Having a second job at 25 years old
Gen Zs and Millennials don’t shy away from side hustles, especially when a second job is extra lucrative. Among them is Chloe Chew, a 25-year-old Singaporean who has been juggling a full-time job as a content strategist for an online publication and a part-time job as a spin instructor since 2022.
However, unlike most people, she didn’t choose to hold down more than one job to make ends meet. Spin started out as her passion project that she wanted to pursue on the side – and it has worked out to this day. We spoke to her about the reality of juggling 2 jobs and the pros and cons of cashing in on her burning love for fitness in her free time.
Putting a part-time position on hold for a full-time job
During her uni gap year in mid-2020 to mid-2021, Chloe applied for a writing internship at TheSmartLocal, a Singaporean-based online publication. HR found that the platform’s Think Tank department might be something more up her alley, and thus began her journey in content strategy.
“The role was sort of like Marketing, but not exactly the same. I got to work on dozens of campaigns and craft short- and long-term strategies for different advertisers. There were different sets of challenges every day which required a lot of creativity and thinking outside of the box. They kept me on my toes – in a good way”, Chloe shared.
After her internship, Chloe returned to school and began training to be a spin instructor later that year. Not only did she personally love spin to begin with, it sounded like a dream job for many. Her schedule was flexible and she was getting paid to don activewear and work out all day.
She then made her official teaching debut on New Year’s Day, 2022, and assumed a full-time Content Strategist role in her internship company about half a year later – thus kicking off her journey juggling 2 jobs.
She may have had a lot on her plate, but it didn’t stop her from chasing her passion for spin. “I was swamped with work. But at the same time, I missed the energy, post-workout endorphins, and the clients who’d come ride a bike with me”, Chloe told us. It certainly helps that her side gig was something she thoroughly enjoyed doing, and helped keep her fit and active as well.
Having to rush off to a second job after clocking off the first
For Chloe, having a side hustle was exactly how she pictured it. It involved a mad rush from the office to the studio every evening when she had to teach. She’d then have to drag her weary body to bed after catching a bus ride home.
Because she had to be up early to teach spin even on weekends, Chloe had to become way more conscious of how she spent her time. This meant bidding farewell to late nights out, and not being able to nua for hours on Netflix and TikTok every night. In short, there was plenty of hard work and sacrifice.
“Almost every day, I’d get up at 5.30am to start work at 8am, so I could finish at 6pm and get to the studio by 7pm. Sometimes, I’d teach 3 classes back-to-back and only go home around 10pm.” Having been a chronic night owl, Chloe found herself transforming into quite the morning person over time.
Image credit: Chloe Chew
At the start and end of every class, Chloe would make an effort to learn the names of the attendees, get to know them a little bit, and make them feel at home. It made getting up at the crack of dawn easier knowing that she’d see some familiar faces, eager to power through a class.
Image credit: Chloe Chew
Cashing in on her free time was all-consuming, but rewarding. “For every hour that I coached a class, I had to spend 2 hours prepping the playlist and sequencing. I loved the thrill of being able to pump up the room and motivate people. Plus, I also met a lot of clients who later became good friends.”
Friendships weren’t the only things that Chloe gained from working in her spare time. She also learned some handy skills. “I mastered the art of time management. With spin, I planned classes at least 3 days ahead. At my full-time job, I gave myself an earlier deadline to complete clients’ projects. That way, I wouldn’t have to scramble assignments last-minute.”
The pros & cons of having an active lifestyle
Chloe’s fitness schedule has always been packed. She taught over 6 hours of spin per week, did pilates every other day, and trained at a boot camp gym over the weekends. It’s fair to say that she’s a fitness champ, through and through. Even if teaching spin wasn’t her part-time job, sports and exercise are clear staples in Chloe’s day-to-day.
Image credit: @thesmartlocalsg via Instagram
“With a full-time job that kept me tethered to a desk 40 hours a week, exercising helped me combat all the sitting and screen-staring that fried my brain. It was a good mental break that also let me stay fit and healthy.”
That said, the fitness junkie also knows the importance of balance and giving her body a chance to rest. Some days, she’d curl up on the couch watching Netflix or simply go for a walk after coming home from work. “People thought I was powerlifting and pedalling every day, but that was far from the truth. There were days that I didn’t exercise at all,” Chloe recalled.
Image credit: Chloe Chew
Rest days were as important as leg days. But, like many workout warriors whose love for sports can sometimes cloud their judgement, Chloe learned it the hard way. “At the start of 2018, I accidentally tore a knee ligament during my touch rugby regime. I remember training every day thinking my body was able to handle it. Turns out, it didn’t.”
Image adapted from: Chloe Chew
In the days following the injury, she was in insufferable pain – so much so that she had to seek immediate private care from a specialist in Singapore. Public hospitals had longer waiting times which she couldn’t imagine having to deal with, and Chloe even feared that she’d never be able to walk again.
“Thankfully, no surgery was needed. However, I had to attend weekly private physiotherapy for months. Besides a few therapeutic knee exercises I did at the clinic, the only other workout I was able to do was hobbling from the couch to the fridge,” she recalled.
Image credit: @thesmartlocalsg via Instagram
After 6 months, countless doctor’s visits, and thousands of dollars spent, Chloe could manage daily walks around the block again. But it wasn’t until the end of the year that she was given the green light from the doctor to get back on the spin bike. Although it took time and the battling of excruciating pain and frustration to get there, Chloe could finally reunite with her beloved workouts.
Learning the importance of insurance, the hard way
Fast forward to 2023, the knee injury that left her on crutches for months served as a constant reminder of how crucial it was to give her body a break in between exercises. It also taught her the importance of having a personal accident insurance plan, especially given how big a role fitness plays in her life.
“The hospital bills were enormous. It began with a $1,000 MRI scan, then weekly $200 physio sessions, and several doctor’s checkups,” Chloe shared. In such cases where unexpected injuries take place, you’d want to be adequately insured to help you tackle the mounting medical costs.
If you’re a fitness fanatic, the likelihood of injury you experience is higher. Accidents can happen anytime, especially if you engage in sports and fitness activities frequently. With a health insurance policy, you’re typically covered for costs associated with hospital stays and undergoing surgery. However, if you do not require hospitalisation, it will not provide coverage.
That said, PA Fitness Protect does cover outpatient medical expenses incurred due to accidents during the sport or exercise. The all-new PA Fitness Protect by Income Insurance is here to keep you covered so you can confidently take your fitness journey to the next level.
Safeguard your sports & workout sessions with PA Fitness Protect
With PA Fitness Protect, you can keep protection less complicated with 2X coverage for medical expenses due to accidental tears, dislocations and fractures¹. A Basic Plan starts from $0.58/day², which – if you think about it – is a steal.
On top of that, you’ll also receive up to $1,000,000 in third-party liability coverage per accident³. Plus, if you have your own sports equipment such as bikes, you can opt for added coverage.
If you sign up for PA Fitness Protect, you’ll get to enjoy up to $90^ fitness vouchers. A smart move is to check out the policy right now in case you have fitness plans coming up, such as attending marathons.
Even if you’re just hitting the gym or field, consider simple and comprehensive protection too because you never know what can happen. Don’t let unexpected events hinder your sporting spirit – focus on pursuing your fitness goals with PA Fitness Protect.
Get simple protection with PA Fitness Protect
This post was brought to you by Income Insurance Limited.
Photography by Shawn Low.
^Promotion T&Cs apply. Please refer to the full promotion terms and conditions.
1. PA Fitness Protect covers medical expenses due to accidents during an insured person’s participation in any sport, exercise or adventurous activity. PA Fitness Protect does not cover claims caused by or arising from any accident that arises in the insured person’s occupation or work.
2. This premium rate is applicable under the Basic Plan coverage, yearly payment arrangement is inclusive of 8% GST (9% GST as of 1 Jan 2024), rounded to the nearest cent.
3. This benefit limit is applicable under Prestige Plan coverage.
All opinions expressed in this article are those of The Smart Local and not of Income Insurance Limited (“Income Insurance”).
TheSmartLocal assumes full responsibility and control over the accuracy and completeness of all information provided in this article. TheSmartLocal is responsible for the accuracy and completeness of all information provided and intellectual property used in this article. Income Insurance is neither responsible nor liable to any party for the content of this article and intellectual property used in this article.
The information provided in this article is for general information only and does not constitute an offer, recommendation, solicitation or advice to buy any product(s). You should seek personalised financial advice before you purchase any insurance product. Purchasing an insurance product that is not suitable for you may impact your ability to finance your future insurance needs. Precise terms, conditions and exclusions of the insurance plan mentioned in this article are found in the policy contract. This plan is underwritten and issued by Income Insurance.
Information is correct as of 15th December 2023.
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