Polyworking Explained

It’s no secret anymore — a huge number of millennials are working two, three, even four jobs. Not always because they want to, but because they feel like they have to. Rent’s up, groceries cost more, and saving for the future feels like a luxury. So, people are hustling.

Take Soham Parekh, a 24-year-old programmer from India. He managed to work for multiple Silicon Valley startups — at the same time — without any of them knowing. Some companies thought he lived in California. Turns out, he never left Mumbai.

He used tools like geolocation spoofers, calendar duplicators — even a gadget that kept his computer mouse “moving” while he slept. The guy ran what was basically a tech-job pyramid scheme. And it worked — until someone noticed.

When the founder of Playground AI posted on X about a developer mysteriously underperforming across several projects, it triggered a domino effect. CEOs started comparing notes. Turns out, Soham was collecting full-time salaries from multiple companies while barely delivering part-time work. Reddit and LinkedIn lit up with a full-on manhunt.

But here’s the twist: Soham wasn’t just a one-off scammer. He was the extreme version of something far more common.

The name for it? Polyworking. And while Soham’s case crossed the line into deception, for many others, it’s not fraud — it’s survival.

How Did It Start?

Let’s be honest: most people didn’t start polyworking because it sounded cool. They did it because they looked at their paycheck, looked at their bills, and the math didn’t add up.

Wages haven’t kept pace with inflation. Add global supply shocks, housing costs, and economic instability, and suddenly working more — sometimes much more — feels like the only option.

But it’s not always about the money. Some workers are polyworking to build resilience and expand their skill set. You’ll find marketing professionals moonlighting as video editors. Engineers coding for crypto startups on weekends. For them, it’s about stacking skills, diversifying income, and future-proofing their careers.

One LinkedIn poll cited in Business Insider showed that nearly 37% of Gen Z and millennial professionals are currently juggling more than one job — with some earning an extra $20,000 to $45,000 a year by working 10–20 additional hours weekly.

Still, not everyone’s cheering. Critics like writer Nadya Williams call it a red flag: more hours, less time for family and rest, and a society slowly running on fumes. She’s not alone in worrying that this lifestyle is unsustainable.

But for many workers, polyworking isn’t a phase. It’s the new baseline. A backup plan — and maybe a backup to the backup.

Pros and Cons of Polyworking

The Perks

• Extra income: A second or third job can mean a financial safety net — something millions are craving in today’s economy.
  
• Career security: Losing one job isn’t as devastating when you’ve got multiple streams of income.
  
• Personal growth: Different gigs flex different muscles. One person we spoke to works full-time in HR, freelances as a photographer, and teaches yoga on weekends. “All three feed different parts of me,” she says. She’s not chasing one dream — she’s building a stack of them.
  

The Tradeoffs

• Burnout: You can go from feeling empowered to totally wiped. One wellness coach in Dubai said she had to quit her side gig as an event planner because it drained her ability to show up for clients. “I was telling people to slow down and breathe — while I hadn’t had a real day off in weeks.”
  
• Work conflicts: Missed deadlines, overlapping schedules, unclear priorities — not every polyworker juggles cleanly. Some managers feel like they’re competing with “invisible bosses” from other jobs.

So… Is It Worth It?

A little flexibility can go a long way — if it’s paired with transparency, strong boundaries, and solid time management. Polyworking doesn’t have to be a problem. But it does have to be handled with care — by both workers and employers.

Polyworking Smart: 5 Survival Tips

If you’re going to juggle more than one job, don’t just work harder — work smarter. Here’s how:

1. Time-block ruthlessly
Use calendar tools to assign every hour of your workday. Don’t double-book. Protect deep work windows and rest periods like they’re meetings with your boss — because they kind of are.

2. Be honest (enough)
If your contracts allow it, consider informing your primary employer about your side work — or at least ensure there’s no conflict of interest. Transparency avoids legal and ethical trouble later.

3. Stack skills, not stress
Pick side gigs that complement your main job or long-term goals. If your day job is draining, find a side hustle that energizes you — not one that adds more pressure.

4. Watch your health like a hawk
Sleep, nutrition, and mental breaks aren’t optional when you’re polyworking. They’re the foundation. Burnout isn’t a badge of honor.

5. Set an exit plan
Are you polyworking to pay off debt? Learn a new skill? Build a business? Define your reason, then decide how and when you’ll scale back — or level up.

Final Thought

Polyworking isn’t just a trend — it’s a reflection of the times. For some, it’s a hustle. For others, it’s a lifeline. The key is knowing your limits, setting your terms, and remembering that stacking jobs should never mean subtracting your life.