What is Polywork?

In this day and age, we're all seeking flexibility in our working lives, right?

The traditional idea of a single career path and one source of income has become outdated, and people are looking for ways to create more flexibility around their roles without missing out on income.

One way to do that: polyworking.

The boundaries between professional roles are starting to blur, and people are looking at alternative ways to pursue various career paths simultaneously.

While polywork fits that description, it's so much more than that.

It's a more strategic approach to building skills and knowing how to charge companies for those skills.

It's changing how companies and individuals think about work, and we understand why. If you want to know more, read on.

What is polywork?

It means individuals can combine different aspects of their skills and interests into a single career path.

Defining polywork

Polywork breaks the traditional mould of a nine-to-five job and shifts towards a more diverse approach.

In the simplest terms, polywork is about engaging in multiple forms of work at the same time.

Polyworkers often juggle various responsibilities and may work across multiple industries or fields, using their diverse skill set to tackle different challenges and opportunities.

This doesn't mean multitasking though, which disrupts focus, polywork encourages multiple professional pursuits without minimising contribution.

This way of working, which is popular with workers who are not in an office, means there is more variety in the working day and can increase income.

Polyworkers can do work that interests and excites them, whilst aligning with their skill set and passions.

It advocates for a diverse 'work-from-many-places' culture rather than a singular, stagnant workplace.

Understanding and recognising the benefits of polywork is essential for those who want more out of their working lives.

Where did polywork come from?

As we've mentioned, the traditional single-line career path is outdated. As the digital world continues to evolve rapidly, people have started to reevaluate their roles and how to earn money.

But this shift didn't just appear randomly, it originated from trends that were shaping the professional world.

It emerged and became popular in 2020 during the global pandemic, as the idea of work started to be questioned.

People were looking at where they worked, how they worked, who they worked for and why they worked. They began to question their career paths and think about how they could change their situations.

When you're forced to work remotely, what's the difference between working one role or working multiple? You don't need to change location, just change the application on your laptop.

With so many project management tools, time tracking and other software, the infrastructure is ideal for polyworking.

You'll also find societal trends that support polywork. With a growing emphasis on work-life blend over work-life 'balance', many seek roles that match their interests and passions.

Moonlighting vs Polyworking

Moonlighting, as the name suggests, is cramming extra work into the evening, way past typical working hours.

People do this to earn additional income or to pursue a passion outside of their full-time job.

For example, if you're passionate about producing podcasts, you might work in your evening doing that to earn extra money and do something you enjoy.

But how does this differ from polywork?

Polywork is a different approach towards work and steers clear of the side hustle concept.

Like a skilled person who is adept in various things, polyworking involves juggling different roles across diverse areas to suit their interests.

Unlike moonlighting which typically involves one continuous role and the addition of extra side roles, polyworking is about embracing multiple roles from the outset and potentially not having one full-time role.

This works particularly well in roles like digital marketers, podcast hosts or even a startup founder.

In a nutshell, while moonlighting focuses on earning income or pursuing a passion beyond a main job, polyworking provides a platform to mix professional and personal passions across different domains to create a working life you're happy with.

Benefits of polyworking

Polyworking has multiple advantages for professionals looking for career growth and flexibility.

Flexibility and diversifying skill set

Polyworking opens up your professional capabilities through exposure to different work challenges and environments.

Managing multiple roles builds expertise in a whole host of areas like project management, client communication and digital tools.

Remote workers who engage in polywork gain practical experience across different industries which means they can be more adaptable as the market changes.

A software developer working on freelance projects while maintaining a consulting role develops both technical and business skills simultaneously.

Opportunity for increased income

Stating the obvious, but doing more work usually means more income.

That's not all; it also means less reliance on a single source of income.

This means polyworkers can be more adaptable as the market changes because they're not relying on one stream of income. They can also take more risks in their roles as they have other ways of earning a living.

Jobs to unleash your creative outlet

For many, polyworking offers the platform to both express and commercialise their talents beyond their typical professional life.

When you're fulfilled by your working life, you're more motivated in every aspect.

A mechanical engineer, for instance, could also run a photography blog, and a data analyst could create tech-related podcasts, which embrace and share their creative interests while earning their income.

Opportunities for professional development in multiple companies

Each polywork role creates opportunities for learning and skill advancement.

Direct exposure to different businesses, management styles and industry practices means your professional growth can be accelerated.

Remote workers gain expertise in time management, digital collaboration and cross-cultural communication. Not to mention the regular interaction with different projects keeps skills up to date and in demand.

Connected with a wider network

By polyworking, you're exposed to different businesses and people who can help shape the person you are in your working life.

By working in various roles, you come across people and groups from diverse fields, which can boost your professional network.

Your network can be crucial to your development as they can make further connections, share insights and offer future work opportunities.

They do say it's who you know, not what you know in this life.

Challenges of polywork and how to avoid them

Polywork has its own unique set of challenges, with potential pitfalls to consider. Remote workers who engage in multiple professional roles face three primary obstacles, these are below.

Burnout

Polywork's flexible nature can often blur the lines between work time and personal time, potentially leading to burnout.

This outcome isn't inevitable, but being mindful is key.

Managing one professional role can be tough, so imagine the difficulty of managing multiple. More stress, more overwhelm, more deadlines, the list goes on.

It's no surprise that one of the disadvantages of polywork is that it can cause burnout.

Signs of burnout include decreased productivity, reduced quality of work, lack of interest in the role and deteriorating relationships with colleagues and clients.

Constant context and task-switching

Constant mode-switching is a surefire way to stifle productivity. Context switching depletes mental energy and can impair the quality of your decision-making.

Task-switching impacts deep work capabilities and focus retention.

May miss out on company benefits

If you're combining freelance work with part-time positions, you may be missing out on the company benefits your full-time teammates are enjoying.

Things like retirement contributions and paid and sick leave might not be valid for part-time employees and are things you'll have to cover yourself. In this position, we'd recommend researching other benefits available to you.

Many countries offer options to self-employed professionals, so it's worth looking into.

How to become a polyworker in 6 simple steps

Beginning the polyworking journey isn't as daunting as it seems. Here are six practical steps to ease you into it.

1. Identify your interests and strengths

Start by identifying your areas of interest and expertise. Find at least three distinct areas where your skills overlap with market opportunities.

For instance, if you're a marketing professional who loves social media, consider putting these skills together and offering social media support to small businesses

2. Exploit technology

Capitalise on various platforms for remote work. Use them to connect with opportunities, manage multiple projects efficiently, and maintain open communication channels.

3. Showcase your skillset

Document your skills, experience, and interests in an online portfolio or personal website. Show others how amazing you are by giving examples of your work and testimonials from previous clients and employers.

4. Grow and use your network

Use your network to expand your network. Join online communities and networks with both other polyworkers and potential employers. Don't use these just to sell. Offer and receive advice, and give back to the community so others can see you as an expert in your field.

It'll also help to have a community around you to ask questions about polyworking.

5. Balance your work

As we've mentioned, time management techniques are your protection against burnout. When you begin polyworking, implement this from the get-go. If you try to add them at a later date, it'll be harder to implement.

Creating a healthy balance between jobs makes sure your attentiveness doesn't wane, and means you can maintain quality across every role.

6. Stay flexible

Understand that your polyworking journey may involve the occasional switch or drop of jobs. That's part of the process. To be great at polyworking, remove or limit the areas of least interest and focus on the ones you enjoy and thrive at.

Once you start, you'll experience an evolution of your skillset and a change in your professional landscape. You'll learn a lot and grow a lot, and that is what polyworking is all about.

Conclusion - Polyworking: The future of work

Polywork is more than just a trend - it's reshaping the approach to career development and shaking up traditional nine-to-five.

This approach to managing your own career path offers the flexibility to build a career that is interesting to you and gives complete job satisfaction.

While there are challenges, like with every type of work, for the right person, the benefits outweigh the disadvantages.

With proper planning and using time management strategies, you'll be well-equipped to thrive at polyworking.

Whether you're looking to diversify your income, enhance your skill set or create a more fulfilling career path, polywork is a great solution and is the future of work. Are you ready to embrace it?