But for many of us (especially me), a side hustle isn’t about scaling or selling — it’s about scratching an itch, exploring a passion, or simply taking a break from the day-to-day.

And here’s the thing: it doesn’t matter if you’re “good” at it (is what I keep telling myself).

The joy is in the doing

Whether it’s ceramics, photography, baking, or learning piano for the fifth time (but obviously getting sidetracked again), your side hustle doesn’t have to be something that generates income or impresses others. The very act of stepping away from your main work and diving into something different is what gives it personal gravitas.

It gives your brain a rest, lets your imagination play in a new space, and often leads to surprising sparks of inspiration you can carry back into your day job.

My own side hustle: making electronic music (badly)

For me, that escape has always been hip-hop and electronic music. Since I was 16, I’ve loved tinkering with electronic sounds — first with bits of second-hand hardware, mainly procured from Victor Morris and purchased via mis-used student loan funds, and more recently with Ableton Live, Ableton Push, Maschine, and various other bits and bobs of kit.

The honest truth? I’m not very good. I’ve never released anything, and I’m waaaaay too shy to upload tracks to SoundCloud for fear of a pure slagging - us creatives are notoriously thin-skinned don't you know.

But none of that really matters. Making music gives me a much-needed break from work and a fresh source of creative stimulation. It’s play, not pressure. It’s a reminder that creativity doesn’t always need an audience — sometimes it just needs an outlet. And it can be difficult sometimes to persist and not get disheartened….especially when a cursory glance online usually displays multiple creatives who effortlessly turn their hand to other disciplines and appear to be world-class at those as well.

Damn and blast to those multi-talented creatures.

Creativity thrives on cross-pollination

But the bigger picture is this….spending time on your side hustle can reframe how you approach challenges at work, help you look at problems from new angles, and remind you why you enjoy creating in the first place (important that last one).

That nonsense podcast about WWE wrestling you record with friends? It might not be chart-topping, but it could sharpen your storytelling skills. That jewellery-making hobby? It could change how you think about design, colour, and detail. Even if it never leaves your kitchen table, it still matters and feeds into other aspects of your life.

It’s ok to just enjoy yourself

Not everything has to be monetised. Not everything has to be posted. Sometimes, the most valuable side hustle is the one you keep just for you — because it makes you laugh, calms your mind, or lets you feel a sense of progress outside your 9-to-5.

For me, I still get that same buzz when I think a track's coming together and you're in 'the zone' (think Joe Gardener in Soul, but NOWHERE near as good obviously).

I've lost count of the amount of times I've turned to my family and say, "this is it….this is the one - the biggest track in Ibiza next year", only to listen back 24 hours later and realise it's actually quite p!sh.

But - it doesn't matter if it's good or bad.

A side hustle doesn’t need to be polished, profitable, or perfect. It just needs to give you something your main work can’t: perspective, play, or pause. Embrace the badness, the lopsided outcomes, and the joy of learning without pressure.

Because sometimes the best creative work happens when you’re not trying to be the best at all. And at some point, by some modern music miracle, I might just write that tune that's the biggest track of Ibiza next year (although I doubt it).