Why work? Why bother? Yesterday I asked you to think about why you work. There are many benefits to a full time, part time or freelance position, and these benefits go far beyond the money that you make. There are also a lot of difficulties associated with working, and some of these may outweigh the money that you make?
How long is your commute? Calculate your hourly wage and include your commute. If you commute more than an hour a day, this can drop your hourly wage substantially. Can you work from home or at hours that are flexible and suit your schedule?
Is child care an issue? For many families, finding child care while the parents are working is the major challenge of work life. If childcare is hard to find or very expensive or if you have more than two children who are not in school, this can tip the balance in favor of having a parent stay home or work from home most of the time.
How about your health? With work, we get exposed to new germs. We’re also more worn out from stressful commutes, meetings, and the interpersonal interactions of work life. Do you find yourself feeling bad and getting sick more often?
Do you find yourself purchasing many new things to facilitate your work? When you work, you need things like clothes for work. You’re also a little more tired, so you may head out to eat more often than usual or pick up lunch on the go. How much does this cost you every week?
How is your quality of life? Overall, when you look at your budget and your work-life balance, do you feel like the job is worth it? If not, it might be time to change jobs to something that works more effectively for your family. Or perhaps you’ll realize that given a few new choices, it would be possible to have one parent stay at home.