A navigator’s plotting pad for side work
Before you choose a direction for side work, take a position fix.
Sextant Pad is an educational notebook for people who hold a full-time job and are weighing work on the side. We do not sell courses, opportunities or income plans. We help you note four honest readings — free hours, fixed costs, skills and energy — so any course you plot starts from where you really are.
The instrument
Read the scale, then draw the line
A sextant does not tell a navigator where to go. It measures an angle so the position can be plotted. Side work deserves the same order: measure first, plot second, and keep the first leg short.
Worksheet
The four readings at a glance
| Reading | What to note | Why it matters | Common error |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free hours | Hours actually free in two ordinary weeks, written down daily | Side work competes with rest, family and your main job | Counting the hours you wish you had |
| Fixed costs | Bills your main income must cover regardless of anything else | Side income is irregular and should not carry fixed bills | Planning around money not yet received |
| Skills | Things you already do well enough that others pay for them | Starting from a skill shortens the first leg | Confusing an interest with a skill |
| Energy | When in the week you still have attention left | Tired work leads to mistakes and to quitting | Assuming every evening is usable |
Hazards on the chart
Risks to mark before you set out
- H-01
Fees
Platforms, marketplaces and payment services keep a share of each sale or charge for withdrawals. Gross receipts are not what reaches your account.
- H-02
Tax
Extra income usually has to be declared. Rules depend on your country and situation; keep records from the first payment and ask an accountant when unsure.
- H-03
Fatigue
Hours taken from sleep and rest come back as errors at your main job and at the side work. Fatigue is a reading, not a weakness.
- H-04
Employment contract
Some contracts restrict outside work, competing activity or use of company equipment and information. Read yours before you begin.
- H-05
Offers that ask for payment
A real employer does not charge you to start working. Requests for a “registration fee”, deposit, starter kit or bank login are warning lights.
Logbook
Articles on the pad
-
01
Log 01 · Method
Taking a position fix before choosing side work
Four readings to note before picking any direction for work alongside a full-time job: free hours, fixed costs, skills and energy.
-
02
Log 02 · Hazard
Fake job offers that ask you to pay first
Common patterns of fraudulent “work from home” offers that request fees, deposits or banking access, and the checks that expose them.
-
03
Log 03 · Charts
Reading your employment contract before any side work
Exclusivity, confidentiality, conflict of interest and equipment clauses: what to look for in your own contract before working on the side.
-
04
Log 04 · Ledger
Fees, taxes and records for small side income
Why gross receipts are not what you keep: platform fees, payment costs, tax duties and the simple ledger that keeps them visible.
Contact
Write to the chart room
Corrections, questions about a source or privacy requests: [email protected]. Support is by email only; we usually reply within two business days.
No phone line · No chat · No personal consultations