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Ask HN: How do people work on their side projects with regular full-time jobs?

15 points by hhimanshu 14y ago

- I am interested in learning how people manage their time between official commitments and their side projects

michaelpinto 14y ago
This depends on what your full time job is and the scale and intensity of your side job. Make sure that your plate isn't filled up 110% and know that people tend to underestimate the amount of work involved in doing anything...
dworrad 14y ago
I yesterday documented my struggle in this department while trying to get my live sports commentary site www.commentary.io up and running. It isn't easy when you are a "sole founder"... especially when you have a family!
traveldotto2 14y ago
The answer is probably as numerous as the stars in the sky. You're probably best off focusing on your own situation. Are you finding lack of engagement at your work and looking for ways to scratch the itch (in which case you might want to work nights and weekends to test the waters)? Or did an interesting side project fall into your lap and are you finding it tough to manage both (in which you may have to make a decision about what's important to you)? Or are you just curious to see how others go from corporate to entrepreneur? This essay PG wrote might appeal to you. http://paulgraham.com/love.html http://paulgraham.com/love.html
mflindell 14y ago
I have a full time job in a startup doing around 42 hours per week between 8am and 5:30pm and at around 6pm I work on my side project until 1am.
rsaarelm 14y ago
I only have so much energy after waking to get started with anything creative like project design, so it comes down to managing that. One trick that works is waking up at 5 AM to work on a personal project, then going to work at 9 AM. This might lead to being pretty slow at work once afternoon rolls in though. Another way is to do an early workday, 8 to 4 or 7 to 3 even, then take a 20 minute power nap after work. Even a momentary falling asleep can restore a surprising amount of mental energy.
miniatureape 14y ago
I like to keep a todo list with time estimates next to each item. In the morning, pick one you'll have plenty of time to finish. Work on it, commit it and go off to work. It's a long game, but it works.
impostervt 14y ago
Do one thing each day, even if it's just changing the font-size of something. Constant progress, even minute progress, is critical.
koonsolo 14y ago
Stop watching TV
- hhimanshu 14y ago
  I dont have TV :)
- canterburry 14y ago
  Seriously! TV, dvr, Netflix...pure EVIL.The worst enemy of any side project.
jepstein 14y ago
No TV, no netflix, no hulu, and a lot of late hours. I often work 50+ hours a week on my "paying" job, 8-6, go home, play with the dogs, hang out with the wife, then hop online from 9-1 or 2am to work on Loveopolis.com. 3 days a week i come straight home from work and go from 6-1ish. It's the only way i've been able to go all out at my paying job as well as trying to make something awesome on the side. Lot's of hours and dedication to believing in what you're doing will ultimately pay off.
bert2002 14y ago
one task a day.
ssmc 14y ago
I just do something that wakes me up when I get home and make sure I get a good night's rest (7-8 hours) each and every night. For me, competitive Starcraft 2 really wakes me up (better than espresso).
padseeker 14y ago
For me it has not that hard if you have a lot of passion for what you are building. dworrad's post the other day is a great example of how he does it. It feels like a bit of a obsession - check it out. http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4217985 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4217985 I am starting to think I have some sort of OCD with this project. Maintaining motivation is the hardest when you get discouraged. For me I had to give up all my other hobbies. I take care of my family (including 2 kids) do the best I can for my job but try not to work much more than 40 hours, and then its my side project after the kids go to sleep, from 9-1am at least 4 days a week. Wake up early or stay up late. If you are obsessed like I am you will wake up with no help at 4am, which is a great time to code.
bazookaBen 14y ago
Allocate only 2 hours a day on side projects. Stop immediately once you hit the 2-hour mark. i run a startup and make games part time.

15 points by hhimanshu 14y ago

- I am interested in learning how people manage their time between official commitments and their side projects

This depends on what your full time job is and the scale and intensity of your side job. Make sure that your plate isn't filled up 110% and know that people tend to underestimate the amount of work involved in doing anything...

dworrad 14y ago

I yesterday documented my struggle in this department while trying to get my live sports commentary site www.commentary.io up and running. It isn't easy when you are a "sole founder"... especially when you have a family!

traveldotto2 14y ago

The answer is probably as numerous as the stars in the sky. You're probably best off focusing on your own situation. Are you finding lack of engagement at your work and looking for ways to scratch the itch (in which case you might want to work nights and weekends to test the waters)? Or did an interesting side project fall into your lap and are you finding it tough to manage both (in which you may have to make a decision about what's important to you)? Or are you just curious to see how others go from corporate to entrepreneur? This essay PG wrote might appeal to you. http://paulgraham.com/love.html http://paulgraham.com/love.html

mflindell 14y ago

I have a full time job in a startup doing around 42 hours per week between 8am and 5:30pm and at around 6pm I work on my side project until 1am.

rsaarelm 14y ago

I only have so much energy after waking to get started with anything creative like project design, so it comes down to managing that. One trick that works is waking up at 5 AM to work on a personal project, then going to work at 9 AM. This might lead to being pretty slow at work once afternoon rolls in though. Another way is to do an early workday, 8 to 4 or 7 to 3 even, then take a 20 minute power nap after work. Even a momentary falling asleep can restore a surprising amount of mental energy.

miniatureape 14y ago

I like to keep a todo list with time estimates next to each item. In the morning, pick one you'll have plenty of time to finish. Work on it, commit it and go off to work. It's a long game, but it works.

impostervt 14y ago

Do one thing each day, even if it's just changing the font-size of something. Constant progress, even minute progress, is critical.

koonsolo 14y ago

Stop watching TV

hhimanshu 14y ago
I dont have TV :)
canterburry 14y ago
Seriously! TV, dvr, Netflix...pure EVIL.The worst enemy of any side project.

jepstein 14y ago

No TV, no netflix, no hulu, and a lot of late hours. I often work 50+ hours a week on my "paying" job, 8-6, go home, play with the dogs, hang out with the wife, then hop online from 9-1 or 2am to work on Loveopolis.com. 3 days a week i come straight home from work and go from 6-1ish. It's the only way i've been able to go all out at my paying job as well as trying to make something awesome on the side. Lot's of hours and dedication to believing in what you're doing will ultimately pay off.

bert2002 14y ago

one task a day.

ssmc 14y ago

I just do something that wakes me up when I get home and make sure I get a good night's rest (7-8 hours) each and every night. For me, competitive Starcraft 2 really wakes me up (better than espresso).

padseeker 14y ago

For me it has not that hard if you have a lot of passion for what you are building. dworrad's post the other day is a great example of how he does it. It feels like a bit of a obsession - check it out. http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4217985 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4217985 I am starting to think I have some sort of OCD with this project. Maintaining motivation is the hardest when you get discouraged. For me I had to give up all my other hobbies. I take care of my family (including 2 kids) do the best I can for my job but try not to work much more than 40 hours, and then its my side project after the kids go to sleep, from 9-1am at least 4 days a week. Wake up early or stay up late. If you are obsessed like I am you will wake up with no help at 4am, which is a great time to code.

bazookaBen 14y ago

Allocate only 2 hours a day on side projects. Stop immediately once you hit the 2-hour mark. i run a startup and make games part time.