The Side Project Struggle: How to Build Your Dreams Without Burning Out

Indie developer journey

Every ambitious person faces this familiar crossroads: you're sitting at your desk after a long workday, and that exciting side project is calling your name. Maybe it's the app you've been sketching out, the blog you want to launch, or the small business idea that keeps you awake at night. The question that haunts us all eventually surfaces: "How do I balance my day job with building something meaningful on the side?"

The answer isn't as straightforward as we'd like it to be. While the theory seems simple enough—work during the day, build your passion project in the evenings and weekends—the reality is far more complex.

Two Types of Side Project Builders

Understanding your motivation is the first step toward success. Side project builders generally fall into two distinct camps, each with different challenges and approaches.

The Hobbyists pursue side projects purely for joy and personal fulfillment. They might cook elaborate meals, learn to dance, or play music in their garage band. These builders aren't racing against any clock or chasing external validation. There's no pressure to monetize their next recipe or perform on the biggest stage in town. They simply love what they do and have no plans to replace their day job with their passion.

The Transitioners view their side projects as stepping stones toward a complete career pivot. Every project represents a potential breakthrough—a chance to finally make the leap from employee to full-time entrepreneur. For developers like myself, each app becomes a possible gateway to the independent lifestyle we crave. The stakes feel higher because these projects aren't just hobbies; they're investments in our future selves.

Understanding which camp you belong to helps set realistic expectations and prevents unnecessary frustration.

The Time Crunch Reality

Here's the harsh truth that every side project builder must confront: time is your most precious and limited resource. Side projects exist "on the side" for a reason—they must compete with work deadlines, family obligations, social commitments, and basic human needs like sleep and rest.

This constraint creates a dangerous trap. When passion meets limited time, we often respond by trying to do everything at once. We stay up too late, skip social events, and push ourselves beyond our sustainable limits. The initial excitement that fuelled our project gradually transformed into exhaustion and frustration. Eventually, we abandon the project entirely, telling ourselves we'll "get back to it someday"—a someday that rarely comes.

I've walked away from numerous side projects over the years. Some were simply too ambitious for a solo developer to tackle. Others lost their appeal once the initial novelty wore off. Each abandoned project taught me valuable lessons about what works and what doesn't when juggling multiple priorities.

The Birth of Something Personal

The breakthrough came when I realized that successful side projects must solve a problem you personally experience. My budgeting app emerged from genuine necessity—when Mint shut down, I needed a replacement and saw an opportunity to learn mobile development simultaneously. This dual motivation (personal need plus skill development) created the perfect storm for sustained engagement.

The project succeeded because it mattered to me on multiple levels. I wasn't building an app for some hypothetical user; I was building it for myself, which meant I intimately understood the problem and could validate solutions immediately.

Four Principles That Changed Everything

Through years of trial and error, I've discovered four principles that make side projects more manageable and sustainable alongside full-time work responsibilities.

Make It Matter to You Personally

This principle stands above all others in importance. Looking back at every abandoned project, the common thread was always the same: they weren't deeply meaningful to me. When a project lacks personal significance, it becomes easy to rationalize skipping work sessions. "I'll work on it tomorrow" becomes a weekly refrain, then a monthly one, until the project fades into memory.

Your side project should address a problem you face, utilize skills you want to develop, or explore interests that genuinely excite you. Without this personal connection, you're building on shaky ground.

Prioritize Enjoyment Throughout the Process

Fun acts as the fuel that powers long-term commitment. When working on your side project feels like playing your favorite game—where you set the rules and determine the pace—you'll find yourself naturally gravitating toward it during free moments.

This doesn't mean every aspect will be pure joy. Challenging debugging sessions, tedious configuration tasks, and frustrating setbacks are inevitable. However, these difficult moments should be exceptions rather than the norm. If you consistently dread working on your project, it's time to reassess whether it's the right fit.

Establish Clear, Achievable Goals

Goal-setting provides structure and momentum that carries you through challenging periods. I've found that weekly goals strike the perfect balance—long enough to accomplish meaningful work, short enough to maintain focus and motivation.

The key is treating these goals as your minimum viable progress. When you meet your weekly target, anything additional becomes a bonus rather than an expectation. This approach creates positive reinforcement cycles where completing goals fuels your desire to continue, rather than creating pressure that leads to burnout.

Navigate AI Assistance Thoughtfully

This principle is still evolving as I experiment with different approaches. As a developer, I've discovered that AI can be both a powerful accelerator and a creativity killer, depending on how you use it.

Some days, when energy is low or time is extremely limited, letting AI handle routine coding tasks while I focus on review and architecture makes perfect sense. Other days, when I'm feeling creative and want to solve problems hands-on, I prefer coding without assistance to maintain that satisfying flow state.

The key is remaining intentional about when and how you delegate to AI, ensuring it enhances rather than replaces the aspects of your project that bring you joy.

The Next Chapter

After successfully launching my budgeting app and achieving the goals I set for it, the familiar itch for a new project returned. This time, I'm building UV-Buddy, an app designed to track sun exposure and remind families when it's time to apply sunscreen. The concept combines personal utility (protecting my family from sun damage) with engaging features that encourage kids to participate in their own sun safety.

The app exemplifies all four principles I've outlined: it solves a real problem my family faces, it's enjoyable to build, I have clear weekly development goals, and I'm thoughtfully incorporating AI assistance where it adds value without diminishing the creative process.

UV-Buddy is nearly ready for its public debut. Within the next week, I'll be opening TestFlight beta testing for anyone interested in providing feedback. If you'd like to help shape the final product and contribute to my journey toward full-time independent development, I'd be grateful for your participation.

Your Turn

Balancing work with side projects isn't about finding more hours in the day—it's about making the hours you have count toward something meaningful. Whether you're building your next career or simply exploring a passion, remember that sustainable progress beats unsustainable sprints every time.

The path from side project to main project isn't always linear, but with the right approach, it's absolutely achievable. Start with something that matters to you, have fun building it, set realistic goals, and be intentional about the tools you use along the way.

Your side project journey is waiting. What will you build?