We have come a long way since companies discouraged employees from engaging for monetary remuneration anywhere else in any capacity – even if it was in an entirely different domain – even if it was undertaken during weekends or after hours. An employee known to make the time for other income generating or hobby related pursuits were seen as a problem that was tackled by loading them with enough work to ensure they had no extra time whatsoever. As recently as in 2021, I had been asked to resign if I so desire to take up an acting gig for 3 days even with a 2 month advance notice about it. Consequently, people who did take up side projects did it in secret.
I personally am guilty of it. I hid the fact that I am also a brand strategist from casting agents when I went to audition for a variety of characters, so as to not colour their judgement of my art. Likewise people in my office seldom knew that I put on make-up and dressed as various characters on weekends and after hours to try and land acting gigs. Today, with the rise of the personal brand, it is not possible to, and also not at all beneficial to maintain multiple personalities all hidden from one another. For the first time in my working life of 20 years, I have placed brand strategist, ex-actor, sketch-noter, watercolour artist, and content creator holding hands next to each other in my bio. I am not the only one. This phenomenon is happening a lot. Enough to earn itself a name of its own – Polyworking.
Polyworking is the term used to refer to the model of maintaining multiple streams of income at a time. Having been an OG (original) polyworker – since way before the term was invented – I can say it is truly a win-win arrangement for employers and employees. Although my employers seldom recognised their side of the ‘win-win’. In fact whenever word did get out that I kept busy being an actress on the side, deliberate attempts would begin to take away my freedom from the weekends as well. It led to me wanting to finally leave corporate systems that boxed you into a singular career path for good. Which saddened me at the time because I did enjoy the job at these organisations too and had given them my best during office hours and beyond. Yet, it caused ripples within the system to know that I was managing other pursuits as well. That I took zero smoking breaks and therefore put in 10 times the work smokers do during office work was overlooked. I blame it on the times and not the people. And times have changed. Sometimes, we ought to be thankful for the unanswered prayers as well. I went on to openly hone multiple skills and take up newer ones such as water-colour painting and playing the ukulele. My side of the ‘win-win’ survived. Phew!
In the time of abundance of opportunity, learning and exploration, and the facility to create one’s own platforms online to promote ourselves, people are splitting their life in phases. Wherein they decide which calling to index on during each phase. Most of us have multiple skill sets. In the quest for finding our calling, we have tended to suppress a number of our other skills and settle for the only one that promises to also provide a monthly salary. We no longer need to do that. The idea of giving your entire existence in health and in sickness to one organisation is losing its shine.
Polyworking also provides a safety net of some sort in these times of unexpected lay-offs. For me, it built a sense of self-worth beyond colleague validation. It boosted my creativity and perspectives, and expanded my horizon. Different activities stimulate different parts of the brain. Sticking to just one kind of activity (in your main job) all the time makes Jack a dull boy. In the spirit of inclusivity – not just Jack, it makes everyone dull people. The times ahead are characterised by abundance – of opportunity, choices, chances and income streams. There’s no reason for anyone to remain lack-luster.
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