Chapter 1: The Culture of Overemployment

While casually browsing Reddit one day, I came across a community known as r/Overemployment. For those unfamiliar, this subreddit revolves around individuals who manage to work for two or more companies simultaneously without the employers being aware of each other’s existence. If discovered, the typical outcome is termination or even legal action against the employee.

As a coder, I found myself considering this possibility a few months ago. I had a stable 9-to-5 job, but the idea of taking on additional work lingered in my mind. After all, if I could complete my assignments on time, what would prevent me from taking on a contract position with another company? It seemed like a way to effectively double my income. Who wouldn’t want to leverage such an opportunity?

However, my enthusiasm was met with mixed reactions when I posted in another subreddit to gauge whether other programmers were pursuing similar paths. I received two distinct types of feedback.

On one side were those who encouraged my ambition, sharing a mindset that saw nothing ethically wrong with being overemployed. Conversely, there were the critics, expressing their frustrations and arguing that employees like me were responsible for companies reinstating mandatory office attendance and ending the beloved work-from-home era.

My counterargument to them was simple: I was already working remotely, and the other offer was also for a remote position. While it’s true that remote jobs in tech have become more competitive, it’s still feasible to secure an offer if you’re skilled—particularly if you dedicate time to improving your programming abilities rather than engaging in endless discussions on Reddit.

This realization led me to the first rule of overemployment: Keep it a secret.

There’s even a dedicated website filled with advice for those interested in this lifestyle, along with numerous videos from other coders sharing their experiences.

The concept of overemployment doesn’t stop at two jobs; many stories describe individuals juggling three, four, or even five positions simultaneously, with some claiming to earn seven figures a year. Incredible, right? But, as I learned, while many achieved financial gains, burnout and poor mental health were often the consequences of such a strategy. The stress of balancing multiple jobs took its toll on several community members, with one individual recounting how he shut down his second job’s laptop, waiting to be terminated once his employer discovered his absence.

I didn’t want to find myself in that situation. While additional income is appealing, sacrificing my well-being to that extent is not worth it. There's a saying: slow and steady wins the race. Currently, I prefer focusing on my single coding job, where I can excel, alongside pursuing side projects that generate passive income. The advantage of these side ventures is their flexibility; I can work on them whenever I choose, without the pressure of immediate deadlines or constant notifications from colleagues. Managing multiple responsibilities can quickly lead to stress, which has severe repercussions on health. Therefore, if you can minimize stress, I highly recommend doing so.

Another concern I faced was the potential for overlapping meetings. This becomes an issue if your jobs are in similar time zones, which was my case. The overemployed community has extensively discussed strategies to avoid this dilemma, such as using different laptops and headsets for each meeting and only unmuting when necessary. Personally, I doubted my ability to follow two technical discussions simultaneously, let alone contribute to both. Just the thought of needing to engage in both meetings at once was enough to make me uneasy. While one could concoct excuses like internet issues, I wasn’t willing to go that route.

No matter how much you’re motivated by financial gain, there’s a limit to how far you should push yourself. At some point, no amount of money is worth sacrificing your health, as it diminishes your ability to enjoy those earnings. So, what would be the point?

If you’re feeling unchallenged in your current role and can quickly grasp new concepts, you might consider overemployment temporarily to achieve specific goals, like paying off a mortgage or reaching a savings target. Otherwise, I recommend my approach: work on multiple non-urgent side projects that can provide additional income without the stress of tight deadlines.

The first video titled "Overemployed - Work Two Remote Jobs at Once" provides insights and personal anecdotes about the challenges and benefits of juggling multiple remote positions.

Chapter 2: The Pursuit of Financial Freedom

In the second video, "Overemployed: How Working 2 Remote Jobs Can Help Workers Reach Financial Freedom," viewers explore how managing multiple jobs can lead to greater financial independence while weighing the potential risks involved.