WORKING OVERTIME
Megan Fielding is part of a growing trend of professionals taking on second jobs,
For some, moonlighting can be a great source of income or a way to explore passions without risk
By day, Megan Fielding is a Toronto-based communications professional. By night, she takes the stage as a theatre performer.
Unlike the typical full-time Canadian employee who works an average 36.6 workweek, Fielding’s “side hustle” or side profession of performing can push her average work week up to 70 hours.
In addition to working 40 hours per week full-time, she’ll spend about 13 hours a week rehearsing for a show that’s four or five months away and then, during crunch time (when the performance is two weeks away), her rehearsal time ramps up to 25 to 30 hours per week.
While Statistics Canada hasn’t released numbers on how many Canadians engage in a side hustle, the growing popularity of websites such as Etsy, Uber and Airbnb suggest that a number of Canadians are seeking more fulfilment or cash beyond their typical 9to-5 jobs.
For some, the side hustle can strictly be about making extra money. But for others like Fielding, it’s more about the freedom to pursue a passion professionally without the financial pressure of doing so full time.
In Fielding’s case, it could take a performer years of “paying their dues” or many free shows before he or she lands an agent or a paying gig. She views her side hustle as an investment in her career as a performer, without having to endure the lifestyle of a starving artist.
“I’ve loved to dance and sing since I was 3 years old, but performing full time and dealing with the financial reality of that would have taken the love out of it,” says Fielding. “Community theatre allows me to continue building my performance CV and get noticed, so I am that much more positioned for a paying show if the right one comes along.”
Like Fielding, Rosemary McCracken considers her side career as a financial-crime novelist one of passion more than money.
While the Toronto-based author of the Pat Tierney financial-crime series receives royalties from the two fiction novels she’s written, her main source of income comes from being a full-time freelance journalist writing for various trade publications.
Despite having some financial success with her novels to date, McCracken doesn’t intend to give up her day job anytime soon.
“The two professions feed each other creatively,” says McCracken. “In my financial journalism articles, I come across a lot of cases where elderly clients fall victim to financial fraud. I can then use some of that content to fuel my fiction down the road.”
Along with fulfilment and extra money that come from the side hustle, there’s also a downside to consider: stress.
“When I get back edits from the editor on my novel, I have about 48 hours to respond,” says McCracken. “That’s when the worrying comes in about how I can respond to those changes at the same time as meeting deadlines from other publications.”
If you’re wondering how to juggle a part-time job or passion without compromising your full-time job, here is what these “side hustlers” and experts suggest:
Full disclosure with your current employer Before engaging in a type of side hustle, disclose your intentions to your current employer, says Larry Mos- er, vice-president of adviceDirect at BMO Financial Group in Ottawa.
“Communication is the first and best course of action with your employer, because many employment contracts require disclosure of outside business activities, even charity work,” he says.
Fielding has always been open with her employer about her external commitments and has found her team at Telus to be quite supportive.
“My managers and team also always rally a big group together to come see the show and support me in person.”
Flexibility with full-time hours As a full-time freelance journalist, McCracken is completely at the helm of her time, which enables her to switch back and forth between her professions when necessary.
However, for full-time employees required to be at the office during the hours of 9 to 5, the juggling of a side hustle and its time commitments can be tricky. This is why a work-from-home option at Telus is critical for Fielding.
“By working remotely, I can start my day earlier, put in my eight hours and leave earlier to get to a rehearsal on time.”
Build in your down time A lifestyle of side hustling has very little down time, adds Ivan Ramirez, a Toronto-based graphics designer by day and a hip-hop artist known as Divo by night.
“Every day after work, I’m either in the studio producing more music or hustling to promote it and grow the business,” says Ramirez. His wife often forces him to take a break.
“You do need your down time to ensure you stay inspired and can continue doing your side hustle at your best, or else it’s not worth pursuing at all.”