For as much as I work, I am not doing so hot financially. Or, I guess, really as hot I as would have hoped!
I am working three jobs, one of them being full time, and am still trying to have a life without becoming a workaholic. I am a veterinary assistant, a writer, and a dog sitter. None of which require my Sociology degree; all of which require my time and efforts.
Through it all, I am keeping my eye on the ball so I can re-build my savings account after my life lesson-filled move to California (and subsequent move back to Houston). So while I am getting back on the budgeting wagon for savings sake, I am very mindful of maintaining balance in my life, too.
My full time job at the animal hospital is great, but my schedule is not consistent. I find myself squeezing sleep in whenever I can, eating when I have time, trying to get my writing done, as well as maintain a social life on my days off.
How do I do this you ask? I’ll be the first to tell you not very well.
For me, sleep always wins.
Sleep > Social Life.
I will have so many things planned in my head for when I get home and almost always immediately fall asleep. I will even have dates planned with my boyfriend and sleep right through them. The hardest part of “transitioning into adulthood” is being constantly tired. Yep, adulting is hard.
But for me if I don’t have enough sleep it is impossible for me to be enjoyable or to get anything productive done. So napping, and LOTS of coffee, really helps me to maintain order in my life with my busy (sometimes hectic) schedule.
When I first started the whole dog-sitting thing I was taking on a lot of clients.
Too many clients.
I would wake up early, go rushing from house to house, all over town, to let dogs out before I had to be at the hospital. I would then work all day long. Then after I would have to rush house-to-house again after work. I would see no sunlight. I was completely exhausted.
I thought the money would be worth the struggle, but I learned mental sanity is far more important than your bank account.
There is no point in over exerting yourself.