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Balancing multiple jobs might seem overwhelming, but for some, side hustles offer the autonomy and freedom a traditional 9-to-5 job cannot.

Tiffany Ang and Gerald Tan speak with 40-year-old Alvin Ong, who has 4 side gigs, and he gives his advice on what to consider before embracing this career path.  

Here's an excerpt from the conversation:

Tiffany Ang: 
So I remember you mentioned to me that both you and your wife don't have children. Do you think your decision of whether to get a full-time job or to go and do four side gigs would change if you had children?

Alvin Ong:

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Okay, so you would choose something with stability and know that at the end of the month, you still have income coming in, but continue to do what you love on the side.

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Yes, and then of course with the lifestyle change, I will hunker down and live below that means, for myself and for the kids. 

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What Alvin is showing or displaying that his choices of work actually fits his lifestyle, fits his expectations and he's maintaining control over his choices. So if let's say there's heavier commitments on certain things, he has to switch lanes to become a full-time salaried employee, he will. 

He's not fixated on being a gig worker, being a portfolio worker. He's willing to switch paths. It's just that depending on the season and the needs of his life, the expectations of people around him, all these factors actually influence how we would see work. 

On the other side, I think for full-time salaried employees, a lot of them they feel they don't have that control. They feel like I'm stuck. I have no choice but to stay on because I'm so well fed on this salary and I don't know what else I can do to change my life around.