Not On Automatic

Gear Shift Knob
Originally uploaded by Еmre

Yesterday I read a big piece from the Finnish financial magazine Optio on the concept of downshifting, a notion of slowing down apparently raising interest and popularity amongst professionals in their 20s and 30s. Less work and more life kind of sums up the idea.

I am looking at things slightly differently. Starting my own business and working for myself does not automatically mean that I would start working less, more likely is the opposite. As regular working hours are gone, it is easy to extend the working day from both ends. But at least now, after a humble experience of three days, being in control of my own schedule feels quite empowering.

I meet a lot of people who tend to act like their life would be on automatic gear and constantly accelerating. Ending a regular job and taking the entrepeneurial risks on my shoulders means for me that I go back to the traditional gear shift. I drive my own vehicle and I am therefore responsible for its road safety and maintenance. I started this yesterday with a visit to the insurance company.

Even when I will be most likely working more and longer days, on times like these it feels good to be closer to the ones you love and being able to plan personal matters into the middle of my day and not only after 17h00. Having a one-day-old nephew and having 3-year-old nephew with the need of daycare every now and then, it feels good that I can put my work-vehicle on gear 1 (or even lower) at times and take time for going to the park.