How to Juggle Two Jobs without Losing Your Mind

People who have a part-time job often can’t make ends meet, which is why they need to start doing another job. Also, when you have a family, sometimes even a full-time job won’t suffice to form a sustainable monthly budget.

These two situations are the most common reasons why some workers decide to take another job. Apart from that, there are also people who simply turn their hobby into an additional source of income. Whatever group of two-job employees you belong to, you need to put a lot of effort to organize your life properly. This guide should help improve your time management and your productivity in both jobs.

Check the employers’ terms

First and foremost, when you’re planning to start doing two jobs simultaneously, it’s vital to check if the terms of your employment with both employers. Most businesses have certain restrictions when it comes to their employees’ side jobs. Obviously, if you’re going to work in the same niche, but for a different employer, you might not be allowed to take the other job in the first place.

And even if there are no limitations regarding side jobs, you still might need to sign a non-disclosure agreement or confidentiality agreement with both companies. That way, they won’t ban you from taking additional positions, but you’ll be obliged to keep some business matters in secret.

This is why it’s much more convenient to take on a side job in a niche that’s completely different from your basic/first field of work. For instance, if you’re a teacher, the other engagement could be a translation project, rather than moonlighting in another school. Similarly, a Web developer could make an extra money as a tourist guide, rather than working night shifts for another IT-company, plus it’s healthier.

Hold the reins of your time

When your day is divided between two jobs, you can’t afford wasting a single hour. If you have obligations in both positions every day, it’s extremely important to take a few minutes and plan every day in advance. When you sit down and visualize all the duties you have to do, it will be easier to make a proper schedule.

Planning a day in advance

At the end of every workday, go through your tasks for the next day and create a sustainable timetable. For instance, if you need to commute to the business premises for each of these two jobs, it’s important to calculate the time you’ll need to get from one place to another. If possible, ask your boss at the job that you’re going to do later that day to let you come a bit later, as well. Of course, suggest that you can stay after work in case you don’t finish everything during the work hours. Additionally, making to-do lists for both your business and private affairs will help you cover all the bases.

Family matters

Ironically, people who have a family should be able to spend some time with their folks, and yet, they’re often the ones who need to have two jobs. But it’s crucial to know that family matters a lot, which is why you should squeeze your family matters into your daily schedule.

In line with that, try to make a pause between your two jobs, so as to spend some time with your kids. For instance, you can pick them up from school and have a meal with them. Talk to them about their day at school and let them know that they can count on you. Only two hours a day of such a routine will mean a lot to your kids, plus, you’ll be more eager to go to your second job.

Fill your financial cushion with side earnings

We’ve already stressed out that almost nobody takes up an additional job out of mere curiosity. More often than not, the two-job jugglers are people who need those both sources of income to scrape through.

Nevertheless, some bits of this additional income should be left aside as a financial cushion. Even if you don’t have a family, going the extra mile without putting at least some of these earnings aside isn’t a wise thing to do.

Naturally, you’ll have to sacrifice something to make those savings. For example, you can go to work by bike during warm and sunny seasons, given that you live in a climate that allows for such commuting. As a result, you’ll save some money that you’d spend on fuel. Also, it will be beneficial for your health.

Moreover, you could skip going out for a few nights a month. You can invite your friends to your place for a drink or dinner. These frugal pleasures might result in substantial savings at fund at the end of the year.

However, bear in mind that your additional earnings should be visible in your tax return, especially if one of your two jobs is owned by you. Therefore, try to cope with some nuts and bolts of putting small business accounting under control before you hit that road.

Health and emotional challenges

Sleep deprivation, irregular meals and the lack of physical activity are only some health drawbacks of double-tasking. Logically, if you’re trying to squeeze two jobs into a 24-hour day, you’ll eventually start suffering from sleep deprivation. This is even more probable if you’re combining a full-time job and a side engagement.

The segmented sleep routine

One way to get more sleep is to introduce the segmented sleep routine. In a nutshell, you sleep whenever you don’t have to work or do family errands. For instance, a short nap on your commuting bus is a great way to get some extra sleep. Still, don’t do that if you listen to our advice and go to work by bike.

Further, you can try to work one night and sleep the next one. This uneven work schedule might keep you up to date for a while.

Preparing meals on a weekly basis

You can’t lead a productive, two-job life if you eat fast food. While you can have a slice of pizza or a burger once in a while, your diet should consist of proper meals.

What you can do is spend a Saturday or Sunday morning preparing your meals for the entire week. Play some tutorials or podcasts related to your jobs and you won’t notice that you’ve already made the main meals for each day of the following week. Now pack them in separate plastic bags and put them into the freezer. When you get home from work, you can easily warm up one of these meals and eat healthy food in no time.

Families and single people can follow the same pattern to stay productive and still have healthy meals.

Short workout activities

If one or both of your work engagements are sedentary jobs, you’ll have more energy if you have at least some sort of physical activity.

For instance, you can work out and relax while commuting. While it won’t burn too many calories, it will help you refresh your mind and body.

Going to work on foot or by bike is another great way to stay fit while commuting.

On the other hand, if you do both your jobs from home, find at least 20 minutes a day to go for an energizing walk and do some stretching. As a result, you’ll sleep better and have more energy for your work tasks.

Take care of your social life

Those of us who have soulmate-colleagues might not have a need to hang out with people outside of work. However, many people do two jobs that don’t include any interaction with people, and social life is extremely important when it comes to working productivity.

Because of that, find at least two 1-hours lots per week, to have a coffee or take a walk with your friends. As a matter of fact, the latter option is even better if you generally don’t have time to work out.

Whatever you do, don’t exclude yourself from social activities, because they’ll inspire you to keep up the good work on both jobs.

Conclusion

Doing two jobs is a demanding lifestyle, but it can yield multiple benefits. It will keep you safe from losing an income source, as well as keep your personal cash flow in order. Also, having two business engagements will ensure a better quality of living for your family. Still, try to put some of these earnings aside and one day you might be able to stop doing one of these jobs. Finally, find balance between work, sleep and physical activity, so as to have enough energy and inspiration for all the things you do.

Mark Thomasson
Mark is a biz-dev hero at Invoicebus - a simple invoicing service that gets your invoices paid faster. He passionately blogs on topics that help small biz owners succeed in their business. He is also a lifelong learner who practices mindfulness and enjoys long walks in nature more than anything else.
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