Is it true that Europeans lead more relaxed and fulfilling lives than their American counterparts? Here we examine 3 distinct working lifestyles in lieu of the standard 9-5.
Money.
Money talks.
Money makes the world go ‘round.
Money can(‘t) buy you happiness.
We are both masters of and servants to money.
We work to pay our bills. We have bills to pay because it is the cost of living. And so on and so forth.
The Definition of Work
I live and work in New York City. It is said that if you can survive here, you can survive anywhere.
Why?
Because if you were to pick a word to describe this place, it would be along the lines of “hustle,” or “grind.” In my experience, it is commonplace to work through lunch (or not have lunch at all), have multiple jobs/streams of income, or a 60+ hr work week.
And if you’re really lucky, all three.
I was raised to believe that work is something you do for money. There was no talk of gratification, satisfaction, or enjoyment. Those were fantasies meant for starving artists.
Having immigrant parents, they emphasized having a stable career (preferably in the STEM field) that supported your lifestyle. A career that gave paid time off and benefits, including health insurance and hell, maybe even a pension. And you’d work every day until the ripe, old age of 65. And then you die.
These are the ideas I had about work and living. This is the way that I thought my career had to be. But some individuals from my eurotrip led me to believe otherwise.
Alternate Realities
U.K. Office Manager
How did we meet?
I met him at a hostel in LIsbon, Portugal. It is important to mention this hostel because it is a working hostel. Meaning that it is meant for people who WFH. Think of it as if your traditional hostel and WeWork had a baby. There is a dedicated quiet working area. They even have scheduled social events for guests to interact. Our paths crossed at a Welcome happy hour.
So, what does he do?
He travels around the world to scout out potential office spaces for his employer.
So, how does he live?
He works remotely during regular working hours via U.K. time. The remainder of his time is for himself. Your quintessential working nomad schedule.
So, why is this intriguing?
He moves from location to location via the hostel’s colive program. In other words, his monthly rent grants him access to any of the hostel’s locations around the world.
Swedish Tour Guide
How did we meet?
He was our tour guide for the works created by the artist, Gaudi, in Barcelona, Spain.
So, what does he do?
He exclusively makes money off of giving tours. This is the one I went on.
So, how does he live?
He works every day for a few months of the year then spends the rest of the time visiting UNESCO sites and upkeeping his travel blog. I believe the split is 6 months on, 6 months off. Imagine being on vacation for months ! He lives simply and travels with a single backpack.
He stated that when he is ready to start a family, he’ll return to his home country. Apparently, Swedish parents are required to take parental leave and it is compensated for by the government. This article highlights a few key differences between U.S. and Swedish maternity leave.
So, why is this intriguing?
Swedish maternity leave, duh. In general, he works every day of the week, or whenever tours are scheduled, for months at a time. But when he takes time off, it is with whatever savings he has at hand and it is uninterrupted blocks of time.
Belgian Sail Captain
How did we meet?
He sailed us around Lake Thun in Interlaken, Switzerland.
So, what does he do?
He offers boat tours, among other outdoor experiences, and has multiple Airbnb units found through his profile here.
So, how does he live?
He quit his job, girlfriend, family, and friends from corporate Belgium to sail boats every day. He travels upwards of 4 months out of the year. He is a self-ascribed minimalist and put us on this podcast about learning to live with less.
So, why is this intriguing?
He uprooted his entire life to bring himself peace. Imagine that! Taking a paycut for your sanity and cutting down expenses in every part of your life. Has a similar schedule to the tour guide; however, at least has somewhat of a steady income through Airbnb rentals.
Takeaways
If we could aggregate this data into something palatable, these Europeans had a few things in common: They were all unmarried, white males in their 30s with no kids.
They spent much more of their time traveling than the average American; however, they did have to follow the everyday workweek. I barely have enough energy to work 3-4 nights per week, as is! Although, titrating medications and receiving post-op patients is certainly a different kind of taxing than guiding tourists around your city.
In general:
- Every profession comes with its own set of challenges.
- How much money you perceive to have has more to do with your spending habits than your actual salary. (See lesson 8 from this article.)
- It’s never too late to make a career/lifestyle change.
I love the concept of minimalism, traveling for work, and well, having less stress, so that’s something I hope to incorporate in the near future.
Until then, I am going to keep working for the life that I currently envision for myself.
Do you have a traditional or non-traditional career? Do you find that your work-life balance is adequate? Are you living your idealized work-life? Leave a comment below!
Author’s Note:
No donations were solicited in any way to market these organizations or experiences. These are my own personal recommendations because I simply enjoyed myself.
Christine Vera Polintan 