Making the most of my time

“I don’t know if I’m having an epiphany or what,” I said.

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“I don’t know that I want to be a full-time copy editor,” I said.

Let me explain.

I love words. I love editing. But the past month of being back in front of the computer for 40-plus hours a week is not good. I can feel it already in my back and neck. It’s too sedentary.

It’s not that I can’t focus – I can. I can work -- write or edit -- anywhere, anytime. I don’t need to be inspired or have the right music or right lighting or right coffee or whatever. It’s nicer if it’s quiet, but it was never quiet in the newsroom. I just learned to tune things out.

And while I love the work – crave the line editing – I don’t want to do it all the time. I want more time off to take a walk, read something, see something, do something.

Here’s the thing: I may be working until I keel over dead. I may never get to retire in the traditional sense. So, wouldn’t it make sense to create a job – a working “lifestyle” -- I can keep and enjoy for a long time? (Assuming I live a long time. Genetics is on my side, but no one is promised tomorrow.)

It got me thinking, though, about how I can make this work.

I previously had put together spreadsheets of what I’d need to earn in order to live in Portugal -- income, expenses, taxes, etc. (I know, you’re thinking, “Of course you did.” What can I say? I’m a planner.) So, I went back to them, to see what I could do. Can I cut expenses? If I’m not working as much, I can’t really increase income, unless I find other ways to make money. How can I live cheaply? How can I monetize my skills?

Then I realized I was focusing all on money, which is never the answer. I think it really struck me when I actually wrote out the word “monetize.”

So, I switched to time. How can I maximize my time to do what I want? What skills do I have that can help people get what they want, so I can get what I want? What options do I have to live other places and have more time to explore them?

A subtle shift, perhaps, but a positive one.

I’ve kicked some ideas around with my sister. I have a lot more to think about and figure out. More research to be done, more learning, but I’ve got time right now.

Isn’t that ironic?