Over the last year my life has been a constant rotation between school deadlines, Instacart batches, crypto positions, and everything that my household needs from me. It has not been an easy balance but it has turned into one of the most productive stretches of my life. I am deep into my data science bachelors program and every week I feel the impact of those skills showing up directly in the way I earn money and manage my day.
People think data science is just coding but the truth is that it has rewired the way I think. Every class I take forces me to slow down and break things into smaller parts. That same mindset spills directly into my Instacart workflow. When I pick up batches I am not just shopping. I am analyzing stores based on historical earnings, estimating drive time based on my Tesla battery level, and tracking how each decision affects my revenue for the day. It turns a simple gig into something closer to an optimization problem.
On a daily basis the work is nonstop. Some days I wake up at three in the morning and start knocking out school assignments before the city even wakes up. Other days I am watching lectures and replying to discussion boards in the car between deliveries. I switch between being a student and being a gig worker sometimes ten times in one day. The grind is real but it is sharpening me. It is forcing me to build discipline in long stretches instead of quick bursts.
On a weekly basis I can see the growth. Week by week my assignments get more complex. I am writing SQL queries that used to intimidate me. I am comparing R and Python in class and then later that same day I am using what I learned to track my Instacart revenue. I am building tables to calculate my weekly net income after Tesla charging, food expenses, and savings. I am tracking data that most drivers never even think about because now I understand how powerful it is to have clean information.
Every two weeks the improvement becomes obvious. When financial aid hits or when I cash out from Instacart or Prolific, I organize the numbers the same way I break down an assignment. I use the same analytical approach to build repeatable revenue. If one store gives me higher tips at specific times, I log it. If my Tesla charges are more efficient at certain hours, I record it. If I see a pattern in the batches that drop on the weekend, I adapt my schedule. These are not guesses anymore. They are data driven decisions tied directly to my education.
My bachelors program is not just a degree. It is becoming the backbone of how I operate. It is turning my Instacart activity into a system. It is improving the way I budget. It is improving the way I manage my mental energy. It is making me more strategic with crypto and helping me eliminate emotional decisions.
This journey has been messy at times. I have had nights where I fall asleep on my keyboard. I have had mornings where I feel burnout chasing me down. But I have also had days where I can clearly see how all of this is going to pay off. The combination of academic growth and real world gig work is giving me a blueprint for long term income that is actually sustainable.
And the best part is that I am just getting started.
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That sounds good! All the best with your studies and gig work!
Eventually you won’t have to live like this anymore. Next level is coming!
This is the definition of building discipline. The way you're applying a data mindset to optimize everything from Instacart batches to your daily schedule is incredibly impressive. You're building a foundational skillset that goes far beyond any diploma or paycheck. Keep sharpening the saw! 💪
Systems drive us, the more data you have to make your system tighter, the better. Now that I am managing other people's money and getting paid for it, I have had to come up with an extremely tight system to make the max income vs capital protection, so it's gotten me into this insane mechanical mindset, lol. But hey, I am making money, so I am doing something right, lol. My ADHD, pattern loving brain lives for shit like this, lol.
Keep it up brother, glad to see you back around the chain. But then again, I am hit or miss these days myself.