Lifestyle Design: A Criterion for Choosing Side Projects
Edition 20: The side projects you choose should match the lifestyle you want
Earlier this year, I wrote a newsletter that suggested ways for parent-entrepreneurs to choose side projects. I unintentionally left one off the list: lifestyle design. That is, the side projects you take on should match the lifestyle you want.
However, I didn’t think about lifestyle design as a criterion for choosing side projects until just recently when I had to decide whether or not to take on a side project that would impact my lifestyle.
A publisher contacted me to give live programming courses. The first question that ran through my head was this: how would that impact my family—particularly Hayden?
My lifestyle is designed around my family. In fact, I quit my job last year in order to spend time with my family and take care of Hayden. I work on side projects outside of family time: when Hayden is sleeping or napping. And because I’m Hayden’s primary caregiver, it would be a logistics challenge to check out for several hours during the day to complete these courses.
So I declined the opportunity.
It didn’t fit with my lifestyle design. Although I love to work on side projects, I don’t want them to interfere with the lifestyle I’m designing.
The Big Picture
To me, lifestyle design is the big picture. It’s the reason you’re working on side projects. It’s the reason you’re fighting the fight each day. It’s your motivation.
More time should be spent thinking about the lifestyle you desire. A way to start is to answer this question: what matters most?
It’s such a simple, but powerful question. Even if you think you know the answer, I encourage you to take a few minutes and write the answer to this question.
Yes, write. Writing will slow you down to really think carefully and thoughtfully.
The answer to this question will give you direction and put things into perspective. It’ll also influence the decisions you make each day, including the side projects you take on. In fact, it’s often these smaller decisions that accumulate and shape the lifestyle you’re working toward.
It’s easy to take on side projects for the wrong reasons. That’s why it’s important to get clear about the life you want. Then, use it as a filter for side projects.
If a project is going to take away from or negatively impact what matters most, perhaps you shouldn't take it on.
For me, lifestyle design the best criterion for choosing side projects as a parent-entrepreneur. After all, it’s the reason I’m running down the entrepreneurial path in the first place: the projects I take on need to support the lifestyle I want.
Lack of direction, not lack of time, is the problem. We all have twenty-four hour days.
-Zig Ziglar
Thank you for reading! Feel free to reply to this email and let me know what you think.
-Amy
This makes so much sense and we should take the time. Evaluating all life goals is important and necessary when planning for the entire family unit.
Well done!
Great insight!
In my case live courses and cohorts dont make sense because the time i have available is before work or early weekends before kids wake up.
So really the best fit for me is writing small info products or software tools