How to Manage Working Two Jobs Without Going Crazy

Working two jobs takes finesse and planning. Working full time and getting a second part-time job can be exhausting. It may be a good short-term solution to a financial problem, but it is likely not the best long-term solution. You may choose to take on a holiday job to help cover presents. It is not fun to finish one job and then head to the next. It can cut into your social life, and wear you down physically. If you are taking on a second job, you need to plan carefully so that it is worth your time. You should have a long-term plan to solve the situation. You may want to ask for a raise before taking on a second job.

01 Find the Best Possible Second Job 

First, you should consider all available options when choosing what your second job will be. If you have the necessary skills you should try to find something that will pay more than minimum wage.

Working for tips in a job like a pizza delivery driver or as a waitress can increase the amount that you make an hour. Additionally, look at your professional skills and see if you can apply them to your part-time job options. A teacher can make $20 an hour or more tutoring.

You may be working two part-time jobs instead of a full-time job. If this is the case you really need to find work that will pay well. Freelancing is a great way to find extra money that will pay more per hour.

Use your college network to find these types of position in your chosen profession. You may also want to consider some of these ideas when looking for ideas that will help you earn money.

02 Schedule Your Time 

When you are working two jobs, you may find that other areas suffer. You may not have time to keep up with the housework or to cook at home, and so it is important to create a schedule that allows you to do these things efficiently and only as necessary.

It can be easier to do this if you can set up a set schedule for your second job. This allows you to schedule errands and chores on specific days and gives you time to plan to do things with your friends.

03 Take Care of Yourself 

Do not take on too many extra hours. You may start with two nights a week and then move up if you think that you can handle it. You do not want to work yourself to death.

Make sure that you are getting enough sleep on a regular basis. It is also important to have downtime to relax each day. This will help you to be able to continue working at your second job until you reach your goal.

You need to take care of yourself physically, especially if you know you are going to be doing this for more than three months. Be sure that you are eating well and exercising on a regular basis. If you do not balance your time effectively, you will have a difficult time lasting long enough to benefit from the second job. 

04 Apply the Extra Money to Achieving Your Goals  

Apply all of the money that you are making directly to the financial goal that you are working towards. This will help you to achieve the goal more quickly, and make the extra time you are spending worth the effort. Monitor your job carefully to make sure that you are not spending extra money to work this job.

All jobs are going to cost a bit extra to do (gas, taxes, and other small expenses), but once you subtract the costs of working, you should still be making a significant amount of money. If you are not making any progress on your goals after you take on the job, you will need to evaluate whether or not the job is worth it.

If you do take on a retail job, make sure you are not spending your entire paycheck at the store. A job at your favorite retail store might sound like fun, but if you end up spending extra because you see the new items all of the time, then it is not benefiting you. Similarly, if you see a sharp rise in your expenses because you are eating out more, then it might not make sense to keep working. 

05 Protect Your First Job 

You should be sure that your first job does not have any conflict of interest issues with your second job. This means that you should inform your manager that you are working a second job at the specific company.

Usually, the conflict of interest comes up to protect company secrets and to make sure that you are not scheduling to work both jobs at the same time. You should not have any problems, but it is better to protect your full-time job by taking this precaution.

Additionally, do not let the second job encroach on the quality of your work performance of your first job. Since your first job provides you with benefits and usually a larger paycheck, it should always take precedence over your second job.

source: hebalancecareers.com