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How to Balance Multiple Roles

Doing Multiple Jobs - How to Balance Multiple Roles

Have you considered taking on a second job? Or do you already have many jobs? People take on more responsibilities for a number of reasons. They may need more funds.

Maybe they desire greater meaning in their life. Perhaps they wish to start a new company or return to school. They may also be forced into this lifestyle if employers aim for a more flexible workforce or downsize to save money.

There's no denying that having many jobs or playing different roles may be difficult. In this post, we'll look at the pros and downsides of working several jobs, as well as how to deal with the difficulties.

Multiple Job Examples

Managing two jobs or responsibilities does not have to imply working two shifts - at least not anymore. Here are a few examples:

Part-Time Employment

An accountant works part-time for two small businesses, neither of which has enough work to give a full-time position.

Time Donation

A marketing professional works four days a week for a huge advertising business but volunteers for their favorite organization on Fridays to assist with fund-raising and marketing.

Wearing "Two Hats" at the Same Time

A recent MBA graduate is employed by a mid-sized consulting business. They work as an internal HR manager half of the time and conduct client business the other half.

gaining knowledge

An aspirant bank teller wants to advance within the next two years but has no experience managing employees. They work as the manager of the coffee shop at their neighborhood sports facility on Saturdays. They were able to secure this employment since the center management knows that managing a handful of employees selling coffee does not take years of expertise, but it does provide an excellent chance for our bank teller to develop their résumé.

"Side Hustle"

This is a slang phrase describing the increasingly widespread habit of doing additional work or running a company in addition to your regular employment. This may be an accountant who runs their own micro-brewery on the weekends. Or a staff writer who sells baked products via their internet bakery in the evenings.

Is it worthwhile to work more than one job?

Charles Handy, a UK lecturer, speaker, and author, refers to doing many jobs as "the portfolio life" in his 2001 book "The Elephant and the Flea."

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For Handy, maintaining many jobs entails effortlessly combining work and life. A weekly schedule, like an investment portfolio, may consist of a variety of activities. Some activities might be for financial gain, some for personal enjoyment, and yet others to give back to the community.

A portfolio lifestyle, according to Handy, will become much more widespread in the future as individuals seek a better work/life balance.

The Drawbacks of Having Multiple Jobs

The practicalities of working several jobs, on the other hand, may be complicated. Let's start with the disadvantages:

You must have great time management abilities in order to complete all tasks successfully.

If you work too many hours each week, your performance in all of your positions may suffer. You'll be too exhausted to offer your all.

Getting a day off from all duties at the same time may be tough.

Your employer may not allow you to work a second job or conduct freelance work in the same or a similar industry – especially if you work full-time at your first employment.

The Advantages of Working More Than One Job

So, what are the advantages of working numerous jobs?

First and foremost, you have the possibility to improve your earnings.

If you have two distinct occupations (such as consultancy or various part-time employment), your income may be more solid than if you just had one. If one firm goes out of business, for example, you will still be able to earn money from other sources.

Working two jobs or juggling two responsibilities may be invigorating. You get to meet new people and deal with fresh challenges. This means you'll be less likely to get bored or frustrated by the little issues that arise in every employment.

You may develop a whole new set of skills and expand your professional network, both of which could help your career at some time.

It's an excellent approach to start your own company. You may earn money while your firm is getting up and operating.

You may learn that your firm appreciates the fact that you have many jobs. And they could be more than willing to provide you a flexible schedule to assist you achieve your objectives. Many businesses use this, for example, with Olympic and Paralympic athletes.

Getting the Most Out of Multiple Jobs

Working two jobs might provide several options. And there are numerous methods to benefit from them.

First, you may discover that one of your positions may benefit the other, whether via new skills, networking, or just a change of pace. Managing many duties in this manner might really help you perform better in both professions. Keep an eye out for this possibility.

Another benefit is that your customers in one function may easily become your clients in the other. You may work in IT for one firm and then be recruited to conduct a similar position for another.

Managing Multiple Job Challenges

How will you deal with the difficulties that are unavoidable when you begin working several jobs?

Choose a second job that piques your interest. The more enthusiastic you are about your work, the simpler your schedule will be.

It may be beneficial to arrange your day in chunks if you are juggling many responsibilities. This permits you to devote your whole focus to each function for a certain period of time. And planning your time in this manner may help you be more effective.

Switching from one function or employment to another may be challenging, particularly when the mental processes and activities are so dissimilar. For example, you may work in technical support throughout the day and then dress up and meet with prospective sales customers in the afternoon. These transitions may be made simpler if you take a half-hour break in a "neutral" zone, such as a coffee shop.

Working two jobs implies you have less time to dedicate to each function than your colleagues. As a result, being competitive might be a tremendous problem. Analyze every hour of your day to identify where you have spare time to stay current.

If you want to learn more about doing numerous jobs, watch our Expert Interview One Person/Multiple Careers with Marci Alboher.

Tips for Working Multiple Jobs

Before you take on a second job or start freelancing in your spare time, be sure it's within your primary employer's contractual restrictions and that your manager approves. Even if it is voluntary labor, it may not be permitted. Before you begin, you need also be aware about intellectual property and confidentiality concerns.

If you're considering acquiring another work in addition to your current one, consider setting up a "trial period" first. Consider working for a lower pay to get experience – and see whether you like it and if it suits your lifestyle.

Make time for yourself and your family, particularly if you must physically go between businesses throughout the workday. To complete the task, you may have to depart for one office early and return from the other late. This may quickly lead to burnout.

If you work two jobs in the same company, strive to keep a consistent routine. This will assist you in limiting interruptions, phone calls, and meetings to times when you are "performing" the associated function. Set up various signature files in your email account to indicate which "hat you're wearing" when you send each message, if necessary.