Need a Weekend Job, to Feed Your Soul?

Lots of people look forward to the weekend, when they can take some time off. I'm a bit different, and can't wait to head for my second job.

This weekend I'm at Stratton Mountain in Vermont, where I coach skiing. My clients are kids between the ages of six and eight, and I work with the same group of about 12 kids all winter long.

Above you see four of my kids. To protect their privacy, let's call them Brown, Red, Blue and Gray. They are among the best skiers of their age group, and all can ski any trail on the mountain, and any glades portion of the woods.

Brown is a spectacular skier, but a horrible stander. He'll tackle any steep incline or bump run, but once we stop, he flops to the ground. No matter how many times I request that he stand up like everyone else, he flops to the ground.

Red is a natural skier. I'm not sure anyone taught him to ski; he just knows, and his technique is wonderful. He favors cheese Doritos, and for that reason he generally has orange teeth.

Blue is - I kid you not - a 95-pound seven-year-old who speaks like a mature teenager. He prefers to be ten feet behind me when we ski, and he matches me turn for turn, run after run.

Gray is one of those people who just quietly gets it done while everyone else is planning how to do it. He is always happy, always up for a challenge, and always a pleasure to be around.

During the week - in my real job - I work with a variety of corporate clients and money definitely influences which assignments I accept.

During the weekend, I commit to work almost every weekend and all holidays from December through March.

I don't work weekends for the money; I work to feed my soul. It's a wonderful thing to ski down the mountain with Brown, Red, Blue, Gray and the rest of my kids and know that two months ago they couldn't navigate the bumps they now sail through. It's a pleasure to know that last year Orange was afraid of the woods, and this year she can't wait to go in there.

The irony is that working more isn't harder, it's easier. If I didn't work with kids on the weekend, I'd have less energy to give my clients during the week. If I didn't have intellectual challenges during the week, I wouldn't be so delighted to be purely physical during the weekend.

If you're exhausted at the end of work week - and reluctant to go back to work after the weekend - maybe the problem isn't with your job. Perhaps you need a second job, not for the money, but for your soul.

Bruce Kasanoff is the author of How to Self-Promote without Being a Jerk, a simple little book that can help you overcome one of the toughest career challenges. It is available exclusively on Amazon.

Find Bruce at Kasanoff.com or on Twitter@BruceKasanoff.