If You Feel Lonely, Pick Up a Part-Time Job
By: Justin Estes
Tags: Work, Careers, Personal Development, Money, Self Improvement

Loneliness is not a fun feeling.

You can be surrounded by people but still feel lonely.

But in my life, I’ve always felt a surplus of belonging and joy when I worked multiple jobs.

At times I can seem like a workaholic, but I really enjoy being around people and being productive.

There was one point where I was working full-time as an accountant, part-time as a barista, and part-time at Lululemon during the holiday season last year.

This may be surprising, but I never felt overwhelmed by my workload because my part-time jobs provided so much Social stimulation that I sometimes forgot I was being paid.

Today I want to dive into a few reasons why adding another part-time job to your workload can ward off loneliness and increase your happiness.

Work Anywhere

Part-time jobs can be found anywhere from retail to food and beverage to online team Building or joining a nonprofit.

If you feel safe working at a store or restaurant, take some time to think about your favorite places and try to get a job there.

This is how I got my job at Lululemon because I love their clothes and their Fitness inspired mentality, so when I applied, it just felt natural to be with that group of people.

I haven’t worked there in almost a year, but I still stay in touch with my old team members to visit the store whenever I have a chance.

The beauty of part-time work is that the barrier to entry is pretty low, and you have a wide range of potential employers.

Full-time work is a little harder to transition with because you have to worry about salary or benefits or commission packages and much more competitive interview processes.

Since part-time work usually pays between $10 and $20 an hour, you shouldn’t worry about how much you’re making because it will be so similar across the board.

You should focus on who your co-workers will be and what the ethos of the company is because That should be your biggest concern with an additional part-time job.

I used to think that working at my favorite restaurant, coffee shop, or store would take the special’ness away from the brand, but it enhanced how I felt about it.

So if you’re looking for another part-time job to make more friends and find some inspiration, make a list of your favorite places and ask if they’re hiring.

Make Friends

Most of my lifelong friends have been made from my part-time jobs. I still keep in touch with my high school lifeguarding friends, recent friends, Lululemon friends, and even my Sunglass Hut friends, although I only work there for a couple of months.

I think it’s easier to make friends at part-time jobs because you are always gathered together for a common purpose. As a lifeguard, we are there to protect people and make sure nobody drowns; when you sell clothes, you are trying to hit your goal for the day, and when you make coffee, you get to enjoy a million awesome flavors every day.

The company mission and sales objectives are a powerful adhesive for team alignment, so you should make friends very quickly.

Suppose you’re looking for friends to help you escape the stress of your 9–5. In that case, you might want to work at a bar because bartenders are amazing entertainers and are usually hilarious people that make everybody laugh (plus free alcohol is always great).

If you want to relax and Bond over a hobby, find a retail store that focuses on a specific niche like a knitting store, or a guitar store, or a candle store. The people that work at these type of stores typically enjoy their product and have an extensive knowledge of the industry as a whole.

These co-workers will make great friends to work on your hobbies and learn more about your favorite activities.

Open New Doors

Career level jobs usually provide a general path for progression, and you are building professional skills as well as expertise in your field.

Adding a part-time job can also help you open new doors that you wouldn’t even look for at your full-time job.

New doors can include exposure to new restaurants, better ways to fold clothes, Or an introduction to the business partner that you didn’t know you needed (I’m speaking from experience in all three of these, by the way, Lululemon finally taught me how to fold my clothes).

Deconstructing Loneliness

If you need friends and social stimulation, I strongly encourage you to find another part-time job.

Quarantine to make things tricky, but thanks to technology and the internet, there are so many ways to safely find an opportunity that will meet your needs exactly.

And the bonus of all of this is extra cash in your pocket, which always helps.

Life can be tough, so get out there, make some new friends, and get another part-time job!