Article
I Left My Job for Several Months to Read Philosophy
It was Thursday, 31 March 2022, when I handed over the last of my responsibilities to my colleagues, closed my laptop and went to the library. I left my job for several months and immersed myself in philosophy. And I am immensely grateful for it. Today I am, like most people, on a merry-go-round, and it is hard for me to stop and think about the fundamental questions of my own life. That makes me value even more the chance life gave me in 2022.
That chance was a consequence of a decision I had made earlier, the decision to study philosophy at university.
And it was possible because of the trust I had built at work. They believed I would keep my word and come back, which is what happened. For that reason they did not look for a replacement, even though they were in a difficult position.
Deciding to Study Philosophy Was the Best Decision I Ever Made
Today I see that even more clearly than I did when I was making it.
It was not easy to explain that step to my family, I have written about it.
And the fact that most people find it hard to understand is probably what led me to write this article.
There Is No Time for Anything Now
People in their working years are always chasing something. They do not stop to think about their own life and about the world. They are on a merry-go-round, just as I am now.
The time we give to ourselves and to the most fundamental questions is a luxury we may allow ourselves in retirement, but rarely during our working years.
The Luxury I Gave Myself in My Most Productive Years
At twenty-six I left my job for several months and spent my days on philosophy from morning until evening. It was connected with preparing for my final examinations and the defence of my master's thesis.
It was spring, and I often sat in a park, in Riegrovy sady or on Střelecký ostrov. I read, I watched the people around me, and then I read again. I asked myself things I did not normally ask. It was time very well spent. The fact that it was connected with getting a formal qualification was a bonus. And yet that formal qualification was, in a sense, what forced me to step off the working merry-go-round. Because I need to concentrate on things properly, not move from topic to topic, from the computer to the book and back again, that does not work for me.
But the time itself, which I spent with a book and with myself, was something more than studying for examinations. Something far more important for my life. I had the chance to stop.
The Early Retirement That Is Now Also Called a Micro-Retirement
My colleagues still remember that period as the time when Richard was in early retirement.
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Summary
Common questions on this article's topic
What is a micro-retirement?
What do people use a micro-retirement for?
Can you go back to the same job after a career break?
When does it make sense to take a career break?
Why is it so hard to stop and think?
If you have any thoughts, questions, or feedback, feel free to drop me a message at mail@richardgolian.com.
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