As a team member of Escaype Enterprises LLC I thought I'd take a jog down Memory Lane (this counts as my cardio for the day, right?) to share the top 5 things I will truly never miss about that way of life. So here goes:
1) Waking up at the crack of dawn.
Sure, the early bird may catch the worm... but let's face it. Some of us are NOT morning people. I just happen to be in that category, so the idea of being jolted out of my last REM stage by the blaring sounds of my cell phone alarm 5 (and sometimes 6) days a week is and always will be AWFUL.
2) That dreadful morning commute.
I always found it odd that millions of Americans shared the misfortune of rolling out of bed in a frenzy and scrambling frantically to get out the door, only to find ourselves sitting idle among a sea of cars occupied by other impatient business professionals who, by the looks on their faces, were running just as late as I was. I always chalked it up to "That's just Atlanta traffic for ya..." which brings me to Number 3--
3) The Walk of Shame.
Anyone who knows me will agree that while punctuality is definitely NOT my strong suit, my inadvertent tardiness has ZERO impact on my work ethic and my productivity. I think about the nasty glares I used to receive from my coworkers each time I entered the office half an hour past "9am-on-the-dot" and strolled into my cubicle. Come on, we were salaried. We weren't required to clock in, we just got paid to get the job done within our employer's parameters of a 40-hour work week.
Did I show up for work later than others? Yes. Did I complete all my responsibilities within my given time frames? Yes. Did I ever give anyone the If-Looks-Could-Kill stare as they bolted for the parking lot at 4:59:59 pm while I stayed at the office almost 3 hours later than everyone else (including the janitors)? No. I rest my case.
4) Water Cooler Talk.
It's hard to believe that those of us with extroverted personalities wouldn't want to engage in small talk at any given opportunity, right? Especially since we're confined to 5' x 5' work spaces made of carpeted walls which typically don't have windows or any type of attractive view. For me personally though, I was never a fan of discussing the weather or disclosing elaborate details about my weekend with someone who just happened to be in the break room at the same time I was pouring my 6th cup of Maxwell House before lunchtime. A simple "Hi" would actually suffice, and I promise I wouldn't think you were being rude. After all it's just business... NOT a social networking mixer.
5) Doing the same thing over and over again.
It's true-- Many of us are creatures of habit... which means you have absolutely no problem with a predictable daily routine, a structured lunch break and a monotonous regimen like pushing papers or crunching numbers. As someone who is easily bored by consistency, I had an extremely difficult time performing the same tasks. Over and over again. To produce the same result. Hey, isn't that the unofficial definition of INSANITY?
These last 11 months as a freelancing professional for Escaype Enterprises have been the exact opposite of a typical Corporate America position: There are NO standard hours of operation. We don't implement the same projects each month, much less from day-to-day. You're not required to be in "business casual" attire to perform your duties. There are no office politics. You don't have to put in 52 straight weeks of employment so you can be granted permission to be sick or enjoy the afternoon off when it's a sunny Wednesday before the clock officially strikes "Close-of-Business o'clock."
As if that's not enough to gloat about... Here's the BEST thing: I can honestly say I love what I do for a living. How many of us can say that? My guess is not many.
Bottom line is this: Don't allow several years or even decades to pass before you realize your occupation/livelihood "really wasn't all that great." Whatever it is you do for a living in order to pay your bills, feed your family or support that impulsive shoe habit... Make certain it's something you're passionate enough about that you truly have no regrets.
So what are you waiting for?! Create your own Escaype Route starting NOW.
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