The Jigsaw Pieces Theory: holding multiple jobs
When I get asked about what the future of work looks like, I say that for many it will mean holding multiple jobs, most or all of them part-time. It might look like a number of puzzle pieces, some that fit together nicely, some that almost fit, and some that really don’t fit. Each puzzle piece represents a separate job or bit of work. Sometimes the employer will be yourself where you have a micro-business and sell what you produce online or locally, either a product or a service. Work overall is becoming less permanent and more flexible which can be if you like change and have in demand skills, since the demand reduces the insecurity, you’ll always have work.
For a knowledge worker the jigsaw pieces can look something like this: You have an office job requiring specialized skills that you trained for, but it’s not full-time and probably not permanent either. The knowledge or desk work might fit nicely with a little teaching, researching or writing as well, but maybe it still doesn’t add up to full-time, or what you need it to add up to. So then you might add on some furniture refinishing done over on the side, maybe some part-time work in a friend’s business, or making lemon squares that you sell to a local shop. This piece might not fit together so well, but time is made for it, and it pays. In the spaces in between there is time for family, hobbies and life, maybe some upskilling and some mistakes. Some people will love this, and some will find it stressful, but it’s not really how we currently understand work. Most people, especially employers, still think of one person totally committed to one job. Many people have multiple jobs, but they generally keep them separate and unannounced with the wise assumption that employers won’t understand or be tolerant.
For an artist, hobbyist or artisan the jigsaw can mean working for yourself in a studio or workshop that might be comfortable, or cramped and cold. Whatever the place, it’s likely that the work will start slowly as you develop your skills and your craft, and build a customer base. It’s a better than good idea to hire out the parts you’re not good at, like the marketing or bookkeeping, maybe to one of those knowledge workers identified above. It could take a really long time, maybe forever, before you can do it full time. Or it might take off and you’ll wonder why you didn’t do it sooner. The answer to that might be that you weren’t ready, but now you are, and here you go.