Every day you see photos of people posting on Instagram from their luxurious van life scenes. They’ve chased down a dream and quit their day job, opening up a world of adventure that seemingly lasts 7 days a week. That's great for them, but for most people that's not an option. Not only that, but it’s often misrepresented - those IG photos are only part of the story. There is a pretty big argument for the benefits of the part-time adventurer, and waiting for the weekend for your outdoor fun.
When your workweek ends, it ENDS.
Most freelance work that allows for full-time travel requires similar hours as you might put in at your 9-5. The difference is in flexibility, which is great if you have iron-clad time management skills. Otherwise, the promise of 7 day adventure turns into 7 days of working on and off all throughout the day, and then never actually having a day off. Not great. With a 9-5, you work your hours, clock out, and you’re free to do anything and everything you want. Each weekend can become a full vacation if you want it. You’ll never have to worry about emailing a client, who “really really needs those photos tonight” even though its 9pm on a Saturday.
It keeps your passions fun, like they should be.
It sounds great to make your passion into your job - the old saying goes “If you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.” Well, it turns out, you can get burnt out pretty easily doing that, especially when you start putting a monetary value to your passions. In a 9-5, you can keep on writing your short stories, blogs, shooting photos, hike, climb, or any other hobby just because you love doing it. That’s worth putting in the time at a 9-5, and it’s great having a little rest during the week after a weekend of adventure.
It’ll inspire better adventures.
Just like anything else, you can procrastinate getting outdoors. This is especially true if you have no set schedule. But when you have a 2 day slot every week to get out and do your thing, you’ll actually do it. The limited time gives you more urgency, and you’ll be sure to pack more into your time away. 2 days off work can turn into an epic adventure, one that takes full advantage of the 32 hours from 6pm Friday till 9am Monday. When work rolls around on Monday, you’ll be fully content and you can start planing the next adventure throughout the week. Rinse and repeat.
These are just a few of the reasons to consider holding onto that 9-5. Having a set time to get out and get after adventure can have a lot of advantages, and it helps separate your work from play. Clock out, load up the car (don’t forget your Zenbivy), and hit the road!
