I've started traveling the world while working remotely. At 29, it's helped me regain a sense of control over my life.
Courtesy of Lulu Safdie; iStock; Rebecca Zisser/Insider
- Lulu Safdie, 29, left one tech job for another that allowed her to work remotely and less hours.
- She's traveled to and worked in Philadelphia, New York, and Uruguay and is currently in Milan.
- She feels more in control of her life. Here's Safdie's story, as told to writer Fortesa Latifi.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Lulu Safdie, a 29-year-old tech worker from Buenos Aires, Argentina. It has been edited for length and clarity.
This story is part of "How the Pandemic Changed My Career," an Insider series documenting the moves and moments that shaped people's careers over the last two years.
When the pandemic hit, everything changed for me, just like it did for people around the world.
At the time, I was the chief of staff for a software-development company in Argentina. As COVID-19 was spreading, companies were canceling their contracts with us because the contracts were deemed nonessential. There were so many issues with clients, and no one knew what was going to happen.
I started working overtime, and since I was working from home and lived alone, it was like I was inside a never-ending workday
I didn't know how to walk away from my computer when there was so much that needed to be done.
Then, the company was sold, and I thought that things would get better — but I started thinking the lifestyle I was living wasn't the one I wanted.
I wasn't being good to myself — not to my body, my mind, or my psyche. I didn't enjoy my work anymore, which was a stark change for me. I've always been someone who loves work, and suddenly, it was my entire life and I wasn't enjoying it. There were 12-hour days of Zoom meetings, and I was exhausted. Working was tainted for me.
When I saw an opportunity to join a fully remote team, I jumped for it
I found the job opening for Spot Meetings on LinkedIn, where I had connected with a recruiter who specialized in remote tech positions. Spot Meetings is committed to making a product that supports healthy collaboration and a balance for workers. The platform is built for workers to take meetings while walking.
I remember thinking: This is what I'm missing. I had an unhealthy mentality while working from home, and this company seemed to want to change that for other people. I was really glad to join as its chief of staff in November.
I changed the rest of my life, too
Growing up, I'd gone to an international school in Argentina and was surrounded by the children of diplomats and expats who had lived all around the world. I always loved traveling and interacting with cultures other than my own.
That lifestyle of living in different places and not being anchored to one spot was always attractive to me. And when I changed my job, it felt like the time to try it out. Luckily, my Buenos Aires apartment is relatively inexpensive, so I've kept the lease, but as I take longer trips, I'm thinking about breaking it. For now, I like having the apartment as a home base and have been able to sublet it for some of my trips.
Just this year, I've worked from Philadelphia, New York, and Uruguay
To decide where I want to go next, I settle on a region, then do research on cities because I'm partial to city life. I factor in friends, cost of living, the ability to meet people, and general safety and language constraints. But I don't put too much pressure on finding the perfect place because if I don't like somewhere, I can just move on after a few months. Being open and having a good attitude are really important in choosing a place to live temporarily.
I'm currently in Milan, and I'm staying here in a short-term apartment rental for three months.
After Milan, I don't know where I'll go. And that's part of the fun.
I'm embracing this lifestyle wholeheartedly. It's not easy to set boundaries with remote work, and I'm still learning to do that, but it's been a huge change in my life.
Working from home doesn't mean that you have to work all the time. I use the time-blocking technique and block my calendar off for specific tasks like they're meetings. I even have allotted daily times for catching up on email or general organization.
But a huge part of being able to draw this boundary is knowing that I'm in a cool place that I want to explore. That incentive helps diminish the misplaced guilt of not working 24/7.
The world has opened up to me
In New York, I sublet an apartment from a friend. In Uruguay, I stayed with family. In Milan, my rental is near one of my best friends.
I'm excited to be in Italy and be able to brush up on my Italian. I want to have a project like that in each place I go. One of my other goals for my time in Italy is to try as many different types of pasta as I can.
Before I made the change to this nomadic lifestyle, work took up so much of my life. Now, I try really hard to integrate work into my life instead of fitting my life around my work. I can have hobbies and be independent and autonomous. I still love what I do, but it's only a part of me.
I've gained so much through this
I've gained free time, experiences, and adventures. I've tried restaurants and coffee shops I've always wanted to go to. I've seen things I've always wanted to see.
Most importantly, I've taken back the reins of my life. I'm not living how I feel like I'm supposed to live — I'm making a conscious effort to try to figure out how I want to live.
I'm still figuring that out. It's a journey. But now, I'm at least the one driving the car.
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