Do you work 2 jobs?

[lilac]

I just started a second job this past week. So between my fulltime and parttime jobs I worked 60 hours. I'm exhausted. Of course this is the first week and I'm in training so it's very stressful. A couple of nights I couldn't sleep at all. I'm hoping once I'm comfortable I know what I'm doing the stress level will drop considerably.

 

Any of you who work or have worked 2 jobs or just a lot of hours at one job, how do you do it? Does it get easier as you go along or do you just get more tired?

 

I was told today I'll have to learn to be more organized around holidays. Wow, that was the first thing on my mind. Holidays will have to take a backseat I think.

 

Anyway, can you work this many hours and have a life?

[diesel66]

Well, I guess, you can feel a little bit better... I work 45 hours at my evening job, and 40 at my morning job...

[lilac]

Well, I guess, you can feel a little bit better... I work 45 hours at my evening job, and 40 at my morning job...

 

 

Geez! When do you sleep? DO you sleep????

[jonathan03]

It all depends on the jobs that you have. Certain jobs are much more stressful than others. You might want a second job thats flexible so you can work around your schedule. If its somehting you like, that helps too.

 

If your looking at it from a money point of view, two lower paying jobs might be better than one higher paying job. Sometimes taking a buck or two less an hour is worth an easy going work environment. Ofcourse it always depends on you and the situation.

 

I'm a little more crazy than both of you. I have two jobs and two businesses to run. None of them are the best paying, but they are all easy going. I don't really feel worn out at all. One of my jobs is straight commision and the other is a regular job. So there is plenty of room to be flexible all around.

 

Also, I mix BS with clients with work so I'm really doing two things at once. Its not too bad at all.

[bee bee]

I had a much easier time managing multiple part-time jobs or suedo fulltime (less than 40 hours but still got benefits) than working a true full time position plus another position. I still am trying to manage my time well but it is certainly hard and still try to get a breathe of fresh air for myself.

[Daddy]

I'm a teacher. I want a second career, something I can do on my own hours with lucrative potential. So, I am currently working on my real estate license.

[lilac]

I had a much easier time managing multiple part-time jobs or suedo fulltime (less than 40 hours but still got benefits) than working a true full time position plus another position. I still am trying to manage my time well but it is certainly hard and still try to get a breathe of fresh air for myself.

 

That would be a good idea except that I've been at my fulltime job for 16 years. I haven't been interested in moving up to the management level so therefore i'm not making the money I suppose I should be after working in one place for so long.

 

I'm hoping I can work the part-time job for a year or so, pay off my debts, then go back to just one job, maybe the same one or maybe a different, higher paying job. My fulltime job isn't stressful except for the morons I have to work with. The job itself is easy if a bit boring. But I do have good benefits and 5 weeks vacation. Hate to give that up.

 

But we'll see how it goes.

[OvercomingObstacles]

When i set my availability with my evening job, i let them know i am NOT AVAILABLE EVER on Mondays and Thursdays. Since i no longer have a real weekend this gives me 2 evenings throughout the week as free time. One evening after my day job i'm able to take care of other things (laundry, groceries, etc), and the other evening when and IF everything else is in place i can just come home from job 1 and sleep.

 

I work a pretty laid back desk job in the day, and at night i am a photographer so i spend those 4 hours on my feet (or squatting, crawling, chasing kids). This is tiring but its not too bad since i'm on my butt the first 8 hours of the day. If i had a dayjob that required me to be more active there is no way i'd make it through the evening gig.

 

i'm pretty organized anyway, but working 2 jobs has forced me to stick to a schedule AND make long-range plans.

[aronte850]

Working two jobs can be really stressful. For instance, my FT job is 40 hours a week M-F. My FT is an office setting while my PT was at Dillard's ranging from 15 hours-25 hours a week (until I told the manager I could do ONLY 15 hours a week). Honestly, I was exhausted. I wasn't allowed to sit at all even when the store was basically empty. Some weeks I was working everyday at one place or the other or at both. And at Dillard's, they make schedules monthly which can be good or bad depending on whether or not something comes up. I eventually quit Dillard's after 3 months because it interfered with my personal life and my duties at church and I was just plain exhausted. Now on the other hand, I will soon start another PT job in an office setting performing data entry for 10-20 hours a week for a few hours after my FT each weekday which means I will get home by 7:30 p.m. versus when I worked at Dillard's and got home after 9 p.m. ...by the time I got settled it was about 11 p.m. and I have to be at work at my FT at 7 a.m. And at this new PT I don't have to work on weekends, I can come in for a few hours if I choose to so that's a plus because although I will work long hours M-F, I will have every weekend and not to mention holidays off. So I think this PT will accomodate my lifestyle much better. And this new PT is super flexible even on M-F if I need to be or decided to take off. But to answer your question, yes, you can work 60 hours a week and have a life. It just has to grow on you and you have to be a bit more organized with your time and to keep your eyes on your goals whatever they may be (i.e. to save money, pay off a debt, etc.)...that's always motivation to continue on.

[Tiaontrack]

I've worked two jobs for the past year or so. Have a day job as an office manager 40hr per week and part-time (16hrs) at Bed Bath and Beyond on the weekends. It is very stressssssful and exhausting at the same time I am also a mother of 2, really 3 with my husband., we are saving up for a house so it is a sacrifce we that I'm willing to make...

[Glacier]

I do two jobs, one an office job 40 - 50 hrs per week, with some week day travel. My other job, chauffer, I recently cut to just Saturday, from both Sat & Sun, as I was putting in 12+ hour days on those two days.

[Mr. Roper]

Anyway, can you work this many hours and have a life?

 

I think you hit the nail on the head.

 

How does three jobs sound? I'm training in a new company, so for the next week or two, I'm working 8 AM to 11:30 AM M-F training in my new company, then going to my current job from 2 PM to 10 PM M-F, then I work a part time job on Saturday (3-10 PM) and Sunday (10 AM-6 PM). Thankfully, this is only temporary. However I have been working seven days a week for about a year and a half now. Alas, I have no social life (which is a thread for another message board).

 

I had one job for the longest time until I felt I had no choice to get a 2nd job in order to pay down my debt. Now, I have no debt, but I got used to the extra money coming in. Now, I can't imagine myself not having a second job. However, I really miss having a social life.

[LooGie]

Well, I guess, you can feel a little bit better... I work 45 hours at my evening job, and 40 at my morning job...

 

 

Geez! When do you sleep? DO you sleep????

he forgot to tell you, his night job is testing mattress sleep quality.

[coder]

Used to do it, but it got tiring, so i quit.

Edited June 30, 2007 by coder

[chicagonick]

i work 60-65hr (upto 75hr) weeks from sept 1 - dec 1... and during those 3 months i only go out saturday night and sunday afternoon/night. i work 2nd shift so even tho my commune is only like 45min round trip, im usually pretty out of it and dont want to do anything aside from sleep and watch a few tvshows monday-friday.

i

i dunno how you 2 and 3 job folks do it...

[smontoya5]

I work 60 hours a week at a minimum at my job. You do get used to it after awhile. It helps that my days start really early at 5am so I'm leaving at a somewhat normal hour of 5pm most days. It probably also helps that all of my hours are just at the one job.

 

I'd say planning out your schedule is the most important thing. Every weekend, I plan out our meals for the upcoming week and do all of the shopping that's needed. I was getting into a bad habit of not doing this and we ended up eating out a couple of times a week- which kind of defeats the purpose of working so much.

 

We looked into the possibility of hiring a housekeeper because with 3 kids and both of us working so much, it didn't leave a whole lot of time to get things done around the house. After seeing what it would cost, we ixnayed that idea and put the kids on a chore schedule (for which they are paid if they are completed) and for ourselves, as well. We, sadly, are not paid for our chores. It's helped with the weekend burdens we used to have- it felt like all we did was work all week and then clean all weekend. I might only spend 45 minutes to an hour a day on chores now compared to 6 hours on Saturdays and then spending Sunday running around doing errands and yardwork.

 

Lastly, use a small portion of the extra money to pamper yourself a bit. Whether it's buying a new outfit or a pair of shoes every month or socking some money away for a cruise, do it. For me, personally, about 50% of my income right now goes towards debt reduction. I figure taking 2.5% of what I make and keeping a steady appointment at the salon every two weeks not only keeps me motivated but keeps me from looking raggedy from working so much.

[buckyxj]

I work 82 hrs. a week between two nursing jobs 3-11 and midnight to 8am. short answer for me was no life whatsoever. my family hardly ever sees me which is the hardest part. I sleep about 4 hrs. a day and that is it. but on my two days off I sleep about 10 to 12 hrs. each day. I should be able to quit my 2nd fulltime job when I start back to school. time management is key when working more than one job and holidays are a thing of the past.

[tamtam99]

I worked one ft job and a pt time job and went to school full time as undergrad and currentlty as a graduate student. I gave up the part time job becasue with school I had absolutely no life and my fiance and I saw each other maybe one night a week and then i was scrambling to complete school work.

 

I still temp occasionally when I need the extra money and have the time to spare but it is much easier on me than a regular pt position.

 

Good Luck

[gregcjackson]

I did when I was "younger." In fact I had 2 jobs and went to 2 colleges at the same time. A lot of it was just Young Energy, determination,etc. It became routine and wasn't that difficult.

 

I was never a "partier" so never cared about "going out at night." I guess I am the opposite of a lot of people. Now that I have a family, I want to work less to spend time with the people in my life who matter. When I was younger I saw that certain things really didnt matter to me but that if I worked hard my future would be better when it really mattered. Now I would find it much harder to because the money alone doesnt matter. For me the ability to work several jobs has been inversely related to my amount of expenses and responsibility.

 

I also know people who do it because they wouldnt get by otherwise. The ones I know, they wouldnt be homeless or starve or anything- but they certainly couldnt live well or save for retirement,etc without 2 jobs. There is also a large seasonal job force where I am from. In the town where I grewup the population fluctuates from around 5,000-300,000 depending on the season. Over half the businesses shutdown in the winter and the county unemployment is around 20%. So a lot of people work 2-3 jobs half the year and take winters off. Or they have 1 year round job that pays crap and work 80-100 hours in the summer to make money.

[hlburi]

I just started a second job this past week. So between my fulltime and parttime jobs I worked 60 hours. I'm exhausted. Of course this is the first week and I'm in training so it's very stressful. A couple of nights I couldn't sleep at all. I'm hoping once I'm comfortable I know what I'm doing the stress level will drop considerably.

 

Any of you who work or have worked 2 jobs or just a lot of hours at one job, how do you do it? Does it get easier as you go along or do you just get more tired?

 

I was told today I'll have to learn to be more organized around holidays. Wow, that was the first thing on my mind. Holidays will have to take a backseat I think.

 

Anyway, can you work this many hours and have a life?

 

 

I don't anymore but I did for about 2 years. I still don't know how I survived sometimes. Over the Holidays I would work at least 80 hours a week.

[lilac]

I just started a second job this past week. So between my fulltime and parttime jobs I worked 60 hours. I'm exhausted. Of course this is the first week and I'm in training so it's very stressful. A couple of nights I couldn't sleep at all. I'm hoping once I'm comfortable I know what I'm doing the stress level will drop considerably.

 

Any of you who work or have worked 2 jobs or just a lot of hours at one job, how do you do it? Does it get easier as you go along or do you just get more tired?

 

I was told today I'll have to learn to be more organized around holidays. Wow, that was the first thing on my mind. Holidays will have to take a backseat I think.

 

Anyway, can you work this many hours and have a life?

 

 

I don't anymore but I did for about 2 years. I still don't know how I survived sometimes. Over the Holidays I would work at least 80 hours a week.

 

That sounds awful. I don't know how you did that and came out alive.

 

This is the first time I've worked more than one job(except for the job I never got paid for ) although I should have done it a long time ago. I think it'll be ok once I get in the habit and get really comfortable with the job itself. I asked to work 20 hours a week but have been scheduled for 16 for the next 5 weeks. I think I'll let it go for now but work extra if asked. Might be a good way to ease into it. The store grand opening is Wednesday so that should be totally nuts and for the next few weeks also. If I get through that all will be fine I'm sure.

[hlburi]

That sounds awful. I don't know how you did that and came out alive.

 

This is the first time I've worked more than one job(except for the job I never got paid for ) although I should have done it a long time ago. I think it'll be ok once I get in the habit and get really comfortable with the job itself. I asked to work 20 hours a week but have been scheduled for 16 for the next 5 weeks. I think I'll let it go for now but work extra if asked. Might be a good way to ease into it. The store grand opening is Wednesday so that should be totally nuts and for the next few weeks also. If I get through that all will be fine I'm sure.

 

I was younger and had a lot more energy. I don't think I could do it now.

 

Most days, I'd leave from my regular "full time" job and go straight to my part time job and wouldn't get home until 10 PM or later most nights. Then I'd be working on the weekends too. I barely had time to eat either. Of course, I was a lot skinnier back then too. hmmmm....

 

Maybe I need another part time job.

 

actually, I wouldn't be averse to working another part time job if I could find something where I was only working 10 - 15 hours a week (that is about the max I would want to do) and I'd only want to work somewhere if it was fun (like something that was a hobby for me). I don't get out enough.

[waltflanman]

A part-time, 2nd job that worked out well for me was a the blue and yellow video store. They were very accomodating with the schedule and you get free movies or video games. So, it was 8-5, then the video store in the evenings, come home watch a movie and go to bed. Repeat.

 

If you're reliable, the manager will do whatever it takes to keep you around as far as schedule flexibility and reasonable pay.

[lilac]

A part-time, 2nd job that worked out well for me was a the blue and yellow video store. They were very accomodating with the schedule and you get free movies or video games. So, it was 8-5, then the video store in the evenings, come home watch a movie and go to bed. Repeat.

 

If you're reliable, the manager will do whatever it takes to keep you around as far as schedule flexibility and reasonable pay.

 

That's definitely the key. I already won points last night by staying an extra hour and a half. I think others were asked but refused. I got a kind word from the store manager and told there'd be something for me next time I come to work. Yay me!

[atdow]

I work 2 jobs. This time around, ive been doing it for almost 2yrs. Trust me, it gets easier. When I first started I was tired for about a good month!. Luckily for me, my f/t and p/t are about 2min away from each other and I don't have to deal with customers and I'm not on my feet.