The Side Hustle Nearly Broke Me: Why I Gave Up the Grind to Get My Life Back

I tried to be that person. You know — the one with a color-coded Google Calendar, three income streams, and a morning routine that rivals a Navy SEAL. I launched my Etsy store at midnight, watched “How to Scale Your Side Hustle in 90 Days” videos like they were TED Talks, and convinced myself I was one Canva template away from quitting my 9-to-5.

Spoiler: I didn’t get rich. I got tired. Really, really tired.

Hustle Culture Made Me Delusional

There’s a strange kind of peer pressure that comes from watching strangers on Instagram build six-figure businesses from their kitchen tables. Suddenly, your perfectly decent full-time job seems like a stepping stone to your "real" calling: becoming a passive-income wizard with a Shopify store and a ring light.

And I fell for it. Hard.

Every spare minute became a productivity opportunity. Sundays weren’t for rest — they were for "batch content." Lunch breaks turned into mini coaching sessions. I once tried to schedule self-care, but accidentally double-booked it with a webinar titled "Stop Making Excuses and Start Earning."

Side Hustle? More Like Side Headache

Let me be clear: I respect entrepreneurs. But somewhere between designing my fifth mug for dog moms and reading about SEO at 2 AM, I stopped enjoying any of it. The hustle became a second job — minus the benefits, coworkers, or paycheck.

Sleep? Overrated. Relationships? Who has time? Joy? I’d circle back to that in Q4.

Burnout didn’t show up all at once. It trickled in. I stopped replying to texts. My creativity flatlined. My laptop became a source of dread. When a friend asked how I was doing, I replied, "I’m scaling."

The Glorious, Guilt-Ridden Exit

I didn’t quit in a blaze of glory. There was no dramatic "I’m done" moment. Just a slow fade — fewer posts, missed uploads, the sudden realization that I hadn’t been outside in three days.

Eventually, I deleted the hustle apps. I turned off the Google alerts. I let the Etsy store gather digital dust. And guess what? Nothing exploded. The world kept turning. I started sleeping again. My coffee consumption dropped from “emergency room visit” to “moderate concern.”

What I Learned (So You Don’t Have To)

Hustle culture wants you to believe that rest is laziness and burnout is a badge of honor. It’s not. Rest is necessary. Joy is fuel. And sometimes, the bravest thing you can do is… less.

If you’re still in the game — or just hustle-curious — here are some sites I genuinely found helpful. And yes, these can actually help you build a little financial cushion through passive income and smarter money moves — like earning dividends. They’re affiliate links, so if you decide to try them out, I may earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you):

• Wealthsimple Dividend investing: Start small, grow smart. It’s an easy way to earn passive income with zero day-trading stress. You can start with as low as $100, and choose from wide range of options like dividend reinvesting, or simply automating stock purchase to build a stable source of passive income. If you use my link to join, you get an additional $25 for funding your account!
• Mistplay: If, like me, you enjoy playing mobile games, this one is for you. It really works! I have made about $100 in gift cards (in about 7-8 months) and if you use my link above to join, you will get an additional 100 bonus points on top of the 200 welcome bonus points - thats almost about $1 in bonus!

I didn’t become a millionaire. But I got my peace back. And honestly? That might be worth more.

These days, I focus on sustainable income, not overnight success. I use the tools above in moderation — and with realistic expectations. If you’re going to dabble in side hustles, let them support your lifestyle, not consume it. Passive income is possible, but so is peace of mind. And sometimes, those tiny affiliate commissions feel like the universe sending you a little high-five for not giving up entirely.

Have you ever hit the wall with your side hustle? Share your story in the comments or tag a friend who's overdue for a break.

#burnout, #side hustles, #hustleculture, #mentalhealth, #realtalk