I'm stuck in a job that pays less than what I make in a day from side gigs

I'm almost 35. When I read articles about work-life balance and income growth without overcommitting to a single job, I see myself in those stories.

I graduated from a top technical university with honors, which helped me land a job at a major company in Hanoi. But after a year, I realized the job did not suit me. The salary was too low to cover living expenses, let alone save for a home or future family. I decided to resign.

A woman is calling her client at work. Illustration by Pexels

My manager at the time convinced me to stay. Out of respect for the person who gave me my first job, I agreed. However, no matter how hard I worked, I had to wait for a long time to get a small raise. As the youngest in my department, promotion was not an option either.

To increase my income, I took on freelance IT work. I was lucky. With effort and good timing, I started making money fast. Some days, I earned as much as my monthly salary.

Now, after 11 years in the workforce, a decade at my company, and eight years of side gigs, I own two houses in Hanoi—one for living, one for rent—worth about $670,000 total. I also have a car.

But I am still worried. I have a family and two kids. Even though we manage our spending carefully, our expenses are still several times my salary. My side income has dropped due to lower demand for my products. Balancing my main job, business, and family has become overwhelming. Even after hiring two employees to help with my business, I still feel stretched thin. My health is not as strong as before.

I keep asking myself: Should I quit and focus entirely on my business or stay at my company? Luckily, in my industry, 34 is not considered old. But getting promoted right now takes more than just hard work.

My boss trusts me because I deliver results fast. However, I always refuse overtime and weekend tasks—I need time to rest, be with my family, and manage my business. Meanwhile, older colleagues take on extra hours to prove their dedication.

One of my closest college friends has worked at a large company since graduation and now makes nearly $4,000 a month. He has fewer assets than I do, but his income is stable. He does not have to worry about his future.

I feel lost. Maybe this is the midlife crisis people talk about. What should I do next?