It's 5:00 AM on a Friday, and I'm making honey lemon tea in the dark. The tea bag quote reads: "Compassion is the constant act of giving oneself to others." In an hour, I'll be coaching 20 people through a Pvolve workout class. By 9:30 AM, I'll be in AWS strategy meetings. By noon, I'll have coached clients through strength training and presented to executives on Machine Learning and AI.

"So what do you do?" It's the question everyone asks at networking events. My answer usually gets a double-take: "I'm a Principal Business Development Manager at AWS, and I teach Pvolve fitness classes." The follow-up is always the same: "How do you have the time?"

The truth? Having two careers isn't about finding time—it's about protecting your health and your joy.

Yes, it's a sacrifice to get out of bed when it's cold and dark outside at 5 AM. But we show up for each other. This isn't about grinding harder or hustling more. It's about investing time in the areas where you're gifted and growing those gifts.

I've spent over 30 years of my life moving my body to music—as a dancer, performer, and now fitness instructor. At Amazon, these skills translate directly: public speaking on stage, confidence presenting ideas to executive leaders and customers, reading the room in real-time. At Pvolve, I teach on a microphone and deliver intentional programming based on biomechanics and exercise science. I was a client for 8 months before joining the team as a trainer, investing 150+ hours into certification to teach strength training and weight lifting to people in my community.

People often ask how I maintain a full-time job at Amazon while teaching between 2 to 8 fitness classes a week. The answer isn't solely time management—it's mostly energy management. And it's rooted in the best career advice I've ever received: Do what you are good at.

I've been burned out twice in my career. Both times, it wasn't because I was doing too much—it was because I was doing too much of the same thing. Too many hours on the computer. Too absorbed in tech. Not enough focus on my physical health.

The first time, I left Amazon in 2018 after four years. The second time taught me the lesson that stuck: my health isn't optional. It's not a "nice to have" or a "when I have time" activity. It's foundational to being able to show up as my best self—in tech, in fitness, in life.

When I'm spending 8-10 hours a day in meetings, on email, solving technical problems, my body needs movement the way my brain needs sleep. Teaching fitness classes isn't taking time away from my career—it's making my career sustainable.

The tech industry has always been cyclical—expansions and contractions are part of the landscape. I've watched incredibly talented colleagues navigate career transitions, and it's reinforced something important: diversifying your skills and identity isn't just smart—it's essential for long-term career resilience.

When one career demands more, the other provides balance. When I'm deep in complex AWS strategy, my morning classes remind me that I have a body that needs attention. When I'm exhausted from teaching, my tech work engages a different part of my brain. This isn't luck—it's intentional design.

Having two careers doesn't create time scarcity. Spending all your time in one mode—sitting, thinking, staring at screens—that's what creates the brittleness that leads to burnout.

What fascinates me most is how these two careers strengthen each other. The skills I've developed at Amazon make me a better fitness instructor. The lessons I learn in the studio make me more effective at AWS.

From AWS to Pvolve:

From Pvolve to AWS:

At Amazon, we have a saying: "Work hard, have fun, make history." That's exactly what we're doing at Pvolve—making history with a revolutionary exercise method that's changing how people think about strength training and injury prevention. Both environments push me to innovate, to serve customers deeply, and to be part of something bigger than myself.

Maybe these worlds will intersect even more directly in my future. I can envision leveraging AWS technology to enhance fitness experiences, using AI and machine learning to personalize programming, or helping wellness companies scale through cloud infrastructure. The intersection of health tech and enterprise technology is massive, and I'm building expertise in both domains.

Physical separation: At 6 AM, I'm in athletic wear with a microphone. At 9 AM, I'm in business casual in the Amazon office. Different locations, different uniforms, different mindsets.

Temporal separation: My Friday mornings are sacred—6:00-7:00 AM is Pvolve time. My Friday afternoons are equally protected as deep work time for AWS. Clear boundaries create sustainability.

Mental separation: Switching contexts doesn't drain me—it energizes me. Teaching fitness in the morning creates recovery from cognitive work. Strategic thinking in the afternoon balances physical exertion. This isn't multitasking; it's complementary energy management.

High-energy mornings (fitness teaching) fuel focused afternoons (strategic work). Physical work balances cognitive work. Community connection balances solo deep work.

The skills I practice at 6 AM make me better by 9 AM:

Both careers serve: Fitness = helping people feel strong. Tech = helping businesses transform. Purpose across both prevents existential career crises.

When I'm teaching Pvolve, I'm practicing compassion—the constant act of giving oneself to others. When I'm strategizing with AWS customers, I'm doing the same thing. The context changes, but the core value doesn't.

What I stopped doing:

What I started doing:

I didn't hide my fitness teaching from my manager—I made it explicit. Here's the conversation framework:

Lead with value: "Teaching fitness makes me a better presenter, a better relationship-builder, and a better energy manager."

Show the boundaries: "My Friday mornings are committed, but my afternoons are protected for deep work."

Demonstrate results: "My performance hasn't suffered—it's improved. Here's the data."

My manager doesn't just tolerate my dual career—he supports it. Why? Because I've proven that doing what I'm good at makes me better at everything. Amazon values ownership and results, and I deliver both while maintaining clear boundaries.

This isn't a side hustle I picked up last year. I've been building this dual identity for three decades—from dancer and performer, to yoga instructor, to Pvolve trainer.

The 150+ hours I invested in Pvolve certification weren't a distraction from my career—they were an investment in resilience, community, and identity beyond my job title.

In an ever-changing professional landscape, having multiple skill sets isn't a luxury—it's strategic career planning.

When one role becomes more demanding, the other provides balance and perspective. When I'm solving complex technical problems at AWS, my morning classes remind me that impact comes in many forms. When I'm coaching someone through their first strength training class, I'm reminded why customer obsession matters so deeply.

This isn't about being immune to change—it's about being resilient when it happens. The confidence of knowing "I have diverse skills and options" changes everything about how you show up.

You don't need to teach fitness classes. You need to identify what you're good at and invest time in growing those gifts.

Identify your second career: What energizes you outside work? What have you been doing for years that feels like play, not work?

Start micro: I didn't start teaching 8 classes a week. I started with one Friday morning.

Find the complement: Choose something that balances your day job, not competes with it. Physical if your work is cognitive. Community-facing if your work is solo. Creative if your work is analytical.

Negotiate explicitly: Have the conversation with your manager. Lead with value, show boundaries, demonstrate results.

Track the benefits: Document how each career improves the other. The skills you build outside your day job might be exactly what makes you exceptional at it.

Every Friday at 5 AM, when it's cold and dark outside, I ask myself: Is this worth it?

The answer is always yes. Not because I'm superhuman or immune to exhaustion, but because I've learned that compassion—for others and for myself—requires showing up. For my clients. For my colleagues. For the version of myself that refuses to be defined by a single job title.

Recent longevity research shows that relationships are the primary key to a long and healthy life. The relationships I have in the office at Amazon and at the Pvolve studio really fill my cup.

The double life isn't about doing twice the work. It's about protecting your health so you can sustain high performance across decades, not just quarters.

The question isn't "How do you have the time?"

It's "Can you afford NOT to prioritize your physical health alongside your career?"

With love, Madelyn

Madelyn Olavarria is a Principal Business Development Manager at AWS and a certified Pvolve fitness instructor in San Diego. She's been building dual careers for over a decade and writes about career resilience, leadership, and work-life integration at Ondo Project.