Towards the end of my second semester of college, I was approached by a family from my hometown who wanted me to nanny for them over the summer. Their house was absolutely beautiful, they owned a pass to their neighborhood pool, I was promised reimbursement for gas, and would be paid more weekly than I have ever made in a single month. Needless to say, I was ecstatic. I hated the job I previously had last summer and I was panicking about finding something else that would pay what I needed. Was it too good to be true? Of course it was. Not even two weeks after I met with them they texted me saying they had signed their two children up for a summer camp and would no longer be in need of my service. I was crushed, to say the least, but life is always going to throw me a couple of curve balls. So I sucked it up, put on my big girl pants, and started working two jobs. However, I can honestly say I think I'm doing a pretty good job at keeping up with both.

I think what has helped the most is that I didn't start both jobs at the same time. I allowed myself to get comfortable with one before even interviewing for the second. I figured that I could keep my stress levels low if I didn't have to deal with getting used to two new jobs at the same time. This honestly helped so much and I felt so much more confident walking into my first day of work at my second than I did when I started my first.

Waking up early has been a huge part of making this all work too. Waking up a couple of hours before my first shift starts allows me to spend some much needed time on myself and get things done for my own benefit. I workout, scroll through my social media, and enjoy every part of my morning routine. It's benefited me so much knowing I have a specific time of day that I know I will be able to focus solely on me and my well being and nothing else. It sets me up to have a good day and gives me something to look forward to during my evening shifts. In addition to taking care of myself in the morning, I also make an effort throughout the day to make sure I have enough energy and hydration to sustain me. I drink water consistently throughout both shifts and bring snacks as well. Between shifts, I'll stop and get food somewhere or grab a treat for myself. It's really the little things that mean the most when my amount of free time is at it's least.

Speaking of free time, I really have learned to take advantage of every minute of it and not waste it. I've made a much bigger effort to see my friends than in times before and I appreciate the time I get to spend with them so much more. I'm so grateful for the time I get to spend with my family and dogs as well. I constantly find myself thinking about all of the wonderful things I get to come home to while I'm at work and it really does get me through the day.

I realize I'm at a point in my life where it's time to buckle down and keep my nose to the grind. However, I don't think that means I have to torture myself trying to make it work. I appreciate the struggle and by no means do I want to skip it, but that doesn't mean I can't keep trying to thrive in the meantime.