Minimum wage isn’t just money. It’s your Tuesday afternoon, sold. Make sure it’s building something.

A low paid job takes real hours out of a real week, and the wage rarely reflects that. Money is not the only return available, though. Some jobs also hand you a skill, a reference, a habit of turning up, or a clear look at how a business actually runs.

Work out what your current one gives you besides the pay. If the answer is genuinely nothing, start looking for another at the same rate that teaches you something. If there is something, take it deliberately rather than just enduring the shift.