I once had a career coach tell me that I’m one of the most multipassionate people she’s ever met, and honestly, I would agree. I’ve never really been a ‘one-track’ person. Just like how I have many hobbies and interests, my professional identity has multiple facets, too. I love the strategic, detailed marketing and events work I do from my desk, but I also crave the tactile, face-to-face magic of real estate and staging. Building a hybrid career and balancing the two isn’t about being ‘busy,’ it’s about being whole.
THE INFRASTRUCTURE- THE 4-DAY FRAMEWORK
Full disclosure: I am incredibly lucky to work at a company that offers a 4-day workweek and unlimited PTO. For me, these aren’t just perks, but structural supports that make building a hybrid career possible.
From 9 -5 Monday through Thursday, I’m “all in” on marketing so that I have the mental space to be “all in” for real estate on Friday, weekends, and before and after work. I know that not everyone has the luxury of a 4-day workweek, but that doesn’t mean it’s not still possible. I also block off some time before and after work, a couple of mornings and evenings a week, to focus on some real estate tasks or attend trainings.
Time management is absolutely crucial to building a hybrid career. Whether it’s waking up an hour earlier some days or blocking off Saturday mornings for a few months, it’s important to carve out time to focus on building that second business in order to achieve your goals.
THE WORKFLOW: SHARED TOOLS
I’m also incredibly fortunate that the two roles I am in actually feed each other. For instance, my marketing experience helps me keep my digital strategy sharp for my social media accounts and listings. Meanwhile, real estate keeps me grounded in people, homes, and tangible results. By recognizing the similarities between the two, I’m able to use those overlapping skills to get even better in both careers.
I am also a big fan of a good “Command Center.” From my planner and Google Calendar, where I keep track of appointments, trainings, work deadlines, and more, to my desk, which I keep organized so I don’t get distracted by clutter, having a clean space and an organized system are both extremely important to building a hybrid career. I also love using project management tools like Notion to keep track of things! I’ve always been an “inbox zero” girl, but I also have one afternoon a week when I spend a bit of time going through all my email accounts to make sure I’m not missing anything!
THE GOAL: BUILDING FOR AUTONOMY
What might be the most important piece of building a hybrid career and balancing a full-time job with a part-time one is finding your why: if you don’t have a good reason for why you’re doing this, you are more likely to lose focus and sight of your goals.
For me, my “why” boils down to one of my key values: autonomy. Ask any therapist I’ve had, and this comes up very often – I need to feel autonomous in my life. So, for me, I’m investing my extra hours now to buy back my future. I want a life where I have the flexibility to prioritize being a mom, a baker, or a traveler. I’m building a world where my career supports my life’s milestones, rather than competing with them. I also want to achieve a level of financial freedom that feels secure in today’s world. For me, that means having multiple streams of income and knowing that my success is the direct result of my own vision and work. I’m building the autonomy today that I know I’ll need tomorrow.
I also am an advocate by nature. It’s not just about communicating, it’s about championing new ideas. Ultimately, meaningful work and actually seeing the impact of the words I use and the connections I’ve made to help someone bring me so much joy. That’s the feeling I want to carry into my future.
THE SAGE ADVICE
Building a hybrid career isn’t easy, but it’s worth it in the end. And I’m living proof that you can do both. I get it – plenty of influencers and life coaches will tell you to just “take the leap” and, in this economy? That’s just not reasonable. But it doesn’t mean you can’t do anything.
If you’re feeling the pull to build something of your own but you’re afraid to let go of the safety net, don’t let go. Just start drawing the bridge. You’d be surprised how much you can build when you have a steady foundation underneath you.
How do you juggle a hybrid career? Tell me in the comments!