The Benefits Of Working Part-Time 
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Hey, it’s a tough economy out there- I know PF bloggers realize this more than most. There aren’t enough jobs for the people who want or deserve them, and many Americans don’t have healthcare because they are either denied or they can’t afford it. Even with all this, I’m someone who chooses to work part-time, and I love it! Here’s why:
1.) It preserves my emotional energy: If you’ve read any of my blogs you can probably tell I’m a high-strung person. (I just care! About things!) My passion hasn’t become a full-time endeavor, and it never will unless I allow myself the time and mental bandwidth to pursue it. I love writing and working on my blog, but it takes a significant portion of my time each day. By working a low-stress, part-time job that isn’t tied to any of my “career objectives” I can save my energy for the things that are most important to me.
2.) I’m more relaxed: Good part time jobs can sometimes be difficult to get (I’m not recommending anyone work the fry station at Mcdonalds in order to achieve Nirvana…), but for the most part they’re not. If you happen to be personable and college-educated you can have your pick of the litter. This means I’m at my part-time gig because I want to be and find the job/organization interesting and not because it’s the best monetary offer I could get. It also helps me be more relaxed and not treat everything as so “high-stakes”. I’m able to see my boss as a person, and I’m a better employee when I don’t feel as if everything is riding on one specific task. In my experience, part-time jobs cause a lot less stress.
3.) I’m more productive in other areas of life: When I don’t have a soul crushing, bury-my-face-in-a-pillow-at-the-end-of-the-day job I actually get more done. I can crank out those freelance pieces AND cook dinner. I don’t want to just come home and nap because I’m miserable. My house is generally cleaner, errands are always done in a timely fashion and even though I’m actually logging more hours per week with my two part-time jobs– I feel I have more “free time”. It’s called liking what you do and it can have a profound impact.
I can’t imagine any full-time job that would actually afford me all the things I want/need in my career. Something would always have to give, and it’s usually either more time in the form of less money or vice versa. Even though it’s backwards logic, working part time does make me more productive. If you factor in commute time and actual hours at the office (not including overtime), and time needed with family you don’t actually have many hours on the back end of your day anyway.
4.) I have more flexibility in my schedule: That’s the beauty with part time jobs-the hours are non-traditional. And most of the time you can set your schedule around what’s convenient for you (I schedule mine around traffic and when I am most productive (1-5 in the afternoon. Ha!)
5.) I never get stuck in a routine: Having a part-time job can break up your day if you are un- or underemployed, but if you are like me and string together more than one job to make your living you can pretty much guarantee each day is going to be different. I like that I work two completely different jobs with different hours and different challenges. I am never, ever bored.
6.) My priorities are free to be my priorities: This is probably the most important reason of all. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve sat in job interviews for some sort of administrative assistant job and lied about how I just wanted to answer somebody’s phone for the rest of my life. A lot of times in full time jobs (even if they are “dead end” or not) they want you to make that job numero uno. Why shouldn’t they? They’re paying you a living wage after all.
I hated having to pretend that I wanted to be a career administrative assistant. Blegh. With a part-time job I am able to communicate my priorities and a lot of time my outside endeavors are championed by my colleagues. It’s a nice feeling to not have to hide my blog or who I am from the outside world. It makes things simpler.
I know many do not have the luxury of being able to choose their jobs or the hours they work, but as an unmarried, twenty-something female I’m going to take the chance for this laid-back lifestyle while I can.
What are some other advantages to working part-time? Disadvantages?
Author Bio: Guest post by Lauren (known to her friends as L Bee) – Authoress of the personal finance site “L Bee and the Money Tree“. On her blog she details daily struggles with the ever elusive “tree of wealth”, snarky thoughts on fashion and pop- culture, and gross/funny stories about her dog, Murray. A freelance writer based out of the Atlanta area, L Bee spends her free time enjoying theater, drinking wine, and annoying her boyfriend.
55 Comments
Great tips! I can see how a part time job might help keep other areas of your life more in check. I too hate routine and like to have flexibility as that just makes life more fun.
John S @ Frugal Rules recently posted..Find Financial Safety With an Emergency Fund
Maybe it’s my creative spirit, but I HATE routines, and I hate being in an office. Yuck.
Its also good to make sure your part time job is different enough from your day job. I work in an office and then retail part time. It hardly feels like work sometimes because its such a change!
Brian recently posted..5 Questions to ask when buying a condo
I used to love working retail, being in the mall made me happy. And it is DEFINITELY a low-stress job, IMO.
These are some great points and the additional income certainly doesn’t hurt. It all depends on the family situation though; being married and working a full-time job that requires me to work some evenings makes things difficult at time. If we ever had kids it would also make it more difficult to maintain a part-time job. Saying that, I like the idea of taking advantage of your schedule while you have the time. There is no reason to work as hard as you can and get your financial life on a great foundation while you’re young!
Jason @ WorkSaveLive recently posted..The Rise of the Female Trader
I was always raised thinking that once your kids come along-the schedule becomes about them and not you, so I definitely want to take advantage of that now. Some day I may HAVE to work a full time job in an office in order to provide for my kids-I’m hoping the writing takes off before then, but if not…I’ll at least be able to say that I tried…
Seems like a good decision for you. I personally would rather be able to earn more to save more for retirement so maybe I could relax a bit more toward the end if possible.
Lance @ Money Life and More recently posted..Carnival Cruise Price Protection Saved Me $160
That’s part of the reason I just recently switched back to working full time instead of staying working part time. As much as it gave me freedom to pursue my own projects, the income was just too low.
Sounds like it works out for you! I really want to retire early, so I’m trying to work as much as I can now.
Michelle @ Making Sense of Cents recently posted..$3,275 in Extra Income and My Goals!
I’d love to retire early, but I want my blog and writing career to take off too..so I’m trading on that.
Hey L Bee – nice to see you here! I have worked the fry station at McDonalds while in high school, and can guarantee you it does no lead to Nirvana.
I’ve always said I’d like to work part time..perhaps some time if the blog generates more income..
Cat recently posted..What to do when OSAP collectors come calling
Thanks Cat! I have two part-time jobs right now, and I hope if the blog takes off I can cut down. 70 hours between both jobs and the blog is a lot. And I worked at a Hardees, and I didn’t achieve Nirvana either
I did a stint at Dairy Queen. No Nirvana either. I guess fast food isn’t the way! Actually my main goal right now is to get to three days a week. All will be in three different places. I think if I work smarter, not harder, it will work out. I’ll let you know.
Kim@Eyesonthedollar recently posted..What You Need and Don’t Need For New Baby
I’ve never worked in fast food, but I have had a part time warehouse job that was pretty lousy. For me I think it depends on the kind of work whether I’d want to work there full time or just part time. With specific work it is just too draining to put in full time hours.
I agree with other posters about taking advantage of the time that you have. Right now I juggle blogging and a full time job on top of other activities. I’m not sure how I’m going to handle everything once kids get introduced to the picture.
MoneySmartGuides recently posted..Comcast No Longer Offers Promotions to Current Customers
I have no idea how the bloggers with full time jobs AND kids do it. They’re so impressive to me, juggling all of that.
I completely agree. I couldn’t imagine being able to take care of kids on top of my busy routine.
Sounds like it works great for you! I guess it just depends on the needs of the individual.
Of course as you know I didn’t like my retail job. 
Budget & the Beach recently posted..October Goals
Yup it depends on a person’s priorities and personality. Some people prefer the security of a full time job while other people thrive with the extra freedom.
I’m with Michelle – we have some big financial goals right now that make full time work for both of us a high priority – benefits, etc add to the bigger paycheck. But we imagine early retirement more as part time work that we are highly interested in. Good for you for pursuing your passion with a ton of your time. I hope your writing takes off, too!
Mrs Pop @ Planting Our Pennies recently posted..What Room-Bucks Taught Me About Economics
I can relate to that mindset since I just went back to working full time to earn more money. I do appreciate the time that I was working part time though. It allowed me to build up my online income. So now that I’m back working full time I still get the online income coming in.
I would love to do this if I could afford it! Definitely a good idea when making the transition to self employed!
Savvy Scot recently posted..The Sunday Review – Top Posts of the Week
Yup it would make for an easier transition. That’s what I was thinking when I was working my last part time job. I figured it would be the ideal setup to get my blog going. I eventually realized that I was spinning my wheels and missing out on too much income with that strategy. Instead I’m going to let my blog build up slower while I make good money during the day.
Working part time is a great idea. I love the idea of being busy all the time so a typical 40 hour work week is part time to me compared to 60-70 hours that I normally worked.
Marissa @ Thirtysixmonths recently posted..10 Ways to Save Money When Buying a New Car
I’ve been getting into that mode where 40 hours per week is rather minimal to me. While I work a full time job I still put a lot of time into my blog. I keep telling myself that I will be cutting back time though.
Part-time jobs are great if your situation affords it. I have a part-time job as well as a full-time job, and and working on a second part-time job
It sounds like you have two part-time jobs (job and blog), and you can turn your blog into an even better part-time job soon. Great plan, if you ask me
Jacob @ iheartbudgets recently posted..Why I Am Not Refinancing My Mortgage
Sounds like you are taking on too much work Jacob. How are you going to have time for those backyard projects? Or are you just preparing for the rainy northwest season? I think a blog takes too long to turn into a part time job that pays well enough. So I wouldn’t count on that too much.
I’ve never worked 2 part time jobs unless you call 2 self-employed activities (one different from another) part time jobs
I remember not having any sort of standard routine as each day would be quite different from the other. However later on I grew more tired of not having a routine and was actually envious of people who knew exactly what they had to do that day. I hope you never get to that point Lauren.
I have to reallllllly stay on myself in order to get things done, but I prefer policing myself than the structure of an office.
I also have trouble lacking a routine. With so much work to do with my online business, it was just too tough to get around to doing it all. I do really like being back in an office where I know I can leave at 5 and my job is done there for the day. With my own work it can lead to endless effort.
I cant wait to join you although I am working more towards location independent work than part time. If I can mix both, even better!
Adam Hathaway recently posted..How I Am Generating Passive Income by Dumping My Savings Account and How You Can Too
Location independent work can be nice. My last part time job was like that. So I could work from home and fit it in outside of my blogging hours. If I thought I could build up my blogging income quicker, I would’ve stuck with that setup.
Does one of your workplaces provide you with health insurance benefits? Or do you just make sure that you earn enough to buy your own insurance? I’m sure health care and paid sick leave and such are big reasons why people hold on to their full-time jobs despite the benefits you listed!
Emily @ evolvingPF recently posted..September 2012 Month in Review: Money
One of my jobs does provide me with health insurance and benefits as part of my package. It was incredibly generous of them, and why I took the job in the first place. So yeah, I know I have it good
I absolutely understand the need to have health insurance-I was turned down for it when I applied on my own!
Good point Emily. Very few part time jobs have those kinds of benefits. Employers usually use that as an excuse to not give anything extra.
It sounds like working part time is really working out for you! I definitely can see the benefit of only working part time, and it sounds like you are really productive because of it.
DC @ Young Adult Money recently posted..What is the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI)?
I know I was super productive while working part time. Being productive and earning maximum income are two different things though. I know I’m making way more money working full time with a side gig.
I used to do this too when I was first starting out as a trader and didn’t want to take a huge initial financial risk. I think that unless your job is your passion then you definitely should not be there full time unless you absolutely have to. Work the hours you need part time and focus your efforts on the things you truly care about. Usually if you do the financial rewards will come in time anyways.
Garrett recently posted..Trading with Range Bars – What They Are and Why You Should Be Using Them
That was the approach I was taking, but I got impatient knowing the money was going to take a while and the SEO industry was too uncertain. For most people I think it is quite necessary to be working full time. Being able to just work part time is a major luxury.
I love to have part-time jobs that are just jobs and let me sleep like a baby at nights. I find it hard however to keep a schedule and discipline if I am working from home or with a free agenda. I am glad to be my own boss but way to relax with myself as an employee!
Pauline recently posted..Are you kidding me??? Grandpa wants an Iphone 5!
It does take a lot of discipline to be able to be your own boss. I think a lot of people struggle with the amount of perceived freedom when they first set out. You have to adopt the right mindset that your income depends on the effort and hours that you put in. Ideally your side business interests you enough to want to put in those long hours.
Sure, I’d love to work part-time if I get paid full-time moola…. but until then my friend, I’m working Full-time. The good part for me is I don’t work 5 days a week so I’m home often. I also don’t work normal hours but that’s ok life is great and I love making cash to pay down debt and save for my part-time retirement travelling in the winter!! Cheers Mr.CBB
Canadianbudgetbinder recently posted..The Grocery Game Challenge October 1-7, 2012-Giving Thanks!
Not working 5 days per week is pretty sweet. I’m with you that I’d prefer to be making good money for now. The side gig will build up over time. Then if the income ever gets to a point where it makes sense to concentrate on it more, I’d make the switch back.
Good for you for figuring out what works for you. I get what you mean by soul-crushing, but in the long run, I perform best with routine. I’m not good with sponteneity.
I think a solid routine can be built up while being your own boss. It just comes down to your own discipline and planning. It is just unlikely to have the same kind of stability and security that you get from working full time.
I would love to work part time and do the things I actually enjoy doing, but with our first child on the way and a mortgage still hanging over my head, I don’t want to risk the job security I have at the moment.
Once the family home has been paid off I will start looking for short term contracts (3 months on / 3 months off). That way I will keep my primary skill set sharp while having more time for all of my side businesses.
Glen@MonsterPiggyBank recently posted..The cost of funeral insurance
Having kids does make this kind of move a lot more risky. When they are relying on your income, you need to be focusing on what will bring in the most secure income. Then again it might work out to build up to the point of being a stay at home dad. After my experiences I probably wouldn’t take the risk.
As a full time business owner I often tell my employees that they don’t know how good they really got it sometimes. As a business owner I face an enormous amount of stress at times, dealing with many different factors such as finances, employees, and overhead to name a few.
Some days I wish all I had was a part time job. Yeah, it would be less money but it would bring a certain simple and minimal lifestyle without all the headaches.
Chis@StumbleForward recently posted..Credit Card Mistakes People Make – And How To Avoid Them
But at least you are able to work for yourself! That’s a freedom many people don’t have. But yes, owning a business isn’t a game for everyone.
And at the same time all of those employees are probably thinking how greener the grass is on the other side and how they’d love to run their own business some day. I’ve thought about getting my own business going to the point that I had employees, but it does sound like a lot of extra headache.
I think zero people would disagree with you , man. I think if we could, almost everyone would work part time, right??!
TB at BlueCollarWorkman recently posted..The Blue Collar View on Starbucks
No based on the comments I think lots of people would work full time. There are extra incentives such as stability, higher income and an easier routine.
It’s funny that there are two sides to every coin and you bring up some good ones for the side gig, where other people might see it as a distraction from their true focus. Nice post!
AverageJoe recently posted..Two Guys and Your Money #12: Top 5 Ways to Increase Your Cash Flow, Real Risk in the Market, Preparing for Baby & Nerdwallet Reality Show Update
I guess some people can properly manage it, but it’s not for everyone. Some people do prefer to focus more energy in one area rather than having their time split like this.
Great post. I would compare working part time with working online/having online business as many people work part-time because they have online businesses on the site. I completely agree with the author and I personally see no point in working full-time bacuase we will never have our own life in we do. Working part-time, however, gives us such an opportunity.
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