Lifestyle Work + Money

6 Tips for Balancing a Passion and Full Time Career

The below is a guest post from Jazmyn Anderson. Though her “balancing act” involves a 9-5 & a full time blog, her tips apply to just about any passion you’ may be putting off, so dive right in!

Did you know in addition to my blog I also have a full time career? If you didn’t know, now you do. I’ve been at my current job about 4 years and some change and my blog will is officially 4 years new as of November. Balancing a passion and a full time career is something that I’ve been doing because to me there is no other choice at this moment.

I personally, could never imagine sitting at my current job and only working without building something on the side for myself. It started out as my event planning brand, but transitioned into my blog. Saying all of that to say whatever my “thing” was going to be, it was going to get built or at least started. There have been moments where I wonder “what would happen if I never said yes to this job, would I have started what I started”.

My mom, though she had a full time career, ALWAYS made time to be present for me. She was very present and I want that same thing for myself and my future babies and for me at this point in my life that looks like balancing a passion and a full time career until I can replace my career. That said I’m sharing my 6 tips for balancing a passion and full time career.

1. Balancing a Passion and Full Time Career Looks Like STARTING The Project

In order for me to even be in a position of balancing a passion and a full time career, I had to decide that I was ready to start. Before you can balance anything you have to start it. I already knew I was going to build something, but really leaning into it and starting is how I’m still here almost 4 years later.

I do have a unique situation with my job and when there is downtime and free time please believe I use every second of that time to do something towards my brand. Writing blog posts, engaging with content, etc.; if there is one thing about me, I’m always doing something, never doing nothing. Saying all of that to say if you just started or if you are on the fence about starting because you have a full time career, the trajectory of what you do and how you stick with it is contingent upon you starting. For me this is my way out, so not working on it, isn’t an option.

2. Discipline

The real way I go about balancing a passion and a full time career is by exercising discipline. I could have sat at work for the last 3 years and spent all of that time on FB and Instagram aimlessly scrolling.

I could have just been okay with working and it could have ended there. Like I mentioned in the previous section, there are moments when I experience downtime. I’ve used ALL of that downtime to build and maintain a brand. I don’t know how many hours it adds up to, but discipline set in 4 years ago and thank God it did because without it I probably wouldn’t be refreshing this post. Discipline will get you further than motivation and inspiration will and that’s just facts.

3. Batch Content

Batch content is key when it comes to balancing a passion and a full time career. Before the pandemic, mornings, weekends and lunch breaks were my main times for creating photo content. I’ve gotten so much better at batching and full time career or not batching your content so you don’t have to “feel like it” every day is the most helpful for achieving that balance.

When I prepared to update my aesthetic and website I knew that I would need a lot of content. I try to get at minimum 100 photos out of every shoot, when I self shoot. If at least 80 are solid then I can use those 80 photos in several ways. For my website, newsletter, social media, story graphics and everything in between. I probably shoot a lot less than people may think, but that’s because I have a full time career.

4. Planning and Organization

Can’t execute without a plan and can’t stay on top of things without being organized. Balancing a passion with a full time career is contingent on me being organized. When it’s time for work, work has to get done. As long as my work is done I give myself the grace to work on something else.

I use a custom planner as well as Evernote to stay organized and on top of things. So far that method has been the best for me. I do have my own form of an editorial calendar; I have designated days for designated content types and that also has worked best as far as being prepared.

5. Effective Tools and Apps for Balancing a Passion and Full Time Career

Balancing a passion and a full time career or not, the right tools for productivity will help make your experience with creating better. Not every tool is for everyone, you should definitely try a few different ones to see what works best for you and your brand.

I’m certainly not perfect and balancing a passion and a full time career definitely wears me out, but I balance it because I want to create a way out for myself. I’m grateful for my income and options to be able to contribute to my household, but a way out is what makes it all worth it for me.

Some Apps I Use:

  • UNUM
  • Evernote
  • GSuite
  • Mojo
  • In Shot
  • Google Calendar

6. Take Your PTO

Last, but certainly not least, take your PTO. I have been working at home now for more than a year and even then I still need a break. Is there more flexibility at home to balance my full time career, of course, but it doesn’t mean the workload decreases or anything. Sometimes if I don’t want to wait until the weekend to create or meet someone for lunch, I take a day off and make a whole day of it.

Do what you have to do in order to prepare yourself for a way out. My time is coming and if it’s what you desire, yours is too.

If you still have a full time career and you’re trying to balance your blog, vlog, personal brand or the like, just keep going. Seek God, make the time, be intentional about it and you can literally make anything happen even while balancing a passion and a full time career. (Originally published on Daily Dose of Luxury.)

How are you balancing your passion with a full time career?

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