When job interviews cut into your vacation time

Q. My interviews are taking up a lot of my PTO. They’re eating into my vacation time that I set aside. Should I stop interviewing? But I really need a new job.

A. I hear you especially this time of year. I wouldn’t stop interviewing, but I would express your concern to interviewers and ask if it’s possible to accommodate you during lunchtime or first thing in the morning or late in the day. If they’re virtual, of course, it’ll be easier for you but to commute to the interview for a couple of hours and multiple rounds (with potentially multiple companies as well) alongside an upcoming vacation can feel like a Catch-22.

You need the new job and you’re making strides toward it. Don’t give up. Keep going! And still hold onto the vacation. Can you go into negative PTO hours and then accrue after the vacation? I would do what you can do to pursue both wholeheartedly.

Q. How can I balance everything? Asking for a friend. I’m launching an app and I work full-time and try to workout before work and spend time with my girlfriend and friends. On top of adulting like taking care of my car and motorcycle. Drowning here. Advice?

A. You definitely have a lot on your plate. I won’t use the words work-life balance because it’s more of a push-pull. Heavier on the work may mean lighter on life and vice versa in a fluid, constant motion as they’re tethered.

First and foremost, I’d prioritize your health. Your sleep, nutrition, hydration — the basics. Your mental health, too — your employer may have resources you can tap to manage the stress. Everything else tends to fall into place (more on this in a second), but if you don’t have your health, you have nothing. Prevent burnout at all costs — and it can be costly.

Next, if you haven’t already done this, I’d create structure around your days. How often do you work on your app? Is the goal to quit the day job at some point, if so, when? Crunch the numbers and speak to your financial adviser. I’d begin with the end in mind — what’s the end game?

And if it is to have the app as a side hustle while continuing your full-time job, then it may be more of an internal juggling act. Can you work out during lunchtime? Squeezing everything is not always easy, that’s for sure, and it’s really important to decompress and enjoy spending quality time with your partner and friends.

I’d lean into ways to better streamline your life like taking care of your car and motorcycle, whether that’s scheduling tuneups on your online calendar and color coding it for personal appointments, social life, the app and of course, work.

Try to compartmentalize and don’t be over-ambitious. Things will take more time than you anticipate.

When you officially launch the app, certain things may need to take a back seat and then once it’s up and running after a while, it may need to step aside for something else on your plate.

If you’re completely overwhelmed, take a deep breath and take things one day at a time, especially since you don’t want the exhaustion to take a toll at work to negatively impact your performance there.

Be nimble, be flexible, be patient and again, be sure to put yourself first.

Vicki Salemi is a career expert, former corporate recruiter, author, consultant, speaker, and career coach./Tribune News Service