Happy end of January co-remote workers of the Triangle!

If you're anything like me, January tends to be a time of frugality...and even financial anxiety. There's the bank account crater left from the holidays, tax time is coming up, and lately, talk of inflation and possible recession is constantly in the headlines. To boot, it seems almost every day another big tech company announces thousands of layoffs. Even high-earning remote workers can't help but feel nervous.

That's why I was very intrigued by this podcast recently with the founder of overemployed.com, who goes by the pseudonym 'Isaac'. If you're unfamiliar with the concept, 'overemployed' in this context means remote workers who hold multiple jobs...not side hustles or gig work, but multiple full-time jobs done simultaneously, and usually without their employers' knowledge.

'Overemployment' has become a hot topic among remote workers over the past year. Is it risky? Is it unethical? Is it cripplingly stressful? Or is it just a smart way to hedge your bets? Your employer wouldn't put all their financial eggs in one basket, so why should they expect you to – especially when they'd likely lay you off at the drop of a hat if it better served their financial interests.

The conversation with 'Isaac' raised some interesting food for thought. He said that rather than getting stressed out from having multiple jobs, many of the 'overemployed' workers he's encountered find it forces them to 'work smart' and do their jobs more efficiently. And the longer they're overemployed, the more relaxed they get – after all, they're rapidly building their wealth and bolstering their financial safety net while mitigating the downside risk of losing any one of those jobs.

Whatever your thoughts on the ethics or desirability of overemployment, it's an important trend for remote workers to watch. Some contracts prohibit it...and even more are likely to start addressing it as this trend gains steam. Fear of two-timers is also likely (at least partly) behind many companies' growing push to bring remote employees back to the office. Some are reportedly even exploring 'tattleware' – software that tracks employees' computer activity – to prevent the practice.

But the overemployment phenomenon should be prompting reflection beyond how to more hawkishly monitor employees. Like, are workers being assessed on how strictly they adhere to a set schedule of hours, or how well they actually do the job?

What do you think? Are the 'overemployed' crossing a line? Do you think you could ever do it? Let's talk about it at the next meetup!

What we're up to: Next retreat on Topsail Island!

The exciting news this month from NC Triangle Remote Workers is that after a successful first 'co-working retreat' last November, we've decided on the next destination: Surf City on Topsail Island!

From March 15-19, we'll stay in a big beach-side vacation home, where we can watch sunrises over the ocean from our balcony, literally just steps from the beach. Up to 14 of us will get work done as needed during the day either at the house or a nearby café, then let loose and enjoy the island together the rest of the time. Exact activities are TBD, but some things to do on the island include wineries and breweries, mini-golf, escape room, seafood restaurants, bike rentals, tiki boat tours, and of course, lovely scenery to stroll through. The house is a quick 2.5-hour drive from the Triangle.

At the most superficial level, these retreats let you pack more, and longer, travel into your year by allowing you to work on the road and save vacation days. They also make travel to cool destinations cheaper by pooling costs on an inexpensive vacation home with other remote workers. But at a deeper level, they can provide much more than that. Living and working alongside a diverse set of remote workers for several days accelerates bonding and learning that might otherwise take months. The idea behind these retreats isn't just to get out of town and party (though we'll certainly do that!). Besides activities around the island, we'll also do things at the house like skill shares, potlucks, and games so we can learn from each other and get to know each other well.

Our last retreat was a blast, and a great learning experience, so this one should be even better. If you're interested in joining, click here to get all the info, costs and pictures at our website. To see pics from our last retreat in Yadkin Valley, check out the play by play on our Instagram.

Other than that, our awesome community of location-independent professionals in the Triangle continues to grow, thanks to the help of our nine killer event organizers. We're now more than 1,000-strong on Meetup, with more than 200 in our Slack community. If you're not in both of those, smash that join button.

Our upcoming events

Reminder that these are only the events already confirmed, and they are subject to change. We often post new events less than a week ahead of time, so be sure to follow us on Meetup to stay up on them as they're posted or adjusted.

• Tuesday, January 31 (8:30am-12:30pm) - Co-working at Mad Hatter in Durham (Event listing)
• Wednesday, February 1 (7pm-9pm) Digital Nomad Happy Hour with The Nomadic Network at Raleigh Brewing Company (Event listing)
• Thursday, February 2 (10am-2pm) - Co-working at Barnes & Noble Southpoint & Lunch at California Pizza Kitchen (Event listing)
• Thursday, February 23 (1pm-5pm) - Co-working at Frontier RTP + Free beer and wine (Event listing to come)
• Wednesday, March 15 to Sunday, March 19 - Topsail Island Co-working Retreat! (Event listing)

Other events of interest

Not affiliated with us in any way, but you might be interested in:

• Friday, February 10 (11:30am-1pm) - On the menu: Choosing the right business structure - Free seminar with free lunch at Frontier RTP's co-working space (Event listing)
• Wednesday, February 15 (8am-5pm) - Free co-working day at Blush Cowork in Cary (Event listing)
• Thursday, February 16 (5pm-7pm) - RTP180: The Evolving Workplace - Free seminar with free beer, wine and popcorn at Frontier RTP (Event Listing)

Venue spotlight: Idle Hour Coffee Roasters

Located near central Raleigh, Idle Hour is a terrific spot to pop into to work for a few hours and satisfy a sweet tooth. With a wide selection of premium teas and coffees (including its signature Vietnamese coffee), it'll keep you awake while you enjoy one of its unique pastries or scrumptious donuts from Tepuy. With tables inside and out, and its cozier sofa and coffee table area, it has seating for whatever style of remote work you're into. (Check out their website)

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January remote work reads

Featured: How to Make $600,000+ Per Year By Being "Overemployed‪"‬ - That Remote Life Podcast

• ​The Unlikely Cure for Burnout? A Second Job - WIRED
• ​The great mismatch: Remote jobs are in demand, but positions are drying up - Washington Post
• ​Is Remote Work Responsible For Quiet Quitting? - Forbes
• ​No, Remote Employees Aren’t Becoming Less Engaged - Harvard Business Review
• ​Remote Work Is Helping Dads Do More at Home. Let's Make Sure It Stays That Way - TIME
• ​Remote work turns out to be a much better deal for men than for women, new study on ‘gendered differences’ finds - Fortune
• ​Why Remote Work Will Win This Winter - Forbes
• ​Russia Looks To Ban Remote Work Setup For Some Employees Following Escape From Mobilization - International Business Times
• ​What We Learned About Hybrid Work in 2022 - Washington Post
• ​Sensationalist headlines are fueling employers’ mistrust of remote work. Here’s the data to disprove these myths - Fortune
• ​Is Remote Work Holding Gen-Z Back? - Forbes
• ​The latest remote work trend: Fear of being laid off and struggling to find a job - CNBC
• ​Why the trend toward remote work isn’t going to fade in 2023 - Los Angeles Times
• ​Is Being A Digital Nomad Only Possible If You Work In A City? - Forbes
• ​Getting Rid of Remote Work Will Take More Than a Downturn - New York Times
• ​Why employers are starting to mandate in-person work at least a couple days a week - NPR
• ​U.S. cities are failing to address the remote-work revolution - Washington Post
• ​Laid Off in Your Living Room: The Chaos of Remote Job Cuts - New York Times
• ​Bosses are increasing RTO requirements, but experts say it won’t stick: ‘We’re at an inflection point’ - CNBC

Thanks for making it to the end. If you enjoyed this newsletter, send this link to a friend so they can sign up too. And if you have any other questions or suggestions, write to us at durhamremote1@gmail.com. Happy working!

-Eric

Note: We have no relationship – financial or otherwise – with any of the establishments mentioned in this newsletter. All recommendations are our genuine, unpaid opinions!