The economy is down. Inflation is up. It’s getting harder and harder to make ends meet. Maybe you have a growing family. A mortgage to pay off. Student loans, car leases, credit card bills. The costs keep piling up but the income doesn’t seem enough to cover them all. Unsurprisingly, 13 million members of the American workforce have a second job, according to this report by the United States Census Bureau.
Managing a 9-5 and Work-From-Home Gig
Finding a job in this economy is not easy. So if you have a steady 9 to 5 job, you’re among the lucky ones. But a single steady job may not always be enough to make ends meet, which is why so many people look for second, part-time jobs. Thanks to the internet, I can work from home as a freelancer using nothing more than my laptop and Spectrum internet plans. The thing is, it can become difficult to manage both gigs simultaneously.
When the clock strikes 5, most people pack up and head home to relax. But not you and me. For us, it is time to reset our brain and prepare to work several hours longer when we get home. If you’re not careful, it can be very easy to let the dual workload overwhelm you. Trust me, you do not want to end up losing your mind or burning out. These 6 simple tips can help you maintain a stronger balance between your 2 jobs and do justice to both of them:
- Stick to a Schedule
- Know Your Goal
- Remember to Unwind
- One Day For Yourself
- Lifehacks are Important
- No Detours
Let’s take a closer look at these tips below.
Stick to A Schedule
If you’re planning on working 2 jobs for the foreseeable future, it is usually a good idea to have your week planned out beforehand. You’re bound to have multiple commitments from both your jobs, so it pays to plan out your schedule meticulously. Remember, the unexpected is bound to happen. So don’t stress too much if something disrupts your schedule. Allocate some time at the end of every week to map out your tasks for the coming one. Then handle invitations and unexpected commitments based on what your schedule says.
Know Your Goal
Don’t make the mistake of falling into the greed trap and ruining your health trying to earn every last dollar out there. Set an earning goal. Figure out how much you need to earn from your work-from-home job, and work accordingly. Your goal should be to only work as many hours needed to reach the needed income level for the month. This will lead to a better balance with your fulltime job without impacting your physical and mental health.
Remember to Unwind
Much like the greed trap is the grind trap. People get addicted to the daily grind, hustling to make money, and trying to get ahead in life through hard work. What happens is people end up working 7 days a week, using their weekends or days off to make more money working from tiny home. This is a surefire recipe for disaster. If you value your sanity, remember to do one thing every day that you enjoy doing. It will help you relax and unwind. Keep one day of the week for self-care and self-care alone.
One Day For Yourself
Keep one day of the week for self-care and self-care alone. If you want to ask why one day a week for yourself is important, a few weeks of working non-stop will show you. You should have one day every week where you do not think about work. Instead focus on all the tasks you accomplished this week. This will help give you a sense of accomplishment, while also giving you some much-needed time off.
Lifehacks are Important
Since you’re working 2 jobs, your spare time is at a premium. If you only have a very limited number of hours a day when you’re not working, you want to ration them carefully. Lifehacks are one of the ways you can cut a lot of time that you would otherwise spend doing chores. Do a quick 30-minute workout during lunch break and save yourself going to the gym.
Prep and freeze your week’s meals on your day off. That way all you have to do is reheat them and eat, as opposed to taking out time to cook every day. Look for easier and quicker ways to do things that aren’t directly helping you earn an income.
No Detours
You have to learn how to say no to even tempting offers that deviate from your work schedule. An hour’s detour on your way home does not sound like a bad idea at the time. But it’s only when you get home that you realize how tired you are and how much the detour ate into your time.
I stopped at a friend’s once on my way home, only to find out my home phone service and my internet were on the fritz. I could have asked for customer support much earlier, instead of wasting time over drinks. Remember, you have a very finite amount of time and energy to balance between 2 jobs as well as your other responsibilities. Don’t jeopardize your schedule, and learn to say no to things that will take you on a detour.
