For the better part of 4 months I have been working two jobs. Five days at a main job, one split between the two jobs and two full days at a part time job. Pretty much working the last 120 days in a row. I saw a few things that changed in that time. If you're thinking of grabbing a second job hopefully I can list some of the things you might experience.
Attitude-
I've always been a happy guy at work. Reminding people to lighten up because work was only eight hours of their day. That happy part of me was gone about 2 1/2 weeks in. I was getting severally agitated with my co-workers. Those little things that annoy most of you, now felt like grenades going off around me.
Every time I went to my main job I went in angry. Normally the 20 minute drive where I centered myself turned into a build up of swearing. "Fuck! I've to work with this lazy shithead again." or "The Boss has no fucking goddamn clue how hard I work." and let's not forget "I'm tired of fucking doing my job and covering up the shitty mistakes of every other fucktarded damn person here!"
In short, my anger was turning me from an everyday average asshole into a "roided-out muscle asshole"! (You know the kind.)
Personal Life-
It wasn't really effected as I'm still not past a personal loss. Still in the context of helping someone else, it won't help yours. At my peak I was working from 70-80 hours a week. I couldn't talk much to friends or family as most of the time I chose sleep over everything else... even over masturbation! (Guys in their 20's might be able to squeeze that in but I stuck to sleep.) Which leads me to the next topic.
Health-
I've been in five car accidents. Only one where I was driving though, but none that were my fault. With a few other injuries thrown in. So I've been living with back pain since I was 20. On that 1 to 10 scale they use at the hospital I normally live at a daily 7. Thanks to the two jobs that increased to 9.5 on that scale.
But it wasn't only back pain. Normal after work stiffness increased. (If i wasn't sleeping I was soaking in the tub.) I had more hysterical outbursts in private than ever before. Those moments where you're both laughing and crying at the same time. Headaches also increased thanks to stress. (Grey hairs came in faster as well.)
I dreaded going into work because I never knew what the aftermath would be.
Creativity-
As a meddling writer the loss of this was the last straw. Every time I sat down to write a MyTake or work on a story I froze up. I couldn't think of anything worth writing about. In the last 4 months I only wrote 4 takes with my average being about 4 a month. (It's a weird pattern, I know.)
Every time I jotted a note down for a possible idea I would squirrel it away because it was just more work to me. Or I'd just flat out forget them. Which lead to more anger because writing has always been a basic form of therapy for me.
In summary the last four months have been brutal on me. I think two jobs is best left for those under 35 or even under 30. No offense to my fellow 30 and beyond friends. The money was the only good part about it but, the overall stress wasn't worth it in the end. I had to bail on my main job without the normal 2 week notice citing health reasons.
I've gone to making my other job my full time job. It's easier on my back, the people are much more fun to hang out with and I like what I'm doing. Still if you feel the need for a second job my suggestion is to get one where you're only adding four more hours to your day. You need at least one day off for your mind and one off for your body in my opinion.
I hope this helps someone looking for another job. At the very least it should let you know what to kind of expect. Thanks for reading ya'll!
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