How I spent my first week of funemployment
Or, how the heck does one structure a 'workweek' that doesn't revolve around a job?
At the age of 15, I entered the world of the employed through my first job as a lifeguard at the local community rec center. Throughout the next 28 years, my jobs would change significantly, but the one constant that remained was that I was employed.* Not so, anymore.
I made the difficult (but maybe also not difficult?), decision to leave my last job after two years of constant chaos and struggle. The details of the reasons I left are another story. Still, this decision was not made lightly and I spent many months contemplating and preparing for the change, both mentally and financially. (I’m planning another post dedicated to this topic).
As the last day with my employer came to a close and the weekend began, I started thinking about my first week of funemployment (thanks to a friend for this name). I wanted some structure so I wouldn’t be tempted to just watch TV all day but also didn’t want to take the fun out of my new adventure. I set some goals and decided to log the happenings of my day for some accountability and to see how the week unfolded. Overall, it was a pretty good week.
*There was a two-month period between my year of volunteering and beginning my career in corporate communications during which time I was unemployed. However, I was making a cross-country move and actively seeking employment, so the focus was much different.
Goals + to-dos for the week:
Design Thinking class
D away for work
Continue training for Pippa + class on Thursday
Two interviews/recruiter calls
Chair massage
Creative Club
Walk with a friend (if not raining)
Pippa vaccine
Three Peloton rides
Daily walks
Daily meditation
Industry webinar
Two Babbel lessons
Finish investment class chapter one
Write/post one substack
Complete 2023 review + 2024 planning
Sunday evening
No more Sunday scaries! Relaxed evening – looked at the week ahead but didn’t spend much time planning knowing I’ll have Monday morning to do this.
Monday
Felt very strange to wake up and not immediately check Slack and my work calendar – no one needs me. Tried to keep the day more structured but was kind of bored. It didn’t help that it rained most of the day.
6 a.m.: Wake up – the alarm was set for 6:30 but Pippa had an earlier time in mind
6:30 - 8: Coffee; snuggles with Pippa; check email; plan for the week; budget/finances check (categorize weekend spending); opened high-yield CD to lock in rate for nine months as rates are beginning to drop; obedience training with Pippa; completed registration to get Pippa into daycare/boarding; checked class discussion board
8 - 8:45: Tidy up the house; make bed; shower/get ready for the day; brush Pippa’s teeth
9: Moved from kitchen island to office; reviewed “career break” email/list; ordered D’s additional birthday present; daily journal/reflection; reviewed new lessons for Pippa’s obedience training; worked on setting up to-do lists (similar to how I set it up for work)
10 - 11:15: Worked on 2023 review and 2024 planning; texted with a few friends
11:15: Lunch
11:45 - 12:15: Walk with D and Pippa + obedience training
12:15 - 1 p.m.: Read (The Land of Milk and Honey by C Pam Zhang)
1 - 1:10: Prepare for class
1:10 - 2:50: Design Thinking Class (was supposed to end at 2:40)
2:50: Pippa playtime
3:30 - 4:15: Netflix; snuggle with Pippa; text with friend to make plans for tomorrow; snack
4:15 - 4:45: Contrast therapy for foot; scrolling Instagram
4:45 - 5:30: Read (Opinions by Roxanne Gay)
5:30 - 6: Feed the pup; dinner — leftovers and salad (husband late meeting); NYT games (Connections, mini crossword, Wordle)
6 - 7: Playing with Pippa, catching up with husband about the day; Instagram
7 - 8: Watched a few episodes of Night Court with D
8 - 9:30: Get ready for bed (brush, floss, face care); browse Reddit
9:30: Bed/sleep
Sprinkled throughout the day: Checking email because it seems strange not to do so at least every hour
Tuesday
Didn’t sleep well - woke up at 3:30 and was awake for about an hour; woken up by D’s alarm at 6:15 a.m. D left for work offsite in Napa.
6:30 - 7 a.m.: Coffee and training with Pippa
7 - 9: Coffee; check emails, review new job openings and check LinkedIn, review spending/budget; DT course - respond to discussion boards and read module two content; signed up for virtual workshop (Meetup); prepare for recruiter calls; watched this Ted Talk; started laundry; got dressed/ready for the day; daily reflection/journaling; make bed
9 - 11: Moved to the office for recruiter calls + follow-up actions
11 - 11:45: Playtime + teeth brushing with Pippa, lunch; laundry; meditation
11:45: Travel to Glen Canyon
12 - 1:30: Walk w/friend
2: Pippa vet
3: Facetime w/D; lounge/TV watching (Loudermilk); finish laundry
5: Dinner; feed Pippa
6 - 9: Read, TV (more Loudermilk); NYT games (Connections, mini crossword, Wordle)
Wednesday
Trouble sleeping again; woke up at 6 a.m. with Pippa but she wouldn’t go out b/c it was raining. Did a ride and it felt amazing. Pippa and I saw a crazy rain wall on our walk. I’ve never seen anything like it.
7:45 a.m.: feed Pippa (game); make coffee
8 - 9: Webinar: Josh Bersin 2024 Predictions & The Big Reset Initiative
9 - 11: Check email/newsletters; Pippa training; KQED/news; daily reflection/journaling; make the bed
11 - 11:45: Peloton ride + stretch
11:45 - 1: Shower + get ready/dressed; eat lunch; play with Pippa + teeth brushing
1: Get ready for class
1:10 - 2:45: Design Thinking class
2:45 - 3:15: Walk + training with Pippa
3:15 - 5:30: Snack; reading (Land of Milk and Honey); Facetime with D
5:30: Made dinner + feed Pippa
6 - 8: Watched a few episodes of Loudermilk; NYT games (Connections, mini crossword, Wordle)
8: Prepare for bed + Reddit browsing; texting with D
9: Bed + sleep
Thursday
Slept better last night. Adjusting and getting somewhat used to not having a work schedule to dictate my day. D returned today from his work offsite.
6:30: Wake up + take out Pippa; snuggles with Pippa
7 - 10: coffee; check email/newsletters; budget check; download tax forms to shared folder taxes folder; listened to Creative Morning (starting at 24:45); worked on 2023 year in review; completed multiple lessons in personal investing and ServiceNow business process analyst courses; submitted times for interview for next week
10: Pippa training and teeth brushing; tidy house; daily reflection/journaling; shower/get ready for the day; make bed
11:30: Lunch; walk + training with Pippa; time at Dolores Park
1 : Read (Land of Milk and Honey + Opinions), Instagram scrolling
3: Watched episode of The Handmaid’s Tale (S5, Ep 1)
4: D home from trip; caught up with him; played with Pippa
5: Dinner + prepare for Pippa’s class; drive to class
6: Pippa’s obedience class
7:30: Return home; relax; NYT games (Connections, mini crossword, Wordle)
8: Prepare for bed + Reddit browsing
9: Sleep
Friday
Slept a little better – by this morning it’s starting to feel somewhat normal to not immediately check Slack and email. Working on acceptance as it relates to the library construction project and trying to not let it get to me so much. Ready for the weekend so D can be free/not working.
6:15 a.m.: Wake up (D’s alarm); woke up with a headache
6:30 - 7:45: Coffee, emails/newsletters, read a few articles/saved a few links; get ready for the day; daily reflection/journaling; make bed
8: Took Pippa to new daycare for evaluation
9: Meeting at library/construction project
10: HOA meeting to discuss library construction project
10:30: Breakfast, finish the second cup of coffee
10:45: Download new tax forms; budget check
11:15 - 11:45: Lunch; catching up with Dustin
11:45 - 2: Work on taxes
2 - 2:45: Snack; chat with Dustin; prepare for massage
2:45 - 3:05: Walk to Groundfloor + talk to niece on phone
3:05 - 3:25: Read (The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin)
3:30: Chair massage
3:50: Intro and chat with fellow Groundfloor member
4: Walk home + listen Armchair Expert podcast
4 - 4:30: Talk to Dustin/relax; NYT games (Connections, mini crossword, Wordle)
4:30 - 5:15: Pck up Pippa from daycare; arrive home; feed Pippa
5:15 - 7:30: Walk to dinner; dinner at Curio (pet-friendly); walk back home
7:30 - 9: Relax + watch Law & Order SVU and Criminal Intent
9: Prepare for bed/sleep
As I wrap up this first week of funemployment, I recognize that this break is not just a hiatus from a job; it's a deliberate choice to shape my life differently. As much as the choice to leave my job was intentional, it was also an experiment to explore who I am without a job title to define me.
Overall, it was a good week during which I explored many different topics, learned a bit, challenged myself, and spent a lot of time outdoors and I’m satisfied with the mix of relaxation and structured time. (I’ve also almost accepted the fact that I’m NEVER going to finish my 2023 year in review.) In just five short days, I began to feel freer and found joy in reclaiming my time for my own. I look forward to seeing how the next week, two, three, and beyond unfold and where this break takes me.