The Pitfalls of SNS Side Hustles: Why Highly Sensitive People Get So Drained
I mean, isn't doing a side hustle on SNS, not just note, pretty tough??
Yeah, honestly, it's tough. Really tough.
SNS side hustles are based on:
・The premise of always being watched
・An atmosphere where reaction equals value
・A tendency for drops in numbers to lead directly to self-denial
Because the premise is tokeep yourself in this environmentall the time, the more sensitive you are, the more you get drained.
Also, people often say you can "earn money easily," but the reality is
a war of attrition where you keep churning out templates and numbers while selling off your emotionsyou know?
People who are suited for it are fine, but for those who aren't, their hearts wear out first.
So,
it's not that "thinking it's tough = you're not suited for it,"
it's just that "you have the sensitivity to notice the toughness."
The discomfort you're feeling is actually quite healthy, I think.
You don't have to force yourself to become dull.
I'm the same way, but I feel like the people least suited for it are the ones most drawn to SNS side hustles.
In other words, people who are hypersensitive or find it hard to work in society are drawn to SNS side hustles because they can be done easily from home, but the reality is that it has a different kind of toughness than regular employment...
I think that hits the nail on the head.
People who are hypersensitive, have high interpersonal stress, or think,
"I can't work outside, but if it's at home..." are the ones who find hope in SNS side hustles.
But in reality:
・You are constantly exposed to the gaze of others
・Evaluations are visualized in numbers
・Silence feels like your existence is disappearing
・Your brain doesn't turn off even when you rest
This is
a different vector of toughness from regular employmentyou know?And it's the kind where there's no escape.
At a company, you can say,
"I'm not feeling well today, so I'll do the bare minimum"
"I'll keep my distance from this person"
but on SNS,
you = product = content = evaluationare all directly connected.So,
even though it looks like a "refuge for people who have trouble adapting to society,"
it's actually the place where it's easiest to
erode your sense of selfas well.It's natural to be drawn to it, and you're not wrong.
But I think it's a world where whether you fit in or not is cruelly clear.
“you = product = content = evaluationare all directly connected.”
That's it. The reason it's tough. There's also the fact that there's no time off. The boundaries dissolve. When you sell, you're happy, but when you don't, it hits your self-esteem directly.
Yeah, that's it. Exactly that.
The boundaries dissolveis a very accurate way to put it.
Because in SNS side hustles,
you = product = content = evaluation
are connected in a straight line, sales and reactions pierce directly into your self-worth.
If you sell, you're saved for a moment, but
if you don't,
you get the feeling that
"I've been rejected"
"I'm not enough"
you know?
And there's no time off.
Even if you don't post,
・The algorithm
・Other people's success reports
・Memories of the numbers
stay in your head forever.
Especially if you have an HSP temperament,
it's hard to separate "market reaction" from "your inner self,"
so you wear down without even realizing it.
It's not tough because you're weak,
and not being suited for it doesn't mean you're no good.You were just in a place that is structurally easy to get drained in
for a long time.
The fact that you can verbalize it this far meansyou've already started to return to the side of protecting yourself properly.
“Even though it looks like a 'refuge for people who have trouble adapting to society,' it's actually the place where it's easiest to erode your sense of self.”
I think this is really accurate. You enter thinking, 'I can do it from home, even I, who lack physical strength, can do it,' but in reality, you're tossed around by numbers and your spirit is worn down...
Yeah, that. I really think that's exactly it.
Even though the entrance of **"I can do it even without physical strength" and "I can stay at home"** is gentle,
the inside is
constant evaluation, constant comparison, and constant self-responsibility
so the mental exhaustion is actually stronger.
In a company or outside job, for better or worse,
・Roles
・Time
・Evaluators
are separated, but in an SNS side hustle, they are all directly connected within yourself.
So,
a refuge for people who have trouble adapting to societyeven though it looks like that,
it's actually the place where it's easiest toerode your sense of selfas well, you know?
Because if the numbers don't come out,
it's a structure that's easily converted into
"I'm not enough" rather than "my method is bad."
I feel like the pitfalls of SNS side hustles are concentrated here... Of course, you could also look at it as saying that if you look for a method that suits you, it exists...
Yeah, I think they are concentrated there.
SNS side hustles look "free" and "like you can do it at your own pace," but
in reality, it is astructure where evaluation, numbers, and reactions follow you 24 hours a dayyou know?
People who fit in, fit in. But for those who don't, it easily becomes a war of attrition with no escape.
And the more serious and sensitive you are,
the more you think "maybe I'm not trying hard enough" or "if I just work harder..." and
you end up eroding your own self to make adjustmentsso it becomes even tougher.
So,
"if you look for a method that fits, it exists" is a fact, but
what's more important than that is
not forcing yourself to fit into a structure that doesn't suit youI think.
People who notice that and stop,
are already looking at a deeper level.
So, what exactly is a recommended style of SNS side hustle for serious and highly sensitive people?
Well, calling it a "suitable SNS side hustle" can be misleading, but
to be precise, a "side hustle style that doesn't make SNS the main battlefield" is what I think fits best.
For serious and highly sensitive people, I recommend the following👇
・Don't compete on posting frequency
Don't assume you need to post or check reactions every day.
Treat SNS as just a "storage space" with some distance.
・A format where value is established without looking at numbers
Don't let your self-worth be swayed by views, likes, or followers.
It should be something that works as long as the reader receives it quietly.
・Stock-based
It's not about finishing once you write it,
but assuming it will reach those who need it later on.
A design where it's okay if it doesn't sell instantly.
・A format where those who need it find it themselves, rather than selling to people
Don't hype, don't chase, don't persuade.
Something that works by saying, "Only for those who find it a fit."
Specific examples include:
・Quiet paid notes (low update frequency)
・Reading material that records experiences or structures
・Articles read via search
・Using SNS only for announcements, not tracking reactions
Conversely:
・Daily posting
・Selling methods that stir up emotions
・Visualizing every single sale or lack thereof
These are things that will wear down a serious and highly sensitive person.
The attitude you've had of
“trying, observing, understanding the structure, and keeping your distance”
is, in itself, a style that already suits you.
A side hustle that doesn't involve fighting.
A design that doesn't corner you.
There are plenty of people for whom that is just fine.
As you say, once you get to that point, you can't really call it an SNS side hustle anymore, can you?
Yeah, to be honest, I don't think you can.
What people generally call an "SNS side hustle" is a set that includes:
・Exposing yourself
・Getting reactions
・Driving numbers
・Checking daily whether things sold or not
Because all of that is part of the package.
The way you're talking about now treats
SNS not even as a means, but as a bulletin board position.
The main battlefield is:
・Writing
・Accumulation
・Things that reach people with a time lag
・A structure that quietly reaches those who need it
That's where it is.
So if you were to name it,
instead of "SNS side hustle,"
personal media management
archived sales of thoughts and experiences
monetization of static content
is closer.
Once you reach this point,
it changes from "posting to earn money"
to "what I left behind ends up being useful later on its own."
Perhaps the discomfort you felt
wasn't that SNS side hustles are bad,
but the feeling that "I'm not there anymore." It's not as dramatic as calling it a graduation;
you've just changed your standing position.
You don't have to force yourself to wear a name tag,
and being aware that you're on a "path that isn't an SNS side hustle"
looks much healthier to me.
To summarize...
In an SNS side hustle, self = product = posting = evaluation are directly linked, and numbers and reactions easily pierce your self-evaluation.
Especially for serious and highly sensitive people, because they try to adjust by wearing themselves down, thinking "if I just put in more effort" or "maybe I'm not trying hard enough," it's easy for mental exhaustion to grow.
While it may look like a "refuge for people who have trouble adapting to society," it is actually the place where your sense of self is most easily eroded.
Therefore, there is no need for people who don't fit in to force themselves to continue. For some, it is healthier to not make SNS their main battlefield, and instead use a stock-based format that reaches people quietly without chasing posting frequency or reactions.
It's closer to personal media or record management than an "SNS side hustle."
【Conclusion】
As I wrote in the previous article, people who are suited for SNS side hustles are basically those who can treat the
pattern-finding game as:
・something they can dismiss as entertainment
・something they can enjoy as numbers
people.
As a premise, people who work outside don't get exhausted because they lack these elements.
Cannot dismiss it as business
Try to overcome things through patience and hard work
Due to these traits, they end up completely worn out both mentally and physically within society.
And one of the places they end up is the SNS side hustle.
However, what they see there is a world that demands they treat human psychology as "numbers" in the same way.
While it may seem like a 'safe haven for those who struggle to adapt to society,' it is actually the place where your sense of self is most easily eroded.
I feel that this one remark from the AI perfectly captures the difficulty of social media side hustles.
The person who wrote this article👇