Co-working communities, Fridays off and putting myself out there
A Work-Life Vision Board and a new way to support The Hot Desk
If 2022 was all about taking stock and slowing down, then I want 2023 to be the year of planning and moving forward in my work-life. I want to make some changes and try to do things a little bit differently. After a year or more of burnout and the ‘playing small’ that results from living as a husk rather than a human, I am ready for some experimentation and some space.
They say be careful what you wish for. Since the last edition of The Hot Desk, I’ve had to contend with some unexpected changes to my work-life (which I might go into in a future post but let’s just say that nothing is as constant as change…!). So, with that in mind, I’m opening myself up again to a different way of working. Think of this week’s post as my Work Life Vision Board that I’m sharing with you, setting out the kind of working life I’m striving to create for myself.
Here’s what’s on my work-life wish list for 2023 and beyond…
A four day work week
Cards on the table: I don’t want to work all the time. Even as I type that, a sentence and belief I know shouldn’t feel radical, the niggling voice of judgement pipes up in my head.
‘Oh you don’t want to work all the time? Who are you to deserve that privilege? Do you think you’re better than everyone else? We have to slog away 40 plus hours a week, that’s just how it is. Life is drudgery but at least we’re all in it together. Suck it up!’
(Who knew my inner voice of judgement was basically that of the country’s collective psyche? We truly hate ourselves!)
But we know the benefits of a shorter work week. Earlier this year, the results of the largest-ever trial of a four day working week confirmed a number of long-held beliefs that workers (and many employers) have about working less. Aside from seeing no change to or even an increase in productivity and revenue, both employees and employers were fundamentally happier as a result of changing to a four day working week. Turns out working less = more time to enjoy life. Wild, right?
Of course, the practicalities of implementing a 32-hour week are different depending on whether you're an employee or you work for yourself, not to mention the sector you work in. Right now, I’m not sure what camp I’m going to be in come this time next year. What I do know, however, is that life is far too short to spend every Sunday night doing laundry and prepping for your 9:30am with Paul from accounts.
Actual remote working
Someone who is a bit of a work-life hero of mine is the journalist Anna Hart. Having let her UK flat post-pandemic, Anna now spends her time dotting around different cities and countries, working from different locations for months at a time. Aside from living vicariously through her IG stories, somewhat seduced by views of whichever beach/lake/mountainside she is currently working from, the freedom to move around and work from wherever (or at least wherever your Skyscanner budget stretches) has such a pull for me. What can I say? I’m a classic Sagittarius.
I’ve recently started looking into ‘digital nomad communities’ like Nomad City on Gran Canaria and Trento Remote in Italy. These are organisations set up to specifically support remote workers with everything from access to co-working spaces, language lessons and accommodation for the length of their stay. One of the key draws here is the ready-made community of fellow remote workers that you can join, if the more DIY approach isn’t appealing.
For me, I don’t know how immersive a co-working community would be, particularly ones that come with a co-living aspect. Part of the idea of spending time working and living in a different country is to have a bit of an escape and some time for solo exploring. If I listen to 20-year-old me, what I really want to recapture is the thrill and freedom I had when I was lucky enough to spend a year abroad working in France. Admittedly, as an English Language Assistant you don’t work that many hours a week, but the experience was one that really changed my outlook on life and what I am capable of. Without sounding like I’m writing a job application, I’m looking for a new challenge. I think spending a bit of time in a different place could be just the ticket.
Putting myself out there
I’ve written before about the mission that has been rebuilding my personal and professional confidence in the last year. Mustering the energy and resilience to back yourself every day takes…a lot of energy and resilience. But, as clichéd as it is, doing those daunting, scary things is always worth the fleeting anxiety. Playing small isn’t paying off any more. I want to feel visible, connected and challenged.
I’ve already pushed myself to go to one networking event alone in the last month. I’m actively looking for new communities and opportunities to get involved with. I’m figuring out how to talk about myself and what I do in a way that properly reflects my skills and experience. I’m prioritising action, as messy and mistake-ridden as it might be. I’m learning how to sell myself without feeling squeamish.
One action I’ve taken recently in that direction is to monetise this newsletter. Following a workshop with the brilliant Farrah Storr (someone else whose career and work-life choices I greatly admire), I realised that I was waiting for The Hot Desk to be perfect before I felt I could consider offering a paid subscription. My focus on perfection was at the expense of consistency, a pattern I’ve found myself falling into all too often. Writing regularly is what I need to be doing to create the newsletter and community that I daydream about. But the daydreaming is just one part of the writing. I need to put the words down and press publish too.
As you can probably tell, choosing to offer a paid subscription model for The Hot Desk is something I’m still figuring out. Eventually, and rightly, paid subscriptions will come with extra content, some more Edinburgh-specific things and potentially access to an IRL incarnation of The Hot Desk. Those bits do need a bit more daydreaming before I can offer them to you, but they are in the pipeline. I’ll be writing a bit more about my thought process soon.
If you’re enjoying The Hot Desk and feel like you’re in a position to sign up to a paid subscription, you can do so now. And if that’s not for you, there are plenty of other ways you can show your support for The Hot Desk. If you’re reading, commenting or sharing it with other people you think might enjoy it, I am hugely grateful. I’m so chuffed to have you as part of this community. I hope it makes you think about your own work-life in a way that’s helpful, inspiring and supportive.
Before I go and hit schedule on this newsletter, here’s a couple of good things I’ve read, listened to and watched in the past week.
Farrah Storr’s piece on protecting alone time in a long-term relationship really resonated with me. My partner and I often take solo trips (probably as a result of having been long-distance for nearly five years) and value our independence as much as our time together.
I’m slowly discovering more Scottish Substackers to enjoy (say hello if that’s you!) and this recent post from Lindsay Johnstone about putting a price on creativity really spoke to me. It definitely pushed me to press publish on my thoughts in this newsletter.
The final season of Succession is preoccupying a large proportion of my brain space at the moment so naturally I was thrilled to find out there’s a sister podcast to accompany the series. Okay, so it’s been going since season one and I’m very late to this particular party, but if you also love a juicy, behind the scenes deep-dive into the best show on TV right now, I urge you to get stuck in right away.
Have a great week and I’ll see you next time!
Rebecca x
Hi Rebecca, and thank you for the mention in today's newsletter - so glad you've found resonance and that my words played a very small part in encouraging you to put this one out. I think there's something so powerful in your honesty. Yes, you're still figuring things out when it comes to subscription tiers, but aren't we all? Some people just aren't saying it out loud but then they're not bringing their authentic selves to the conversation. I think readers invest in us when we are open; showing up with our insecurities held up to the light. Therein lies the opportunity for real connection and supportive community! Onwards, friend!
I can’t believe I don’t know about this Succession podcast! I agree with you about building a working life that is as much about life as it is work. I wonder if you’ve heard about Workstyle? It’s a movement around autonomous working, there’s even a book. I’m a member of a slack community and it’s so good to talk to people who want the same thing.