For the longest time, I thought work had to look a certain way. You woke up early. You put on professional clothes. You drove to an office. You sat under fluorescent lights. You counted the hours until lunch. Then you counted the hours until it was time to go home. That was simply what work looked like. At least, that’s what I believed. And I’ve done it. I hated it.
These days, I answer emails while floating in a swimming pool. My laptop sits on a floating cooling desk. I have cold water nearby, birds making far more noise than my inbox, and if I need to think through a problem, I can simply lean back and float for a few minutes instead of taking a lap around the office.
Oddly enough, I get more done. That surprised me. More importantly, I’m a lot happier. It made me realize I never actually disliked working. I enjoy being productive and accomplishing things. I disliked the idea that work and life had to exist in completely separate boxes. Somewhere along the way, many of us accepted the idea that work should be something we endure until life begins. We grind through Monday so we can enjoy Saturday. We survive the workday so we can finally relax that evening.
But what if that’s the wrong goal? What if the goal isn’t to work less… What if it’s to build a life where work feels more like living? For me, that meant changing my environment instead of changing my ambition. I still answer emails. I still do math. I still solve problems. I still run a business. I just happen to do some of it with sunscreen on. The work hasn’t changed neither has my ambition. I have.
And maybe that’s what work-life balance has been trying to tell us all along. Maybe it isn’t about splitting our lives into equal pieces. Maybe it’s about designing a life where those pieces fit together a little more naturally.
I’m sure my floating office isn’t for everyone. Some people do their best thinking in a corner office. Others need a busy coffee shop. Apparently, I do my best work while occasionally splashing cool water on myself and reapplying sunscreen.
And honestly…
I’m happier, and I’m more than okay with that.
💼 Charlotte