This first-person article is written by Montreal-based author Eliza Baynes. CBC's First Her Person For more information on her story FAQ} .
Many of us are facing difficult times right now. Between inflation and the ongoing pandemic, you may wonder if now is the right time to talk about cutting working hours.
It has changed over the years.
For me, it means spending most of my waking life sitting at my desk. means no work.
I worked in a office environment that you may be familiar with — there were many meetings and endless emails. Shortly after I started working, an idea began to materialize in my head. It forever changed my relationship with my full-time job: This is not sustainable.
My ultimate goal was to write professionally, so I started working as a freelance writer for a digital media company. But when I was offered a full-time non-writing job, the temptation for stability was too great.
I told myself that a steady income was worth it.
But I had little time to write. Listicle here, blog post there. The first draft of a children's book I started writing before I got a job sat idle for years.
Until then, I had avoided her 9:00 to her 5:00 job — working in food service for years, then freelancing on my own schedule. I was. I quickly learned that it wasn't just the lack of writing time that was frustrating to spend all day at work.
The actual working hours in the office were often longer than my eight-hour shift, and somehow ended up spending extra hours on weekends. After factoring in prep time and commuting, the commitment came to over 40 hours a week.
Work went remote when COVID-19 hit. But the hours saved on commuting became another set of telecommuting hours.
Then there was the physical dimension. Sitting at my desk staring at a computer screen for hours on end often gave me a sore back and tired eyes. When I did my own writing, I went old school, mostly using pen and paper, and splitting my screen time into short chunks. I devoted myself to my work, and I could not do more than eat dinner and watch TV.
Having spent most of my time doing household chores, errands and social activities, I wanted a weekend to rest and write. Trying to cram quality time with my husband, loved ones, and myself, as well as exercise, felt like a constant struggle. I realized that I don't want to be ruled over my life.
There are countless articles and videos out there talking about "life hacks" that are far from perfect work-life balance. But what I really needed was a balance in the first place.
This is not laziness. Quality over quantity. Take care of your body and mind by rejecting the idea that constant busyness is a measure of success.
So I decided to quit her March — my next job will not be full-time.
I am but one example of a larger cultural shift. The pandemic has already changed the way we think about work, with remote or hybrid setups becoming the norm in offices almost overnight. Some companies are experimenting with shorter workweeks.
Of course, choosing to quit your full-time job comes with certain risks. I am fortunate to have a supportive partner and live in a country with universal healthcare. I am relatively frugal and do not own a car. So I think we can save enough money to do this.
I sacrifice greater financial security in order to have more access to my time. I also have a different idea about retirement. If my career doesn't require that much time, why should I consider it to have a firm end? , life is short, so time is much more valuable than money.
CBC Quebec welcomes first-person essay pitches. For more information, please emailpovquebec@cbc.ca.
