Time and Money
You can never have enough of either, so when you combine the two it can get messy
I’ve discovered an unassuming four-word hyphenate that can be the fast-track to my old nemesis, “burnout”.
Time-and-a-half.
I first encountered the concept as a teenager working my first part-time job. I was naturally intrigued on how I could make more than minimum wage by simply working more than 40 hours a week, more than 8 hours a day and, of course, working holidays.
The money-making strategy carried over into my professional career when TV shift work also came with the promise of time-and-a-half on holidays. I would routinely work the early morning shift on Christmas Day, finishing a noon before driving to London to visit family. Sure I was a braindead zombie trying to make conversation at the dinner table, but I made a lot of money that morning, so it was worth it.
But is it really?
In order to access this upsized hourly wage, you need to work beyond what’s deemed normal and acceptable time limits on your work. Sure, you’re earning more than you normally would per hour, but you’re also robbing yourself of downtime. And recovery time.
I’m starting to lose the love of overtime pay. Too much of a good thing maybe?
I think back to feeling smug a few months ago, how I had nailed the perfect balance between having a part-time job to cover the bills and time to build my business. Over time, the part-time job became full-time hours. I didn’t mind because the business was/is still new and is not quite sustainable.
Then August hit. The part-time employer was very upfront when I was hired. I’ve always known I’m there to backfill vacations and random openings (mainly on weekends). And it seems everyone in the newsroom took their vacations in August. I had maybe five days off that month. Around that same time I secured my first client.
I fit the client needs in wherever I could around my news writing shifts. I leaned on all of my hard-work, productivity and super-organization skills that hyper-accomplished people know so well.
And I’m exhausted.
The usual burnout behaviours are creeping in. I’m cancelling plans. Letting household tasks pile up. I struggle writing simple sentences.
My brain desperately needs a reset otherwise I won’t be able to work regular hours, let alone earn time-and-a-half.
So now I face the pressure of working enough with the part-time gig to keep the steady income and having the time to devote to my client. The OT is eating into this precious time, which means it’s costing my future self earnings from my business.
Working more to earn more is outdated. When I was a teenager, it was my only available option. Now I’m in my 40’s, with valuable skills and experience to lean on. It’s time to realize the value in that.
