I think there is no long term solution to this if you already have a family (with children to care about): Day job, side project, family: it is too much, at least one of them will suffer. I don't see this as something that can be balanced, I see it as a temporary state. For me the long-term goal is to eliminate the day job by making enough money from the side-product.
If only one suffered, that would be optimal. In my experience what ended up happening is all suffered. In noticing that one part of my life was starting to falter I would soon over compensate. What would happen is a juggling act, that ends with total burnout. In the mean time you disappoint a lot of people.
Side-projects are good, but you have to be careful about it.
I don't think that is true. It is all about what is a priority. I have 3 kids plus another on the way, a day job, and multiple side projects/products (one being Hacker Newsletter). My family is my priority, so it is very rare for me to work on the side projects while the kids are awake. You just have to cut things that aren't as meaningful to you. For me that was TV/Facebook/etc. I also think it is good to mix-up what you work on. Some weeks I'll spend a minimal amount of time on my side-projects and instead do some wood working projects or what have you.
That's so true. I don't have a family yet, so I've been working to get my projects higher off the ground. I want to eliminate the day job while it's still fairlu easy to do so.
I know how you feel but I don't think it needs to be that way. I have a family and that does (rightly) take a lot of time. However, it can be done. Its a matter of organisation.
