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You don’t have to earn millions. If you already have a solid job, you may not even need a pay increase.
The most important commodity for a happier life is time.
Time for yourself, to spend as you like.
Back in the 1990s, when I was still a teenager, people were concerned that new technology might eliminate jobs. The message we were given was that it would be a gift; after 2000, we would finally have more free time to enjoy our lives.
Many people questioned what they would do with all this additional free time, and here we are decades later. It appears that we have even less time for ourselves than before.
Many people are unsure about how to make their lives happier and more satisfying. There is only the belief that more money and stuff will help. That’s the message we’re given because consumerism is what keeps the existing economic model going.
However, why do so many lottery winners claim that it was the worst thing that could have happened to them? Even without the pandemic, it appears like less and fewer people I know are truly happy. Instead, I hear more individuals discussing stress and mental health.
Many people in the corporate sector are working longer hours in order to earn more money, acquire things, and construct a lifestyle that they do not have time to enjoy. And you’ll never be satisfied since the loop is never-ending. What value would it have if you died tomorrow?
We all have the potential to adapt and redesign our lives to better suit our needs. You can defy societal norms. In fact, I challenge you.
Less is more.
Do you know those people that go live on a tropical island and you envy them? Most of them do not have a lot of money. Yes, some do. But I did not. I went and tried it out for a year, and most of the people I met had given up the majority of their stuff in order to live more simply and within their means.
I believe that the key to living better is to focus your time and money on what truly brings you joy and enhances your sense of well-being.
This type of living typically demands less of everything. Less work, less stress, fewer possessions, fewer obligations, fewer payments, fewer concerns, fewer anxieties.
More time. Increased contentment. That is it.
When I say less work, I don’t mean being a “bum” and doing nothing—unless you can afford it and choose to do so, in which case, good on you. Of course, we’ll probably still need an income to meet our basic necessities. I just mean that you should not burn yourself out trying to pay for a lifestyle that you do not have time to appreciate. It’s about discovering what Buddhists call the middle path. A healthy equilibrium.
What is your ideal lifestyle?
Have you ever considered what your dream day would look like? If you genuinely do some soul searching, you may discover that it is less about stuff and more about the quality of your experience or feelings.
My ideal lifestyle includes getting adequate quality sleep every day. I want to feel fresh and alive. I want to live slowly and unhurriedly so that I can take “time” to enjoy the moment and all the lovely pleasures of being curious and present.
To elaborate, my ideal lifestyle entails having greater choice to plan my day in ways that promote my overall well-being. It’s having the time to cook wholesome, delicious meals for my partner and me, to meditate, to be creative or to read, to enjoy some time doing exercise or in nature, to do something grounding like some housework or playing with the neighbor’s cats, and to put in some solid hours. I don’t have to do these things every day, but I do them on a regular basis.
I truly want to have time to handle my own domestic duties rather than paying someone else to do them.
My physical prerequisites for this lifestyle include a peaceful, pleasant location to live (a little is acceptable), access to nature, fresh food and cooking ingredients, a few essential items, and not much else.
This lifestyle is all about spending less so that I may spend more time enjoying and savouring my days. It is not about being wealthy and owning a lot of stuff. It’s about not having mortgages, obligations, or commitments that constantly stress me out or make me worry about my future.
This is the life I currently lead. One day, I’d like to have a garden to care for and possibly grow my own food. But I’m quite content.
A higher pay does not imply more happiness.
One of my first jobs was at a very junior position at a large international investment bank. It might have been my long-term career. I was put in a training program to become an investment banker. But it was the most horrible place I’d ever worked. Everyone seemed miserable all the time, and some even admitted to me that they wished they could do something more meaningful with their lives but felt bound by the luxurious lifestyle they had grown accustomed to. That wasn’t how I wanted to live my life. I felt like my spirit was dying at that work, so I quit with no savings or another job to go to.
I eventually found a terrific job with a company I enjoyed working for, but I still had a lot to learn about what is truly important about work and income.
One day, I complained to a senior colleague about my pay; I felt I had worked really hard but was not appropriately compensated. Thinking I’d elicit pity, my colleague told me that as you make more, you just find more ways to squander it. They pointed out that the cash flow does not improve because you simply have more expenses to anticipate: a mortgage, a vehicle loan, a large wedding, daycare or school expenses for the children, and so on.
I told myself that wouldn’t happen to me because I wasn’t materialistic and would never spend my money on such things.
A few years later, I received the promotions and pay raises I desired; I was earning a comfortable living, but I just found other ways to spend my money.
I spent all of my money on eating out with friends or buying takeout most evenings. I couldn’t really cook. I traveled overseas on vacation many times a year and pursued expensive hobbies that required expensive equipment. And instead of borrowing stuff I rarely used, I’d have to buy the greatest and most recent items.
Make better spending and saving decisions. Spend less.
Yawn. It sounds obvious yet also boring.
But it’s the plain, straightforward truth. I had to learn the hard way.
Don’t spend money you don’t have or on items you don’t actually need.
Live within your means.
And before you convince yourself you can’t possibly spend any less, consider how truthful that statement is. I used to repeat that to myself all the time, until a friend told me she was purchasing a flat.
She is now the same age as me; we lived in similar neighborhoods, and we had comparable salaries, and she was able to save for a deposit on a good flat in just 5 years.
I, on the other hand, was deeply in debt and worried about how I would pay my obligations that month. She ended up loaning me some money to help me get by for a few months. However, it was a major wake-up call.
How on Earth was this possible?
She went on vacation, dressed properly, and appeared to live a wonderful life, so I didn’t understand. She didn’t buy the cheapest things either; in fact, she always appeared to have high-quality products. I assumed we had similar finances because we lived such similar lifestyles.
But by exploring her deeper and beginning to pay attention to how she conducted her life, I learned a lot.
The bottom line was that she did not spend money. It was as simple as bringing a packed lunch to work every day rather than relying solely on takeout, as I did. She walked to work the majority of the time, saving money on gym membership and transportation costs. She purchased high-quality products that would last for many years and did not require frequent replacements. She saved a small bit of money each month, avoided frivolous expenditures, and it all built up over 5 years.
She has had a significant influence on how I conduct my life today. She was very careful with how she spent her money. She was always skilled at finding ways to save money while still living a comfortable life.
Different methods of working.
Work less. Do more of what you enjoy.
Examining our work habits is a crucial component of the equation.
We need to build a society that promotes a higher quality of life. Allowing employees to work in a variety of ways benefits both organizations and individuals.
I admire what Ariana Huffington is doing with her organization Thrive Global, for example. She taught herself the consequences of overworking and not getting adequate rest. Too many of us have lost our limits and are expected to be available around the clock. Most of us are not saving lives; therefore, this is insane. It benefits no one. We are less productive and make more mistakes when we are not well rested.
You don’t have to quit your job to be happy. Perhaps you just need to work less. If you can pinpoint what you truly enjoy and detest about your employment, you may be able to strike a happy equilibrium.
The idea of working less is simply to reclaim time for yourself, allowing you to nurture your well-being and make space for your spirit.
I’ve always hated working in an office. Even working for my favorite company was a huge challenge for me. I enjoyed my job and the people I worked with, but from a physical standpoint, I could never feel comfortable spending so much time in an artificial working environment staring at a screen.
There were no pretty views, no quiet space or privacy (it was open plan), no nature, having to wear clothes I didn’t feel comfortable in just to fit in and impress (buying work clothes can be very expensive! ), meeting after meeting in stuffy, airless rooms, and barely any time or energy left to exercise. Every day, I was fatigued; just getting about London was exhausting in and of itself. Knowing that almost everyone in London and other places across the world feels the same way, I couldn’t understand why we kept living this way.
Then, one day, our company implemented hot-desking, which killed any remaining enthusiasm I had for working in an office.
The four-day working week
My life changed when my supervisor told me that if I wanted to work part-time, he was fine with it. He recognized that, while I didn’t intend to have children, I had a variety of creative hobbies that might one day entice me away. He wanted to keep me happy and on his team. I was quite fortunate that he was very supportive.
I liked the notion of trying out the part-time lifestyle. Despite the fact that it would result in a pay cut, I knew I could afford it, so I took the chance. I started working four days a week, and it was the finest thing ever!
Having more time for myself made me happier, more relaxed, and more productive at work. I also spent less overall. My drive to spend decreased as I improved my quality of life.
One of the employee benefits my firm provided was the option to buy or sell one week of vacation time back to the company. I had always purchased an extra week of vacation each year, but when I went part-time, I found that I needed much less vacation.
I really didn’t feel like I needed to go on vacation anymore because I was enjoying my life so much.
Dropping to a four-day work week with a lower salary was financially equivalent to working full-time since I naturally began spending less. That was without intentionally attempting to be frugal.
At this moment, I also had no desire or pressure to continue ascending the corporate ladder. I had never felt much ambition before because working full-time was all I had going for me in life.
When I made room in my life for creative endeavors and a more leisurely lifestyle, I no longer felt compelled to strive for more.
I understand that not all jobs are as flexible, but unless you ask, you may never find out. Nothing will change until everyone begins to ask more questions.
Consider other alternate work arrangements.
I’ve tried almost every type of employment, from full-time corporate work with unpaid overtime to part-time, freelance/self-employment, and contract work. I’ve worked in positions with high wages and bonuses, as well as jobs with poor pay. I don’t have an opinion on which is best; it all depends on the circumstances.
The advantage of a part-time arrangement is that you have the stability of a monthly wage and any other employee benefits to help you pay your monthly expenditures, such as rent. Anything else you accomplish or earn is a bonus. And you may still feel like you’re a part of a corporation or a team while still having the independence and freedom to pursue what feeds your spirit.
When I decided to work for myself full-time, my life became much more difficult. You can’t just put your earnings in your pocket; you have to pay for your own overheads and equipment, and there is no sick leave, so if you don’t work, you don’t get paid. And don’t forget to set aside money for taxes. So it’s worth creating a financial plan for yourself and learning about running a business so that it doesn’t become another cause of worry.
What kind of lifestyle would you create if you worked a little less?
I ask you to consider what your ideal lifestyle might look and feel like and whether you could create that lifestyle using what is presently within your reach.
If you were to go from a full-time to a part-time job, you may be wondering what you would do with all of your free time.
You might like basic things like gardening, cooking, spending time with your children, or starting to write that book you’ve been thinking about. Simply not feeling rushed all the time and being able to enjoy the moment is fantastic.
Or you might utilize your time to contribute back to society, such as volunteering or being engaged in your local community. Something meaningful to you that will nourish you.
There are numerous options to consider. I hope that after the pandemic, more firms will support more flexible arrangements, as we have already seen how diverse working models may function.
What I’m arguing is that if we take the time to appreciate what we already have, we may learn to love and be pleased with it.
