43 Folders

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43Folders.com is Merlin Mann’s website about finding the time and attention to do your best creative work.

Getting Ahead without Getting Behind.

I work a full-time job (that I don't particularly enjoy), have a wife and little girl (that I do enjoy), and am going to school online full-time. GTD is helping me to make the best use of my available time, but it doesn't seem like enough. My someday/maybe list is growing increasingly longer, and my career is at a stand still until I finish school. I want to switch careers, more specifically I want to develop web applications with Ruby on Rails(RoR). Currently though, I don't have the spare time needed to devote to RoR. My job is barely paying the bills, so I can't save up a reserve to quit work for a while and develop full-time. I refuse to give up what little family time I have, PERIOD! And with school, I don't have the time to pickup any projects that require more than a couple hours of work a week. By 11:30 I am exhausted, and the 30 minutes or so that I have free at that time is usually less than productive. My day job is becoming more and more frustrating. I don't think I will be able to continue this job, and full-time school for the 4 years that is needed to complete my degree. So, how can I get ahead without getting behind? I am running out of ideas, but know that something has got to change.

TOPICS: Ask 43f
ebrodeur's picture

Re: Getting Ahead without Getting Behind.

Thanks for clarifying.

Making a career change with 5-10 free hours per week... Hmm. Some of my thoughts...

Streamline your schedule. Run errands when you're already out. Stop watching TV. Stay up later in the evening (this is what works best for me) or get up earlier (doesn't work for me). Ask your family or significant other to handle more tasks around the house.

Don't worry about changing careers right now. By going to school you ARE in the process of changing careers. Perhaps school is your version of the proverbial "working in the mailroom" and when you're out of the mailroom you'll go nowhere but up.

 
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