Eight years ago, I worked a visual merchandising job with a 6-2 schedule. I also lived in Vancouver, one of the most expensive cities in North America. With mostly free afternoons and a love of writing, I started looking into freelancing to boost my income.
It was just a fun side hustle at first. The gigs weren’t too time-consuming, and I took a little break after moving to the UK for love in 2019. But after getting settled and finding a new full-time merchandising job, I decided to give it another go. The pandemic gave me a lot of time to work on new projects and build my portfolio, as I was furloughed from my full-time job during the thick of lockdown between 2020 and 2021.
Then restrictions started to lift, but my workload kept growing. I went back to my full-time job, which had a more conventional 8-5 schedule. By then, I had regular freelance clients, so I’d use evenings and weekends to work on projects until working six or seven days a week became normal for me. I eventually switched to a part-time role in 2022 to give myself more time for freelancing, but the long workweek stuck.
An international move made working seven days a necessity, not an option
My husband and I decided to move back to Canada in 2023, which is when the pressure for me to work more became real. We chose an immigration route that meant my husband wouldn’t be able to work for at least a year while his visa was being processed, so I was the sole provider.
I quickly found another part-time job after moving so we could maintain a certain level of income without dipping into our savings. By then, 7-day workweeks were standard for me. I’d work three or four days at my part-time job, and spend the rest of the week freelancing.
Our plan helped us stay on top of our finances, but I was starting to feel depleted. A big reason we moved back to Canada was to spend more time in nature and enjoy a slower pace of life. We chose to move to the smaller city of Victoria rather than my hometown of Vancouver, where we have easy access to beaches, parks, and hiking trails. So when my husband finally got his visa in 2024 and secured a full-time role after a six-month-long job hunt, I learned to give myself permission to slow down.
Courtesy of Maria Polansky
I dropped my hours at my part-time job, so I was only working there two days a week, and stopped saying yes to extra shifts if asked. I started getting pickier about the freelance clients I worked with and politely declined projects that didn’t feel right. I started taking full days off regularly after years of working almost every day, aside from the odd vacation or day trip.
Now, about a year and a half since my husband went back to work, my typical workweek is lighter than it has been in years. I take at least one full day off each week, and my work days are shorter, so I can enjoy slow mornings and fully unwind in the evenings.
I’ve started to work less, but I still feel guilty about it sometimes
I know this shift is better for my mental and physical health, but it doesn’t always come with complete relief. Old habits die hard, as they say. Sometimes I still feel like I should be working more, even though we now have a household income that comfortably covers all our essential expenses plus a few little extra luxuries.
I’m always reminding myself that it’s OK and even good to slow down, and it’s OK that my husband is picking up the financial slack right now. Roles fluctuate within a partnership as life changes. We were in a season where I had to put in the work, and now we’re in a season where I can relax a bit more.
As much as I have a certain sense of pride when it comes to work and financial contribution, I’m also part of a team that offers mutual support. I’m learning that it doesn’t necessarily have to be tied to income. My husband works in a demanding corporate management role, and I want to help him relax and take a load off when he’s at home. Sometimes that entails working less.
I don’t know how long I’ll have the privilege of such a relaxed work schedule, as the cost of living keeps rising, and I want to continue building my freelance writing business. But I do want to keep on prioritizing my health and wellbeing, which means taking work-life balance seriously. Whatever happens in the future, I hope my 7-day workweeks are a thing of the past.
