Why I quit my full-time optometry job
Since graduating from optometry school nearly a decade ago, I have worked full-time at a busy clinic in Toronto. Optometry ranks as one of the best healthcare jobs, and I can 100% attest to that fact.
In recent years, however, there has been a growing disparity between how I would like to spend my time, and how I actually spend my time. If you could redesign your life from scratch, what would an ideal week look like? For me, the gap was simply too big.
Yes, being an optometrist is fulfilling and enjoyable, but 6-day workweeks didn't leave me with enough time and energy to pursue my other passions. I wanted to make more memories with my loved ones, take my dog on road trips, train for a triathlon, join a concert band, take a web development course, etc.
But Fred... Can't you do all that by being more efficient with your time?
You only have four thousand weeks
A book called Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman refers to the "efficiency trap" in which people think they can "do it all" by being more efficient, only to end up with anxiety, longer to-do lists, and missing out on what really matters to them.
Our time is finite (only four thousand weeks!), so doing anything inherently requires a trade-off against something else you could have been doing instead.
Intentional Living
I believe a happy and fulfilled life is a delicate balance of diverse passion projects, meaningful relationships, and professional endeavours.
After much deliberation, I quit my full-time job to find more work flexibility, live more intentionally, and pursue new passions.
In a follow-up post, I answer recurring questions and share my plan after quitting my full-time job.
Join me on a journey to redesign life, one step at a time! đź‘Š
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