Polyworking? I Think Gen X Invented That

I came across a Forbes article recently about how millennials are embracing “polyworking.” It’s a fancy term for holding multiple jobs or juggling income streams to stay afloat. The article talks about how millennials are burning out from side hustles, long hours, and trying to do it all while still answering Slack messages.

And while I don’t disagree, millennials are absolutely doing the hustle, I couldn’t help but think… Gen X has been living this life for decades. We just didn’t have a catchy word for it or time to write think pieces about it. We were too busy doing it.

We were latchkey kids. We learned early how to get out homework done, make dinner, clean the house so our parents wouldn’t yell when they got home from work, and raise our younger siblings (yep… I even changed diapers for my youngest brother!). We kept ourselves mostly alive without a lot of oversight. So when adult life hit hard (and it did!), we did what we’ve always done: figured it out. Quietly. And without hashtags. Polyworking and hashtags just weren’t a thing then.

Back When Side Hustles Were Just Called Second Jobs

Back when I started freelancing in the early 2000s, I wasn’t doing it to “build a personal brand” or “diversify my income streams.” I was doing it to pay for rent, put gas in my car, and keep the lights on. I worked full-time. Then I worked some more in the wee hours of the morning. I wrote articles for $25 apiece. I said yes to every contract, client, and odd job that didn’t feel like a scam.

There was no master plan. No strategic vision board. Just a to-do list with bills that didn’t care how tired I was. Some weeks I pieced together enough work to scrape by. Other weeks, I wasn’t sure how I was going to make it through. I kept going anyway, because I had to.

This wasn’t a passion project or an exploration of polyworking. It was survival. And it shaped how I work, how I set boundaries, and how I define success even now.

Polyworking, Gen X Style: Unbranded, Unfiltered, Unapologetic

There’s a lot of glossy language now around polyworking (anchor jobs, portfolio careers, passion stacking). It’s cute. And useful, honestly, especially for younger generations navigating a messy economy. But for Gen X, this wasn’t about strategy. It was just life. We were building patchwork careers before it was trendy.

We’re the generation that graduated into a recession, adapted to tech before it was intuitive, and built careers without much mentorship or hand-holding. When the economy tanked, we took on consulting clients. When we got laid off, we launched businesses or picked up freelance work. And we didn’t post about it (well, I kind of did 🤷🏻‍♀️). 

The Gen X Superpower Is Adaptation

I’ll say this: Gen X is nothing if not adaptable. We’ve shape-shifted through landlines and smartphones, print ads and SEO, Myspace and TikTok. We’ve reinvented ourselves so many times that no one even notices anymore. And while we may not have personal brands or podcast empires, we’ve got grit. We get things done by hustling our butts off. And we survive.

Millennials might be leading the conversation now with polyworking and other catchy phrases, and I’m all for it. I’ve got mad respect for anyone juggling multiple jobs in this economy. It’s not any easier now than it was back then. But it’s worth remembering that some of us have been on this hamster wheel for a long time.

One Income, Three Jobs, Zero Time

The reality is that polyworking, or whatever you want to call it, is not easy. When you’re the only income in your household (hello, single parent friends!), juggling multiple jobs isn’t some clever productivity hack. It’s your only option. I’ve been the solo provider for years, and at various points I’ve worked as an enterprise marketing lead, marketing director, adjunct professor, freelance writer, consultant, and full-time parent. That’s not a humblebrag. That’s a real-life schedule with real-life consequences.

The hours bleed into each other. The lines between roles disappear. You stop noticing that it’s not normal to check email from three inboxes before your first cup of coffee. You’re exhausted, but you keep going because… who else is going to do it?

What I’ve Learned About Burnout and Boundaries

Polyworking might sound flexible and empowering on paper, but when you’re juggling five roles and one life, burnout isn’t a risk; it’s a guarantee. The unfortunate truth is that burnout isn’t new to me. It’s the setting I didn’t know was optional until everything started to crack. Over the years, I’ve gotten better at spotting the signs: when the balls I usually juggle without thinking start crashing down, when I forget what day it is, when even the things I like feel like work.

So I’ve started making non-negotiables. Saying no to what drains me. Scheduling recovery time like I would a client meeting. Letting go of the toxic little voice that says more is better, always. And honestly, I still wrestle with it. Because when your entire adult life has been about holding it all together, rest feels unnatural. Almost rebellious. (Don’t tempt me to tell you about some of my most epic rebellion stories.)

But here’s what I’ve learned. You can be deeply grateful and still totally exhausted. You can love your work and still need a little bit of distance. You can be proud of the life you’ve built and still fantasize about torching it all and living in a cabin with no Wi-Fi.

And if that’s not the most Gen X thing I’ve ever said… I probably need a nap. Preferably in a cabin deep in the woods. With no Wi-Fi. And no kids.