Supplementing your income by getting a remote job is a great option for many full-time employees.
However, ensuring that you are committed to both positions is a priority for these workers because the positions require dedication and may involved odd hours. Therefore, you are encouraged to determine how many hours you can dedicate each week to a remote position after calculate how many hours you work at your full-time job per week.
If you work less than 40 hours per week at your main job, it may be easier to add another position to your work schedule. Regardless, here are some suggestions you can implement into your work routine to make balancing a full-time and work-from-home job more manageable.
Learn How to Divide Your Time Between Jobs
You will want to create a schedule that allows you enough time to complete your responsibilities for both jobs with as little stress as possible. Keeping the positions separate is essential to maintaining a healthy work balance. For example, you should not use the time scheduled for your full-time job to finish assignments for your remote position.
If you are consistent with your work schedule and are productive with your time, then you will likely be able to accomplish your tasks more effectively.
It is common to feel overwhelmed if you cannot focus on one job at a time, but developing a good mental discipline can help you make your goal of sustaining two positions achievable. A helpful way to mentally prepare for each job is to find a particular space in which you can complete tasks.
While your full-time position may be an onsite office job, your remote position does not have a set location. Consider visiting the same coffee shop, a room in your home or library when it is time to begin your remote work. Not only will this enable you to distinguish your positions from one another, but it will also help you concentrate on your work when you have scheduled time to do so.
Additionally, you should find a time when you can work on your remote job. Because your full-time position may be a nine-to-five job, adjusting your remote work schedule based on your availability is advisable. If you know you might be tired after working at your full-time position, maybe you can set aside some time on the weekends for your remote work. Or, if you want to reserve your weekends for leisure activities, you may choose to do your remote work after you come home from your other position or before you leave in the morning.
When working a full-time job with a fluctuating schedule, like in retail, you may have to adjust your remote work schedule regularly. In this case, you should plan your work remote schedule once your full-time schedule is released. However, the same work times available to employees at nine-to-five jobs may apply to those who work other full-time jobs.
How to Communicate with Your Coworkers
Having amicable relationships with your coworkers, or team members as they are also known, is invaluable for all employees. Though, employees juggling full-time and work-from-home positions may find additional benefits of befriending their coworkers. For example, coworkers may be able to cover your shifts if scheduling errors occur or take on some (or all) of your remote work assignment if you realize you cannot complete it in time.
Your jobs are bound to become more demanding, and receiving help from your coworkers can be a job-saver. Your team members should understand that things happen, and you should be willing to help them out when asked, too. Maintaining communication with your coworkers can be challenging, however, especially if you cannot meet them in person, which is often the case for remote positions.
To communicate with your coworkers and boss at both jobs, you will need to ask questions, offer insight when appropriate and participate in all areas of your job. Asking questions can help clear up confusion, bring up potential scheduling conflicts and verify deadlines while participating in work-related discussions can ensure you know what is expected of you as an employee.
Make sure your boss understands that you work two jobs and may encounter some issues. You may also be able to advance in the company if your coworkers and boss notice your hard work. Communicating effectively with coworkers from your onsite and remote positions, you can better balance your work life and responsibilities.
For some freelancers who work from home, coworkers may not be accessible. If you cannot collaborate with coworkers due to your remote work situation, then you should rely on your coworkers from your onsite position to help you balance the positions well.
Any problems you may face regarding deadlines or workload must be solved by adjusting your full-time hours rather than your remote hours in this instance. Openly communicating with your coworkers and boss will help you to become a better team member, and it will enable you to more easily tell your coworkers when you need assistance or support.
Discover How to Prevent Yourself from Becoming Overworked
Feeling overworked is easy, and adding another job to your demanding full-time job may make you feel even more overworked. However, the simplest way to prevent yourself from becoming overworked is to take breaks. While you may be tempted to work nonstop for a few hours, it is unhealthy to do so and can cause excess stress. In fact, working without taking frequent breaks can reduce your productivity.
You are also encouraged to take a break before beginning your remote work after completing your full-time work for the day. This break serves two functions:
- The break will let you recover some much-needed energy.
- The break will let you transition into another type of work.
If you discover that your home feels more like a place of work than a place to relax, consider taking a break outside of your home. Or, you may consider moving your workplace for your remote position to another location temporarily to ensure your home remains your safe haven.