In January 2023, a millennial Adam (name changed to protect identity) was earning about Rs 70 lakh a year and had Rs 98 lakh in student loans. By the end of the year, however, he had doubled his annual income and paid off about 42 lakh from his loan.
The security-risk professional in Arizona, US, who was already employed in a full-time role and has taken up a second remote job to boost his income, Business Insider reported. Earlier, Adam had tried working with food delivery services like DoorDash for some extra money, but he realised that the gigs weren't as profitable as they used to be so he began to look up other options.
That December, he stumbled upon a YouTube video that provided him with the idea he'd been looking for -- secretly juggling multiple remote jobs simultaneously.
"I immediately knew that I could do this," said Adam whose two main goals were to double his income and pay off his student loans within two years. He told Business Insider that he was lucky to have landed his second remote job in February.
"A recruiter contacted me on LinkedIn about a role that I seemed qualified for based on my profile," he said. "Within two weeks, I applied, had two interviews, and was offered the position."
Apart from paying down his student loans, Adam said working double jobs helped him save enough for a four-month emergency savings fund, and even help a few friends financially. He works between 30 and 60 hours a week and feels that this system is sustainable.
Adam also has a few tips for professionals who are also looking forward to moonlighting for some extra money.
The first piece of advice is to align the calendars. "If you have regular meetings at one job, make sure to block out those times in the other calendar and vice versa," he told the publication.
The second is: don't take on too much work — and don't get it done too quickly. "Spread your work out and find a balance between being efficient and quick," Adam said. "Don't try to always be the hero and take on more work all the time."
And finally, he recommended over-employed workers use their sick days if they start to feel overwhelmed.
"You can use your sick time for many reasons — didn't get enough rest, mental health day, doctor's appointment, etc.," he said. "You don't need to justify to anyone why you are using your sick days."
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