Half of Brits regularly clock into a 'second shift', putting in 214 extra evening hours per year to pursue side hustles and passion projects. A poll of 2,000 adults found that 49% regularly work towards a personal goal after their day job ends, doing so at least once a week, while 14% hustle every day from Monday to Friday.
The average person on a 'second shift' dedicates four hours a week to projects that could shape their future. The emerging '5-9 economy' sees the typical second shift begin between 7:00 pm and 7:59 pm, with 17% reporting that their most productive hours happen after officially finishing work.
Millennials Lead Professional Development
Side hustles are the primary driver of the UK's after-hours output boom, with 24% of adults currently running one alongside their primary job. But making extra money isn't the only motivation, as some spend their evenings learning a new skill, either out of personal interest (32%) or to develop their career (23%).
Millennials are the most focused on professional development, with 31% using their evenings to build workplace skills, compared to just 11% of Gen X and 9% of Boomers. Creative ambitions are also key, with 16% using their evening hours to create digital content.
London Named UK's Hustle Capital
London has emerged as the UK's 'hustle capital', with 61% of residents clocking into their '5–9' at least once a week, leading ahead of Manchester (54%) and Bristol (49%). The desire for greater independence helps drive Britain's second shift, with 22% seeking more control over their future.
Additionally, 15% hope their evening efforts will open up new career opportunities, while 12% use this time to study for professional qualifications. The second shift also has the potential to transform the first, with 15% of side-hustlers hoping their evening project will become their full-time career, and 12% of those studying or developing skills hoping to leverage them to transition into new roles.
Technology Enables the Second Shift
Turning these ambitions into reality requires commitment: finding time (37%) and maintaining energy levels after a full workday (45%) were cited as the top challenges. Technology plays a central role in enabling the second shift, primarily through online tutorials (25%), task management apps (16%), and digital creative tools (15%).
The research was commissioned by Samsung to highlight its Galaxy Tab S12 Series, which combines long-lasting battery life with an expansive display that gives users room to learn, research, create, and pursue personal projects after hours. Charlie Nordfeldt, from Samsung UK and Ireland, said: “Finishing the workday is often when personal ambitions truly take flight. Whether you are studying for a qualification, launching a new business idea, or bringing a creative project to life, those evening hours make a real difference.”
The top five side-hustling cities are London, Manchester, Bristol, Newcastle, and Leicester.
