Thanks for your comment. Yes, I do realize that I’m very lucky being able to do this. It’s probably more difficult in Southern Europe and even more so in many other parts of our planet. In New Delhi, India, I saw riksha drivers shivering when trying to sleep in their vehicles during cold January nights. Even after full days of hard work they couldn’t afford a proper place to stay.

However, in many cases in the wealthy countries it’s more of a question of values in the society: career and gathering possessions are so much appreciated that many don’t see any other options. It’s not very common in Finland either to have a non full time job (at least voluntarily, there are also people who work odd hours e.g. in restaurants and would like to have a full time position), except for students who are often working part time. It’s much more common to be working extra hours on top of a full time job without compensation. That happens most often among specialists and people in other high positions, in other words among those who have expertise and good salaries. I’m arguing that many of them would have a possibility to negotiate flexible arrangements if they wanted, and afford to take time off even if it would result in a pay cut.

One good thing about less working hours is that it often translates to savings in daily life. Instead of owning a car, which is a horribly expensive thing, one can spend a bit more time to move around by public transport, bicycle (my personal choice) or walking. In my case, I tend to spend a bit more time nowadays comparing prices, repairing things, buying second hand, cooking, going to the library to read the daily newspaper instead of subscribing it, and doing other small things which eventually make a difference without sacrificing anything. I also keep track of all my spendings in a notebook and think more about what I actually need, which results in buying less. In the end, I find that quite liberating.

A recent CouchSurfing guest of mine, a seasoned traveller, pointed out how grateful we should be of education. Both him and me are in the position that we could land in pretty much any country in the world, penniless, and get a job which would earn a decent living in that country. That’s a big privilege.

In English:

Thanks for the nice words. Yes, friends are important, and spending time with friends definitely belongs to the list of things I’m planning to do. :) The right balance always depends on the current situation in life, it’s not static, and it’s good to remember that there’s always time for the most important things. My recent year on the road was probably not the last time I want to travel for a long term without work obligations, and on the other hand I might well accept a full time employment again sometime in the future. However, this solution felt the best right now.