Money & Career

How to make time for a second job

How to make time for a second job

©iStockphoto.com/Skynesher Image by: ©iStockphoto.com/Skynesher Author: Canadian Living

Money & Career

How to make time for a second job

Many people's New Year's resolutions include saving more money or paying down debt. And one of the best ways to achieve these financial objectives is to take on a second job to get there faster.

Working a part-time job isn't just for those struggling to make ends meet. It can also be for people who are serious about boosting their income on a more permanent basis.

Working a second job on top of a full-time day job takes sacrifice and dedication. You can't add hours to the day, so you will have to make room for that time by cutting other activities out. It can take some getting used to, but any sacrifice you make means that you will end up reaching your goals that much faster.

1. Get organized
For most people, time management is the most challenging aspect of fitting in a second job. Take a week and break down your daily schedule into one-hour time blocks. Write down everything you do during the day, and see what you can cut out. You'll be surprised at how much time you have when you remove the activities in your daily routine that aren’t productive.

2. Set boundaries
The easiest way to fail at taking on a second job is to burn yourself out. If you find you're regularly working 70 to 75 hours each week, you might want to scale back and create a better work-life balance. Make sure to set aside time each week for yourself and your family -- and make that time count. Go on family outings or take a yoga class, instead of sitting at home watching television.

3. Avoid conflicts of interest
Make sure there is no conflict of interest between your regular day job and your part-time job. For example, it might be considered a conflict of interest if you start freelancing for a competitor, or if your second job is within the same industry as your full-time job.

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4. Save all your income
If your plan is to use the extra money that you make to give yourself a lifestyle boost, then all your hard work is going to waste. Putting money earned from your part-time job toward financial goals means that you'll see measurable positive results -- which will give you the motivation to keep on going.

5. Find a fulfilling job
Instead of opting for a position that is similar to your day job, try to find something different. A change in scenery might help make the transition into a new lifestyle a little bit easier.

Additionally, it can be a good idea to find a job that helps you succeed with a personal goal. Whether you want to improve a skill, indulge your hobbies or earn the most amount of money possible, try to look for that when you’re job hunting.

No matter how busy we think we are, most of us have time to fit a second job into our schedules. Even if you only have a couple of hours each week to spare, finding a job that fits into that time slot -- like tutoring, teaching music or shovelling snow -- will be better than doing nothing at all.

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