The idea of an 8-hour job for many is a fantasy from a time that was generation or two ago. The fact is, most people are working a regular job if they are lucky and then at least one gig on the side for extra income. If you balance your living costs right, the regular job handles the bills and monthly expenses, and the gig gives you the ability to save up and jump ahead in big leaps when possible. However, the reality is that many are using two jobs and even three just to make ends meet every month. So, the obvious question comes up, how do people do it?
Breaking Down the 12-Hour Work Day
First off, you have to be in the right mindset. If you're always looking at the clock and waiting for your next break, the two-job or multi-shift approach is not for you. You will burn out quickly and leave. It's not a personal thing; you need to have a sense of discipline to keep up with the pace. Your correct mindset should be, for every hour I'm awake, what can I do to make it productive for me (this is the key point: you're not doing it for someone else at your sacrifice).
Don't forget, you will likely need to get your family on board at home if that applies. Spouses, kids and relatives can all be a recurring obstacle fighting your ability to put in extra work for additional income. They will actually become jealous of your time and act out. Find a flexible balance with a partner given that working more benefits both of you. You might even want to team up to produce dual mental investment in it. With kids, dedicate specific hours of the day for them so there is regularity and consistency. You will get more out a set schedule, and they will grow up knowing you were always there for them. Trust me, kids stop needing parents earlier than you think. Don't let them turn into teenagers only knowing you as a text or email.
Second, always get enough sleep. Most people sacrifice rest as the first choice before anything else when taking on more work. This is a critical mistake. Instead, you will grow increasingly tired and exhausted as you get into the third and fourth week of working hard. Some people argue, no problem, I will adjust. If you do get to a point where you are running on only 4 to 6 hours sleep, now you are giving up your long-term health and welcoming chronic problems. Your stress level only ends up staying constant without a chance for your body to repair. Without that down-cycle, you're not going to produce at your top level, and whatever you thought you gained in income, you will pay in medical costs. This grows even more important the older you get.
Third, manage your work in specific time windows. That means, know when to turn on and when to shut down. Stay religious about this. Structure is what will allow you to stay constant and deliver in work performance. If you have a day job that runs eight hours, take your lunch breaks without question. Then, plan a two or three-hour window. The next shift should be a four-hour block getting you to about midnight. Now it's time to shut down, leave whatever is not done for tomorrow, and get your sleep. Plan on a 7-hour sleep window for certain. Keep this rigidity, and you will see your production jump as well as being able to hold down two jobs consistently.
Leverage Automation
Anything that you can do today that speeds up your work and produces more output for less input in terms of your energy cost spent is a good thing. People often think that multi-job holders must be alien octopi in disguise with fifteen hands and using some kind of dark magic to get everything done. The truth is, most successful multi-taskers aren't working much at all; they are using automation to do the work and then just editing and finishing things before delivery, which usually takes a lot less time and energy.
Don't Lose Value During Commute Time
If you have to be in-office, you're losing valuable time both ways commuting. You could be using that time to leverage more work performance versus sitting in traffic being bored. Obviously, don't text and drive, but do what you can to get things down versus it being a complete loss of time daily. Use it to meditate, listen to an audiobook to learn a new skill (this is an amazing thing, try it if you drive every day), regroup mentally, get calls out of the way, connect verbally with others, or, if not driving get rid of pesky emails and texts with a laptop.
Avoid Ghosting, the Risk is High
Many will argue people are cheating, just doing one job during the window of another. While it is true that technology allows overlapping connections, you can be playing a risky game ghosting one employer or client while working for another. Keep your worlds separate. This will avoid lying as well as making mistakes, especially under pressure. It's better to keep both clients/employers happy and get paid then to get fired and blacklisted.
Protect Your Time Off
Finally, keep your weekends free where possible. You still have a life outside of work to stay connected to. Not only does this give your brain a reason to do all that work, it also gives you a chance to connect with new people and projects that might lead to more work. You can still use downtime to network and find new pathways for your success. Just don't be a car salesman about it.
