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43Folders.com is Merlin Mann’s website about finding the time and attention to do your best creative work.

Getting Ahead without Getting Behind.

I work a full-time job (that I don't particularly enjoy), have a wife and little girl (that I do enjoy), and am going to school online full-time. GTD is helping me to make the best use of my available time, but it doesn't seem like enough. My someday/maybe list is growing increasingly longer, and my career is at a stand still until I finish school. I want to switch careers, more specifically I want to develop web applications with Ruby on Rails(RoR). Currently though, I don't have the spare time needed to devote to RoR. My job is barely paying the bills, so I can't save up a reserve to quit work for a while and develop full-time. I refuse to give up what little family time I have, PERIOD! And with school, I don't have the time to pickup any projects that require more than a couple hours of work a week. By 11:30 I am exhausted, and the 30 minutes or so that I have free at that time is usually less than productive. My day job is becoming more and more frustrating. I don't think I will be able to continue this job, and full-time school for the 4 years that is needed to complete my degree. So, how can I get ahead without getting behind? I am running out of ideas, but know that something has got to change.

TOPICS: Ask 43f
shayarnett's picture

re: ebrodeur

Thank you for the tips on positive reinforcement.

I didn't mean for the post to sound so gloomy, or to come off that I was special because my job sucks. I am not happy with my job and want to change it, not just blow off steam. I wasn't intending for it to look like I was searching for a system either. I like GTD so far, it is helping me tremendously. I am not depressed that my someday/maybe list is getting long, that line meant to read that I have eliminated all of the unnecessary commitments in my life by moving them to someday/maybe.

The reason for the post was to drum up some creative ideas on how I could make a career change with 5-10 hours of free time scattered throughout the week.

Hope that kinda clears up my intentions, and thanks for the suggestions.

 
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