Recently I did the math and have found my weekly income has dropped about 20% from what it was when I was working full time at the newspaper and part time on my internet marketing business. (To refresh, I am now working full time at my internet marketing business full and part time at an inn.)
But here’s what my life looks like at my part time job:
There is also the added benefit of being able to bring Sadie with me to work. And the worst thing I’ve dealt with to date was a flooded bathroom and in the end, that turned out pretty funny and not at all stressful.
Full time, I’m at home at my desk, and very occasionally on the road meeting with people. And being home is a pretty comfortable place for someone to be.
Sure, it has gotten more stressful working for myself in some respects (like not having a regular paycheck) but in a lot of ways, my life has simplified.
I am saving lots of time commuting, and using that extra hour a day to get in a morning hike or workout. I am feeling much less tension and pain in my back and shoulders which I attribute to a combination of a nice chair and taking breaks when I need to. My friends and family say I seem happier. So in short, I have a simpler life with a smaller paycheck.
But the other side of a coin is the prestige and challenges that come with a higher stress job. At the Inn, it’s funny that people often think I’m a college student, or seem surprised that I’m well educated. Is my ‘simple life’ a cop out because I am worried about how I’d do climbing a corporate ladder?
It’s a tough call in some ways. I feel like I’m still figuring it out.
What about you: Given a choice, would you pick a higher paying job with more stress or a lower paying job with less?