It is not uncommon for people to take on two jobs or more to boost their income, gain more skills, and so forth. However, experts warn, it may come with more than one bargained for.
According to Joshua Tahinduka, a public speaker, doing two jobs at any stage of one’s life is not the easiest thing. It has the potential of disrupting many things. It requires a certain level of discipline to be able to do both jobs well, otherwise, one suffers at the expense of the other.
"One of the things one has to do is get better at prioritising time. This may mean planning efficiently so that they get enough time to work on both jobs, and also find the much-needed work-life balance,” Tahinduka says.
He highlights that having two jobs may lead to a lack of focus. Create a daily routine aiming to be productive, that way, you will become a more impartial and well-organised person, and attain better results.
Aimable Nkuranga, a personal finance coach in Kigali, notes that as long as having two jobs doesn’t affect your physical health or morale, nothing should stop you from doing it.
"Whatever the reason (making ends meet, personal accomplishment, or saving money), it is important to know the advantages and disadvantages of such a practice in the short, medium, and long term,” he says.
He adds that having more jobs can bring many benefits, for instance, it allows you to engage in different activities. If your first job limits you to work independently and without frequent social interaction, finding a job that involves more frequent people-to-people relationships will feed your communication needs.
He says that juggling jobs can make you feel useful and relevant. "Who said that work is unfulfilling? Having two stimulating jobs can be easy and fun as opposed to one dull one,” he says.
Nkuranga says some people prefer to find a second part-time job or be a volunteer than sit home doing nothing if their full-time job doesn’t occupy them that much.
He says that it is not rare to see self-employed workers (artists, musicians, business owners, etc.) take on other jobs out of passion.
However, he says, doing more than two jobs can be challenging, as it results in overwork or even burnout.
"If your jobs put you in more than 45 hours of work per week, you will need to schedule some relaxation and exercise activities to be able to keep up,” he says.
Nkuranga adds that having different jobs can trigger decreased morale, for example, when you work too much, there are always repercussions since accumulated fatigue and not having enough activity outside of work do not allow you to acquire a healthy lifestyle.
He adds that it can also lead to decreased productivity. Even if the goal is to perform better, asking too much of your body and mind in terms of workload can cause a decrease in productivity.
Nkuranga further notes that having two jobs means finding time to do both, while making sure that the schedules don’t overlap, which is difficult, but not impossible.
He points out that it is also necessary that this rhythm of life does not disturb physical and psychological health. Knowing how to take one day off a week is the minimum necessary to maintain a good balance in life. Sleeping well and taking time for yourself are also essential.