

The danger of churn is that it becomes boring and when it becomes boring you are dead in the water.

It can, if you’re not careful, turn into a numbers game. It did for me. You have a list of things that you need to get done in a day and it becomes a churn of boredom:

Tweet x2 daily
Post on LinkedIn
DM other writers
Write an article about habits

Day after day. The same thing is on repeat. Your to-do list basically writes itself. It never changes. This is where complacency, fatigue and ultimately burnout set in.

Missed opportunities to inject happiness

The creative world is about sustainability.

You need to show up long enough for people to take notice. If I look at all my favourite writers, they’ve been creating for nearly a decade.

That’s the kind of commitment it takes.

There is no such thing as an overnight success. If you want to be around long enough for people to pay attention then you need to find ways to keep this thing interesting.

If you don’t take opportunities to inject happiness you’re missing the point entirely.

The best decision you’ll make as a part-time creator

Here’s what a fun creator journey looks like:

You wake up and grab a warm coffee. You sit down with a notepad by your side, ready to fill it full of headline ideas. Overnight and this morning your mind has been spilling over with ideas. You can’t wait.

You sip and you write. Idea after idea. You circle one idea and decide to write an article about it. You turn your attention to your research. You fall deep into the crooks of the internet, amazed at what you find. You tap, you read, and you sip.

Most fall into a different way of working. Their creator journey seems much less fun and far too serious:

You wake up, overwhelmed by your to-do list. In the next 2 hours, you need to write a series of Tweets, and an article, reply to your DMs, look through your emails, and come up with article ideas for tomorrow. Panicked you chuck out one Tweet after another. Barely remembering what you thought about two minutes ago.

Pick the fun creator journey, please.

Choosing fun over anything

The thing about creating alongside your full-time thing is there’s a lot to be considered. But there are two things that remain true:

You are choosing to spend your free time doing this
This is a long game.

The only thing then that makes an ounce of sense is to have fun creating. It’s to be kind to yourself, create at your own pace, and do the things that make you happy.

This idea of slogging it out to 2 am in morning to then wake up at 6 am to do it all over again is frankly unhealthy. Those people might get there quicker than you do but I bet they’re not having a good time doing it.

Who wants to win the race burnt out with nobody waiting at the finish line?

You don’t have to choose that life if you don’t want to. Instead, you can dial down the ambition and dial up the fun. You don’t have to self-made in the next 6 weeks.

Here’s a different version of the events

Instead, what if you just created it online because it made you feel good?

Over the years you got better and people started noticing. 5 years in you started taking building products, building relationships, and finding new ways to make money from your craft.

Sure there are days when it feels less fun to make money from this thing you love but also, you can barely believe you get to make money from this thing you love.

You build over years, you laugh, you cry, you optimize for fun and you see where it all goes.

In the end, you realize there is no race. It’s a game with no exit.

The Part-Time Creator Club has grown by 1035% in the last 6 months. It’s fast becoming the go-to email for creating alongside your 9–5. Join 10k+ brilliant minds here.