Why Your Side Hustle Can Hold Your Career Back in Optometry

As exciting as having a side hustle is, it can negatively impact your career as an optometrist. Optometrists enjoy above average salaries, after completing 4 years of optometry school. Why not work as a fill in OD to supplement income?

The nine-to-five grind isn’t for everyone. As exciting as having an additional source of income outside your full-time job can sound, if you are not careful, the side hustle can transform into a side hassle and
pull you down pretty much overnight. With the economy plummeting, many are looking for additional sources of income. However, managing a side hustle and a job is not for everyone. Here are three reasons why side hustles can hinder your career in optometry.

1. Your Focus Will Be Disrupted
   You need to focus on one thing at a time to succeed. Examining eyes for potential problems requires the utmost concentration; even the slightest mistake can put someone’s vision at risk. The key here is to list your goals and achieve them sequentially instead of trying to drive two vehicles at once.
2. Fear of missing out on the next big thing You can easily get tempted by seeing someone crushing it outside the
   optometry world. However, that isn’t always the case.
   Whether you are following your passion or investing in a trending market, take a deep breath, look around, and ask yourself if this is the right step for you at the moment. Next, research to learn how the
   person achieved it all. This is when you will realize that behind that success is sleepless nights and thousands of work hours.
3. You Are More Likely to Make Mistakes
   The most challenging part is balancing your optometry clinic and your side hustle. Working in two places
   simultaneously increases the likelihood of getting exhausted and making mistakes. Stress and fatigue can make it difficult to focus and impair your judgment, affecting your work quality. Furthermore, the
   constant pressure to meet deadlines can lead to burnout, which can take a toll on your side hustle and optometry practice.
   Want a Flourishing Career in Optometry?
   Here are some tips to help you succeed as an optometrist:
   ● Prioritize your optometry clinic and stay up-to-date on the research and studies. The more you know about your field, the better you will get at treating patients and becoming an expert in the industry.
   ● Stay consistent and focus on improving every day.
   ● You need to practice a skill for 10,000 hours to master it. Thus, trust your body and mind and conquer one day at a time.
   Final Thoughts
   We need to understand that we are humans and not machines that can work for countless hours and multitask seamlessly. Piling on extra work, even if it means doing something you are passionate about,
   can adversely affect your career in optometry. However, this doesn’t mean that all side hustles are bad.
   Ultimately it is all about being honest with yourself and trusting your choices along the way. You need to prioritize and work towards one goal at a time. Becoming a successful optometrist isn’t something that
   you can achieve overnight. Thus, remember those 8 years of education, set long-term goals, and decide accordingly. The last thing that you will want is to set back your optometry career.