Are you thinking about getting a pet? Perhaps you already have an animal who is a huge part of your life? If so, then it’s important to make sure that they are getting the right level of support and attention. During the health pandemic, there were a lot of COVID puppies. These animals were bought or rescued while people were stuck living at home. When things returned to normal the owners quickly became aware that they did not fit into the more typical daily routine. That’s why it’s important to make sure that you are taking steps to effectively ensure that your pet and your career don’t clash. So, let’s look at some of the possibilities you can explore to ensure that this is the case.
Think Carefully About The Right Pet For You
First, you should think about choosing the right pet for you. Some pets will not require as much time or attention as others. Instead, they can live more independently without constant inputs into their lives. An example of this would be cats. Cats are often perfectly happy to remain independent the majority of the day. They do like company and indeed comfort, but this will always be on their terms instead yours. As such, you can leave them at home throughout the day while you go to work and come back in the evening. Most cats will be fine with this type of setup. However, it does depend on the individual personality and indeed the behavior of the specific animal.
In contrast, dogs tend to be more social and require almost constant company to be happy. This isn’t true for all breeds of dog. You should explore which breeds have more energy and which ones are less active throughout the day. In doing so, you can find the ideal match for your specific lifestyle.
As well as this, there are also animals that will require far less maintenance and care. For instance, rabbits will generally be happy throughout the day as long as you have a couple and they have enough space. We’ll discuss this a little more further down.
Hybrid Work And Other Models
Next, you should think about the different work models and which ones are going to prove to be useful or provide benefits for you. For instance, you might want to explore a hybrid work model. Hybrid work models have become more popular with business owners as well as employees around the world. Again, this was another response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many employers are now willing to provide this option as a benefit to employees who are starting in a new position. As such, you should explore whether this option is going to be available to you.
If this option isn’t available in your current position or career, then you could also explore possibilities such as freelancing. The benefit of freelancing is that you will be able to determine your own hours and decide when or how you want to work. This means that you can work with your pet at home. You just need to make sure that you are dedicating enough time to every area of your life and neglecting one over another.
Make Quality Time
You are never going to be able to give 100% of your time to your animal, even if you want to. There will always be time constraints as well as personal and professional priorities that must be your main consideration.
However, you should ensure that the time you do have for your pet is used the right way. This means that you should dedicate some of your time to play with them and engage with them or exercise with them. In doing so, they are less likely to bug you when you can’t provide them with the attention they need. You need to consider how much play an animal needs. Certain dogs like lab-retrievers need at least a couple of hours of play each day. You can learn more about these animals here and find out whether they would be the right fit for you.
Use Technology
As is often the case in the modern age, using the right technology can make things significantly easier when you are trying to balance your pet and your career. For instance, you can keep an eye on your pet at home using a remote camera. This is similar to the tech parents use to keep an eye on their kids when they are in bed. Some tech available on the market will also allow you to engage directly with your furry friend while they are in the house alone. This can include dispensing treats or perhaps releasing a ball or toy for them to play. The kinks are still being worked out for tech like this but it could still be worth exploring.
Think About The Commute
Another important consideration would be the time it takes you to get home from home and vice versa. Ideally, you should never be too far away from your pet. You need to make sure that you can come back when necessary. The ideal situation would be spending your lunch hour with your pet so they see you through the day. Most dogs are going to appreciate this instead of being left alone for more than seven hours straight. You could also manage your hours so you are home early in the evening as long as you are not too far away.
Consider Getting Two
Finally, you might want to think about purchasing two animals instead of one. The obvious benefit of taking this step is that the animals will keep one another company even when you are not there. However, there are key considerations to think about here. First, if you already have a pet, then you need to make sure that you are introducing the second animal the right way. If you don’t do this, then there is often going to be friction and confrontation. In some cases, putting two animals together will result in one being more dominant. This is fine as long as you can trust them to be by themselves. Bear in mind that putting two animals together may not always solve the problem that you may have when one has an issue with attachment. You could find that one animal is perfectly happy to be left alone while the other is anxious throughout the day and does develop physical or emotional issues.
You also need to ensure that you can handle both animals and there is enough space for both inside of your home.
We hope this helps you understand some of the key steps that you must take to ensure that you don’t have issues balancing your career and the needs of your pet. It’s important that your pet isn’t neglected in favor of furthering your career. Similarly, you need to make sure that you can handle the requirements of your pet while still earning an income and gaining the quality of life that you hoped for.
Remember, these days businesses are required to be a little more flexible to meet the requirements of the employees. In some cases, it might be possible to take your pet with you to work. This is something to enquire about during an interview if they are wellbehaved and don’t have any issues being around other people. It’s still rare to find this type of setup. However, by mentioning the possibility, you might find that there are other options that you can explore with your employer.
Image Credits: Helena Lopes
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