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Downshifting: Living More, Working Less

How many people nowadays suffer from time pressure or stress, are burned out or are looking for their work-life-balance? A possible approach towards sheering out of the treadmill of daily working life is called downshifting. The trend that comes from America is also called 'simple living' or 'voluntary simplicity' in Germany. It characterizes a way of living that is consciously directed against the consumer society. In the foreground, there is the thought of making use of one's lifetime in a more sensible way and not throwing it away in order to accumulate possessions that are not really needed anyway.

In working life, downshifting means questioning careers. The consequence may be changes in the form of sabbaticals or total withdrawal or maybe the setting up of a new, easier and less stressful and responsible job. It is not about withdrawing from professional life but improving the conditions of life: to "slow down" and "downshift".

• Determine your priorities. What does you good? What is important to you? What do you not want to go without? In this way, sort out what you do not need. Orientate yourself towards yourself is the very first step and not towards fashions, towards "you really need this" advertisements
• Have a clear out: not only possessions but also contacts. Get rid of the useless, unnecessary and "time-robbing" things
• Consume less: think about what is very useful and how much money, time, worries and nuisance you have to invest in return. This not only applies to technical equipment, cars, property but also to overtime, events, networking, meetings, conferences and business trips
• Find your inner freedom: What aspirations do you have in life? More career, more recognition, more income or more satisfaction and happiness at fewer demands? Get on in your own environment independent of other influences like advertising and competitive thinking. Instead of that, find out how you would like to form your life and how you want to achieve that
• Downshift. This is also possible in your life by becoming more conscious about the sense of your activities and wishes. Treat yourself to more time off and create an island of rest
• Take time for yourself. Do not plan your leisure time and working time down to the last minute, just drift along
• Re-think your life: Do you really need to spend so much time a day in your car to get to work? Or would it be more sensible to move house? Is a change in jobs a way of getting out of the hamster wheel? Are you looking for more sense in your job and should you thus switch to another company, institution task? Would you prefer to be employed in order to pursue a regular working life or would prefer to become self-employed and be your own boss?