A must-read article if you want to do a side project

In the era of multiple jobs, many office workers are starting activities in various fields other than their main job. They work as YouTubers by filming and editing videos diligently, or write blog content based on personal experiences. They also gather team members from various places to create new products together.

Today, I would like to talk about side projects that create new value in everyday life rather than in office work.

Side project, what is it? The meaning of side project

A side project is a non-professional project in which you continue to do something you want to do and create some kind of outcome. Through side projects, individuals can generate income other than their main job or create a stepping stone for their career.

Side projects differ from simple leisure or hobby activities in that they help with 'income' or 'career.' Writing a diary at the end of the day or exercising at the gym after work is unlikely to be considered a side project. Although side projects are carried out on a small scale in personal time, they are still 'projects.' That is, they are systematic and flexible activities to achieve specific goals by setting up a series of plans and gradually approaching the goals according to the plan. Side projects are closer to work (labor) as they invest time and effort to create new value, rather than using spare time for leisure.

Many side projects naturally occur when focusing on realizing and experimenting with 'what I really want to do' rather than money or results when carrying out other tasks apart from the main job. If you form a small team to carry out a project and track results while seriously working toward generating revenue as the ultimate goal, it would be closer to starting another startup. Ultimately, a side project can be a project in which a small team voluntarily participates using personal time, focusing on realizing 'value' rather than profit or camaraderie.

Why do people do side projects? Advantages of side projects

Platforms that help carry out side projects are emerging one by one in response to the high demand from office workers. But why do office workers spend their precious break time on side projects that are closer to work, rather than resting? The reasons are diverse for each person, but they can be broadly summarized into three main points.

1. Self-development

If an employee in charge of marketing at a company studies development in their personal time, a side project is the perfect opportunity to apply their newly acquired development skills. It's also the best way to improve their job performance by applying the skills they've been responsible for in their main job to a side project. A side project is an opportunity to freely pursue what I've always wanted to do without the burden of failure. If it was difficult to try new things at work due to performance pressure, I recommend trying various things in a side project. From leading projects that you couldn't try at work and gaining work-related knowledge and know-how, to collaborating with people from diverse backgrounds outside of work and improving your collaboration skills, to applying your newly acquired experience to your career, the potential for growth that a side project can offer is endless.

2. Sense of accomplishment and self-efficacy

In a company that functions organically like a single person, I can only help ensure that the company runs smoothly as part of the organization. However, in a side project, I can become the 'subject' of work by doing what I want with the people I want to work with. If you're tired of handling the same tasks every day for your company, try a side project that can refresh you outside of work. It's a great opportunity to prevent your daily life from being buried in work, use your time efficiently, and broaden your horizons. You can feel a positive impact on your life by thinking that you're spending your personal time well. Naturally, achieving small goals step by step will give you a sense of accomplishment.

3. Fun

Do you agree with the saying that if you make what you love into work, you can no longer enjoy it? No matter how much I loved and wanted the job, the moment it becomes a means of living, it's easy to lose interest due to realistic constraints such as performance pressure. A side project is a great opportunity to realize your ideas comfortably just because you "wanted to give it a try" without any burden. There's no need to make a lot of profit, and there's great significance in creating new value, so you can take it easy, slowly developing it step by step. Breaking free from the rules and systems established in the company and working on your interests in a free manner can be more enjoyable than you think. If newfound fun is added to your daily life, there's nothing more motivating in life.

Points to consider when conducting a side project

Do you agree with the advantages of a side project? You might be eager to take the first step for a side project right away. However, there are disadvantages behind every advantage, and you need to be careful to avoid these disadvantages. What should you be aware of when conducting a side project?

Keep the side project on the side, and focus on your main job

There are many advantages to a side project, but don't forget that it's still a 'side' project. Even if you have a great idea that you want to execute immediately, you need to check whether it's something you can do while balancing it with your main job, which takes up a lot of your daily life. Check if you have the time and mental capacity to undertake this side project. And don't forget that some companies have strict rules against having a side job, so you need to check your company's internal regulations.

Keep the possibility of failure in mind

The advantage of side projects is their freedom, but that also means they can end unsuccessfully. Remember that not only individual side projects but also larger-scale projects carried out by companies often get canceled. Side projects are good because it's okay to fail, even if you might fail. If you've put your best effort into it, you need the mindset to conclude it was a "good experience" and explore other possibilities.

Don't obsess over a "completed" product

Trying to implement all the features you want in a product during the initial, small-scale testing phase of a side project is overambitious. Every business starts with "market validation." It's difficult and potentially meaningless to implement all desired features at a stage without verifying if the market wants your product. That's why, in side projects, it's good to set a goal of creating an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) and test it leanly, solving small goals one at a time.

Good tools for side projects:

Are you trying to bring your fantastic idea to life with a great team? We recommend Waveon as a tool for creating an MVP to validate your core idea. With Waveon, anyone can create an MVP without any development knowledge, using simple actions like clicking or drag-and-drop. You can quickly build a website with a simple landing page, registration/login, or even payment features.

Waveon MVP creation examples: https://www.waveon.io/samples/mvp
Create an MVP without a developer using Waveon: https://www.waveon.io/blog/how-to-make-mvp