Balancing Two Full-Time Lives (And Why It’s Harder Than It Looks)

byshawn8183

963 followers

2 weeks ago

I wanted to write this blog as a real check-in, because balancing life right now has been one of the hardest parts of this journey.

On one side, I’ve got my full-time career as a truck driver. Long hours. Unpredictable schedules. Real responsibility. When the phone rings, you go. There’s no “I’ll do it later.”

On the other side, I’m running a brand. Writing books. Managing audiobooks. Apparel. Social platforms. Content creation. Learning new systems. Trying to stay consistent without burning myself out.

Running both at the same time is a challenge I don’t think people truly understand until they’re living it.

When Life Takes the Wheel

This past month has been a slower one on the website side. I haven’t pushed the site much at all. Most of what’s coming in is from free traffic, mainly Google,Bing, and social media and honestly, that’s okay.

Sometimes life takes over.

And when it does, you don’t quit.
You adjust.

Even with less time to actively push, the foundation is still working:

• My books are earning every single day
• My audiobooks are earning every single day
• The apparel shop is coming together slowly but steadily

That’s the power of building things that don’t disappear when you step away for a few days.

Facebook Has Been Carrying a Lot of Weight

One place I have been very active is Facebook.

Over the last 28 days alone:

• 561,000+ organic views
• 15,000+ content interactions
• Nearly 275,000 viewers reached
• $50+ earned directly from content, just text and images

No ads. No boosting. Just consistency, learning what works, and staying present.

For me, that $50 isn’t about the amount. It’s proof of concept. It’s proof that content, conversation, and community matter.

I’ve also started learning more about Reels, not to chase trends, but to save time and improve reach. If something helps me do more with less effort, it’s worth learning.

Finding Time by Fixing Systems

Time has been tight. Really tight.

So I finally connected my three social platforms together so I could run them more efficiently from one place. Not because I wanted shortcuts, but because I was running out of hours in the day.

Funny thing is, once I did that, my Pinterest numbers actually started going up too:

• 153,000+ impressions
• 5,600+ engagements
• 1,000+ saves
• 48,000+ total audience reached

All from tightening systems, not working longer hours.

That was a big reminder for me:
You don’t always need more time. Sometimes you just need better structure.

Instagram Isn’t Exploding (And That’s Okay)

Instagram has been slower. Views are down compared to other platforms, but interactions are actually up. That tells me something important: the audience that is there is engaging more.

Not every platform moves at the same speed. And that’s okay. The goal isn’t perfection. It’s progress.

The Part That Meant the Most

One thing that really stood out to me this month was when another member reached out just to check in.

That meant more than they probably realize.

This kind of work can feel lonely sometimes. You’re grinding quietly. Building behind the scenes. Trying to balance real life with long-term goals.

So when someone checks in, it’s a reminder that this community actually cares. And that matters more than any metric.

Still Here. Still Moving Forward.

Some days I honestly wish I could stretch time into 30-hour days, but until that happens, I’ll keep doing the best I can with what I’ve got.

There’s always another day to keep going.

I’m planning to get a few more blogs up before the end of the month once things calm down a bit. One blog I really want to write soon is about becoming an author breaking down exactly how I created books, built an author name, and started earning with audiobooks.

That one’s coming.

For now, I’m heading back out trucking again today.

Just wanted to check in, be real with you guys, and let you know I’m still here and not going anywhere.

See you on the flip side. 👊 Shawn