At a time when many Americans are struggling to land even one job, one worker attempted to circumvent the system by holding down three tech jobs simultaneously. The money poured in. His savings skyrocketed. But eventually, the mental toll caught up with him.
What Overemployment Gave And Took Away
In a recent post shared on Reddit’s r/overemployed, the poster described his 10-month stint juggling three jobs. He wasn't shy about his goal to get out of a cheap rental and into a home with a pool, fast: “When I looked around my cheap rental, I decided five years was far too long.”
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At first, overemployment seemed like the perfect solution. He picked up a second job with similar pay and a third part-time gig. The rush of tripling his income was real.
But the honeymoon didn't last. “The saying ‘you can’t put a price on x’ isn’t exactly true. You can. I did for 10 months. I put a price on my health. I put a price on my sense of accomplishment. I put a price on my time,” he wrote.
“I no longer felt like a high-performer; I was just scraping by,” he admitted. “I no longer felt like a trustworthy teammate. I became a master at white lies.”
One of the hardest parts, he said, was having to keep track of who knew what. “I no longer could tell my friends and family what I did at work at social gatherings. I didn’t want to constantly run my conversations through a filter of ‘wait, which job have I spoken about with this person before?'”
Redditors quickly related. “I am not the same person I was three years ago,” one person commented. “In many ways I am battle-hardened, but in many more ways I am a shell of what I used to be.”
Stress, Lies And Burnout
The emotional burden of OE came up again and again in the replies. Some said they had gained weight, skipped family time, or missed out on hobbies. Others spoke about turning from high performers into stressed-out, average employees just trying to hold it all together.
“I used to be concerned about climbing the ladder and impressing, but it’s all just bullsh*t,” one person added. “Once you accomplish your set goals or if your mental health is suffering, it’s OK to take a break.”
Many echoed the sentiment that OE can be life-changing financially, but draining in every other way. “This is a very relatable post. I was just laid off from J2 and each and every one of your points resonated with me. The money is just incredible,” one wrote. “But you’re right about the toll it takes on you.”
“It felt bad to constantly lie to my coworkers,” the original poster admitted. “I knew every waking second that this could all come crashing down… because of a decision I deliberately made over many months.”
A Soft Landing With Lessons Learned
Fortunately, the story doesn't end in collapse. The original poster landed a new single job that covers about 80% of his previous total income, thanks to the upskilling he gained during his OE period.
“I’m getting out of the game,” he said. “And I wanted to write down my thoughts. While I got the money I needed from this season, I feel like I gave a lot more than I expected as well.”
Still, he has no regrets. “When I jump in the in-ground pool in my backyard, I'll know that OE made it possible.”
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