Are you trapped in the 9-5 rat race? Or, is your job a blessing? Would you be happier working for yourself, in a dream job or juggling a side hustle? For some, working a 9 to 5 is the dream! As a former stuntman, driving up and down the M1 and working 12 hour days, I can definitely say there’s benefits to a 9 to 5. But for years I couldn’t do a 9 to 5, so I looked for something else. I struggled financially for years, avoiding the 9 to 5 life. I became a stuntman, opened a kung fu school, started an online business and juggled multiple crappy jobs for years all to avoid the 9 to 5!
Building up an independent income is tough, much tougher than a 9 to 5. However, working in a 9 to 5 for long enough was soul destroying for me. I found myself glancing under buses for a way out! So if you are starting to feel this way about your 9 to 5, it’s probably time to look for an alternative income. The slow creep of desperation works its way into your soul with a job you despise. The trap is the money and the things it affords you. The longer you are in a job, the more of a routine you’ve established and the harder it can be to get out.
9-5 Rat Race
But get out you must, if you’re starting to feel this way. Whether you take a side step out, to a lesser role, and start building a side hustle, or you become a quiet quitter, there’s options for your escape plan! Quiet quitting is psychologically checking out of your job but still doing the minimum.
Sometimes it’s just a plan you need, so you don’t feel like you have no choice. The daily routine eventually kills any creativity and passion and you find yourself like a drone, walking to work without thinking; zombie-like!
Sometimes the fear is what you need. Quit the job and you’ve got a tonne of bills to pay and no way to pay them! That’s enough to make you value your job, I can tell you! So maybe that’s not the answer? If you’ve got emergency funds set aside that’s a big help. So if you don’t maybe it’s time to start cutting back on your expenses and putting some money away. Putting money aside can give you some time if you feel you desperately need to quit a job. It can also help you get started funding a side hustle.
9-5 Rat Race – Knowing You Have Choice
Knowing you have a choice is key if you desperately want to quit your day job. Often it’s the feeling of being trapped which is the hardest part of a job which has grown old. One of the fastest ways out of a 9 to 5 is to start your own service based business. When you have a passion, that’s often the easiest answer. Start a passion based business alongside your job and use your job to get it off the ground. When you have a plan to replace your income in 1-2 years it gives you an “out” of your 9 to 5. Sometimes that’s motivation enough to build your side hustle and plan your escape!
Think about other options too. Can you move sideways in your employment somehow? Can you reduce your hours and keep the job? Have a look at other employment options you could apply for using your skillset.
9-5 Rat Race – Skill Based Businesses
What skill would you like to learn? Skill based businesses are another option and even if you don’t possess the skill you desire to sell, you can learn it. Spend some time on YouTube and you can learn plenty of skills.
One of the main skills for building an online business is marketing. This skill is universally useful and can be used for multiple job roles as well as building your own online business. Checkout the free videos on this website for more information. Here’s a few other skill based businesses you can pick up if you’re passionate about them: photography, life coaching, pet sitter, handyman, dog walker, accounts, book keeping, personal trainer etc.
See also service based business ideas for startups.
Building An Affiliate Business Alongside Your 9-5
Another option for many 9-5 er’s is to build an affiliate business alongside their regular job which can eventually replace their income. This is one of the simplest business models anyone can replicate. Affiliate marketing is a simple business model in which you get paid for promoting other people’s products and services online. With the right business model, you can build up a number of subscription sales which give you a regular income. As your memberships grow, you can eventually replace your existing income from memberships and subscriptions.
