The number of people around the country who are earning their income from multiple part-time jobs instead one full-time job has risen in recent years. This is possibly due to combined effects of the increasing costs for employers of hiring a full-time employee eligible for benefits and many other important changes in the job market and international economy.
While many people would prefer to have one job that could meet all of their personal and economic needs, many workers enjoy working multiple part-time jobs for the various benefits it provides. Whether you are working more than one part-time jobs by choice or necessity, there are a few things you can do to help make your life as easy as possible when juggling more than one job.
Once you have weighed the pros and cons of what you will get out out of working multiple part-time jobs, you can start looking into what might be a compatible combination of jobs for you. You will also want to consider how you can schedule your time for these jobs without working all the time or stressing yourself out. Keep reading to learn more about what you should keep in mind when thinking about juggling multiple jobs at once.
Weigh the Pros and Cons of Juggling Multiple Part-Time Jobs
Working more than one part-time job instead of a single full-time job can be a positive thing for you in many ways. A combination of multiple part-time jobs may be able to increase your annual earnings and the amount of tax deductions you are eligible for. If you are hoping to transition into a new field, starting out part-time is a great way to get your foot in the door as well. Many people work multiple part-time jobs so that they are able to both cover living costs and dedicate time to their passions. An artist, for example, may work part-time as a server to earn wages that supplement inconsistent earnings from selling her paintings. Because part-time jobs take up less time, they can generally be scheduled more flexibly than full-time jobs, allowing you more freedom to plan your day and take care of all of your obligations both at work and at home.
Oftentimes, however, working more than one part-time job will require you to spend more time in transit and possibly money on transportation than working one single job. You will probably have to spend more time organizing your daily and weekly schedule and coordinating activities with family and friends than you may otherwise have to. If you are used to receiving full-time benefits like subsidized healthcare, paid vacation or personal days, company retreats, bonuses, stock options or anything along the same lines, you will almost certainly lose access to these when transitioning to working multiple part-time jobs. Do not forget to include the estimated value of these benefits when attempting to compare your income between part-time and full-time jobs.
Choose Part-Time Jobs That are Compatible With Your Life
Not all part-time jobs can be done at whatever time you would like. You should start thinking about what schedules can work for your lifestyle and professional needs to figure out what sort of part-time jobs may be right for you. Before you really jump into the part-time job hunt, it is a good idea to have your professional priorities in order especially in terms of your time. If you are working multiple part-time jobs at once, you obviously need to make sure that you do not overlap work shifts from different jobs. You also need to think about how much time you will need to commute from one job to another, if necessary. If either part-time position you are considering requires exceptional physical or emotional expenditure, do not forget to consider these situations as well. When you do accept multiple part-time positions, make sure you employers are aware of the situation and the effects it may have on your availability for work. For example, if you are a student, try to find jobs that will work with your schedule and understand the importance of your education.
Make a Schedule and Stick to It
One of the most important aspects of working multiple part-time jobs is juggling your schedule. If both or all of your jobs have fixed schedule that you can plan out in advance, you should take advantage of this and schedule your time to maximize your days.
In most cases, one or more of your part-time jobs will be on a variable or completely flexible schedule, leaving you much more freedom to choose how you want to juggle each job. When you are able to choose your schedule, it is a good idea to create a base schedule and a couple variation schedules based on different situations to see how you might be able to successfully meet all of your obligations. Try to be realistic. There is no need to schedule yourself 15 hours of work one day and two hours the next. Figuring out how to balance your schedule of part-time jobs will make it easier for you to schedule your entire life in the way you want.
There are lots of things you can do to help yourself stick to a schedule. First, write it down somewhere easily assessable and visible, like on a note on the fridge or the calendar of your cellphone or computer. For those of you who are the arts and crafts type, you can go crazy color coding and otherwise personally designing your schedule. If you keep track of it in electric form, you can easily schedule notifications or email reminders to make sure you do not let time get away from you and miss a work shift or other important obligation. Do not forget to schedule in some down time for yourself at some point during the week.
Keep Your Stress Level to a Minimum
If you have recently been pushed into part-time work due to a lack of full-time work, it can be an understandably stressful period. Even if you have chosen to work multiple part-time jobs over a full-time position, the new way of organizing your time and your obligations can take some getting used to. To make sure the stress of working more than one job does not negatively affect you or your jobs, try to be realistic about what is workable and what is not. Consider how this new work situation may personally affect you and try to create counterbalances. For example, working many part-time jobs can easily cause someone to spend less energy on his or her social life. Spending less time with friends and family or doing something you like can have a significant negative impact on both your wellbeing and your productivity. Try to include a few extra ways of de-stressing into your normal routine if making this transition.
By Admin –
