How To Manage Two Jobs Without Burning Out

Manager walking and talking with a worker in a warehouse
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Working full time and getting a second, part-time job can be exhausting. Even if you are only taking on a holiday job to help afford holiday activities, it can be draining. But sometimes there is no other way, at least in the short term.

If you are taking on a second job, you need to plan carefully so that it's worth your time. You should have a long-term plan to solve the situation. You may even want to ask for a raise before committing to a second job. If that doesn't work, here are some tips to make working an extra job a little easier.

Key Takeaways

  • If you have to take a second job, make sure it's one that pays you well and works with your schedule.
  • Schedule other parts of your life, like time for household duties and socializing.
  • Make sure you get enough sleep, exercise, and good nutrition so you don't physically or mentally burn out.
  • Apply the extra money you make toward a goal, whether it's paying essential bills, getting out of debt, or saving for a large purchase.
  • Protect your first job by letting your boss know what you're doing and quitting the second job if it endangers the first.


Find the Best Possible Second Job

Consider all available options when choosing what your second job will be. Consider your schedule, and what kinds of jobs might have hours that would fit with yours. Driving for a rideshare company, for example, may allow you to work flexible hours whenever it works for you.

If you have the necessary skills, try to find something that will pay more than minimum wage. Working for tips as a restaurant server or pizza delivery driver can increase the amount you make an hour.

Additionally, look at your professional skills and see if you can apply them to your part-time job options. According to data gathered by Care.com, tutors make $15-$23 an hour on average in major cities.

Note

If you're working two part-time jobs instead of a full-time job, it's especially important that you find work that pays well. Freelance writers can make $50 an hour or more; the median hourly rate is about $25.

Schedule Your Time

When you're 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, so it's 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 schedule for your second job. That allows you to schedule errands and chores on specific days and gives you time to plan to do things with your friends. 

Take Care of Yourself

Don't take on too many extra hours if you can help it. It's a good idea to start with two nights a week and then move up if you think that you can handle it. You don't want to work yourself to death.

Note

Make sure that you're getting enough sleep regularly. It's also important to have down time to relax each day. It will help you to be able to continue working at your second job until you reach your goal.

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 regularly. If you don't balance your time effectively, you will have a difficult time lasting long enough to benefit from the second job. 

Apply the Extra Money to Achieving Your Goals

Apply all of the additional money you are making directly to the financial goal that you are working toward. It will help you to achieve the goal more quickly, and make the extra time you are spending worth the effort.

Monitor your spending with on the second job carefully. Make sure that you are not spending a lot of extra money to work at this job—for example, blowing half your earnings on clothing or transportation to the second 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.

Note

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 take on a retail job, make sure you're 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's 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 that second job. 

Protect Your First Job

Make sure your second job doesn't cause a conflict of interest with your first job. This means that you should inform your manager at your first job that you're working a second job at a specific company.

Concerns may include a fear that you could leak company secrets, or that the energy and time you spend at your second job will interfere with your first job. There may not be any problems, but it's better to protect your full-time job by taking this precaution.

Along those lines, don't let the second job encroach on the quality of your work performance of your first job. If your first job provides you with benefits and usually a larger paycheck, it should always take precedence over your second job.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

When should I quit a second job?

There are many instances when it's just not worth it to keep a second job. If the expenses associated with the job are eating significantly into your earnings, consider whether you're making enough to justify the extra effort you're putting in. If the job endangers your health or your primary job, those are also signs that it's time to quit.

What are the benefits of having two jobs?

The primary reason many people take on a second job is to earn extra income. But you may also want to take a second job to get extra experience on your resume or test out a new industry. A second job may even be a safety net if you're not feeling secure in your primary job. It could get you in the door with a company that may later want to hire you full time.

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Sources
The Balance uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
  1. Care.com. "How Much Does a Tutor Cost?"

  2. Payscale. "Average Freelance Writer Hourly Pay."

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