Between Moonlighting And Quiet Quitting!
The 2 terms that became commonplace during and post pandemic times — “Moonlighting” and “Quiet Quitting”. These found their spotlight just after we came to terms with “The Great Resignation.”
Employees discovered that moonlighting is a great way to make extra money on the side. This is not something new, people have been holding onto second and third jobs to make ends meet for decades. However, it became more rampant currently, especially in the remote work scenarios that played out, and primarily in the tech sector.
Trust me, they come with their own share of stress.
Finding time for both your moonlighting job and your day job can be challenging, and if you’re not mentally prepared for the transition ahead of time, it will only add to your stress levels.
While employers are up in arms against moonlighting, especially with a competitor, employees believe they need to do it to make enough to survive.
Let’s discover what’s involved in this transition where many have mixed up jobs, roles and more, unable to draw the lines between them.
Making The Mental Transition
- The transition between a regular job and a side one for moonlighting requires clear vision of the demands, needs and responsibilities of each.
- This mental transition is tough, especially with the confidential nature of current work.
- Devoting all of your energy and focus towards both saps you everyday and can hinder productivity and mental acuity.
- However, many feel prepared for this new path, both mentally and physically, with the $ being the motivator.
On the other end of the spectrum in quiet quitting, where employees take a backseat in their active roles and just “float” on the jobs, doing enough to wade through from one week to the next.
Again, employers want totally committed workers who can make a difference and take the organization forward.
Moonlighting and quiet quitting, both are challenges. You might find that your side hustle isn’t as productive as you hoped it would be, or that your day job has become more stressful because of the added responsibility of both jobs.
If this happens, don’t panic! Both jobs will suffer from a lack of focus and productivity when you first start moonlighting. Make the decision as to where you need to focus and, then focus!
Better to quit one completely than quiet quit.
What is Quiet Quitting
Employees are burnt out and lack motivation to give their best. As a result, they
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- Reduce hours at work to make room for moonlighting activities, or other hobbies
- Do not go above and beyond on their job
- Adjust their time and attention so they can accommodate both quiet quitting and moonlighting
- Reallocate any savings or investments towards a new venture/ hobby
When You’re Not Ready to Quit, But Want To Strike it Out On Your Own
When you’re not ready to quit your day job, here are some things to keep in mind:
- You need to be mentally ready for the transition. This might seem like an obvious statement, but it’s important to remember that you’ll have a lot of factors working against you when trying to make the leap from a full time job or moonlighting into your own full-time gig. It’s easy (and tempting) to get caught up in dreaming about what it would be like if only I could do xyz as my whole job… but if those fantasies have become more than just daydreams and start becoming real habits, then now might be the time for some soul searching before it’s too late!
- You should have a plan for your side hustle. Whether it’s building up a client database or coming up with new marketing strategies on how best to attract clients away from competitors — whatever tools/strategies work best for keeping customers happy — it helps having something concrete in place that shows potential employers that this is no hobby project; there’s real growth potential here!
The Decision to Quit
- If you are ready to quit, but not quite ready to moonlight: Find a new job. But, do justice to the job you hold.
- If you’re ready to moonlight, have that discussion with your employer. Perhaps, they can pay you more to stay on just one job and focus.
- If you are not going to quit or moonlight at this time: Consider working part-time at both jobs until such time as one of the following becomes true: 1) You find yourself in an unhealthy work situation; 2) You decide that it is time for an upgrade in pay and/or benefits; 3) Your personal life (e.g., kids grown up enough that they don’t need constant supervision) demands more of your attention; 4) The economy suffers another downturn (i.e., layoffs).
You can be productive when you transition from your daytime job to a side hustle, as long as you’re mentally ready for the transition.
The reality is, you can be productive when you transition from your daytime job to a side hustle, as long as you’re mentally ready for the transition. If your mind is refreshed after a break (or if it was never tired in the first place), then you’ll have no problem jumping into something new and exciting.
But if your mind needs more time to relax, it’s probably not going to be ready for any kind of change. So instead of forcing yourself into productivity at that moment, take some time off before moving forward with your side hustle idea or job.
This is a good reminder that when it comes to quitting or changing jobs, you should be mindful of your mental readiness. The last thing you want is to quit and then regret it later!
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