It would seem that in modern society, the indicators that life was a success, is a high income and prestigious work. Meanwhile, some managers deliberately refuse to storm the career ladder. Refuse in favor of a measured family life and a shorter working day, albeit with a loss in salary. What is it-fatigue, recklessness? By no means! Today, this is a whole social phenomenon, called downshifting.
So what is it?
"Downshifting" in literal translation from English means "shifting down." The word is borrowed from the vocabulary of motorists: the so-called gear change to a lower speed. The term was given new meaning after an article published in the Washington Post on December 31, 1991, it was called Life in a Downshift: Downshifting and a New Look at Success in the Nineties. It dealt with the problems of the classic yagsha - a young and ambitious "white collar" for whom the main points of reference are leadership, high income and prestigious social status. These values are closely interrelated: solid earnings allow maintaining an image at the proper level, which, in turn, promotes further advancement.
In the end, every successful careerist becomes a hostage to one's own situation, spending the lion's share of income for the acquisition of image-making things. After all, if the pen you sign contracts with is cheaper than $ 50, you can not look into the eyes of colleagues and clients without shame. The poor yuppie is forced to put an end to small family joys and happiness in his personal life. Many careerists literally burn out at work: expenses for tranquilizers and visits to a psychoanalyst become one of the most significant items of expenditure.
It is believed that the phenomenon of downshifting, as a new form of self-realization of managers, gave rise to large companies of management, in which each employee is nothing more than a screw of a giant mechanism working within the rigid framework of corporate rules. In such conditions, nothing personal or creative remains in the person, it seems as if he loses himself and asks himself: "Why do I, in fact, live?" Downshifting is a great way to break the vicious circle, enjoy life as in youth, here and now, and not postpone all the best for later.
The idea of downshifting was born not in 1990, much earlier. In the 1960s and 1970s, these sentiments were closely related to the ideas of the hippies, the struggle for peace and ecology. In 1980, American Dune Elgin introduced the term "voluntary simplicity" - a way of life in which a person has sufficient financial stability to satisfy spiritual needs. If forced poverty limits a person, then "voluntary simplicity" gives him freedom of choice. Downshifting involves the transition to a regime of "sufficiency" and an understanding that for happiness does not need a lot of money, cottages, cars. In short, do not need anything extra.
The secret of Goa lovers
There is no universal downshifting strategy. Some drop out of bored work and leave to live in the village, others change their field of activity, entering the work in public and charitable organizations, while others leave for a little tropical island and become rescuers or barmen.
It is possible to trace the national characteristics of downshifting as a new form of self-realization of managers. So, in England it has a bright ecological coloring, and the emphasis is on the consumption or cultivation of organic products, secondary processing of garbage, energy saving. In Australia, the "focus" is shifted toward changing the place of residence - managers leave for a quieter, secluded place.
In Ukraine, the fashion for downshifting came about ten years later than its peak in the West - perhaps for economic reasons. This phenomenon, like many other foreign trends, our compatriots understand and interpret in their own way. We have those who preferred to engage in small business instead of "working for the uncle", as well as ordinary freelancers who have a decent education and ability, but do not want to sit in the office daily from 9:00 to 18:00, consider themselves downshifters , although they do not have the most important quality! After all, the essence of downshifting is a steep descent along the career ladder, and in order to descend, you must first very high to rise.
There are, however, we have originals who leave for the Indian state of Goa and live there, on the income they receive from renting a metropolitan apartment. Do you think the reason for the flight to warmer lands is due to the craving for exotics? By no means. The subsistence minimum in large cities is so great that it is very difficult to maintain a family as a downshift. Here also it is necessary to leave to the Indian remote places where life in times is cheaper.
However, to find yourself, you do not need to break your career and become an ascetic. Many former careerists manage to find soft forms of downshifting: they do not break the habitual circle of communication, they do not leave for the end of the world. They simply go to a similar position in another company, where there is less salary, but already a circle of duties. Women often remain at their own work, only switch to part-time jobs or agree on a flexible schedule.
However, psychologists trace an important regularity: the longer a person has lived "not with his" life, realizing the goals imposed on him by someone, the more radically he changes the principles of his existence.
Experienced daunshifters advise a person to think about what he really wants, to remember children's and young people's dreams and enter a new ladder, where you can start ... to rise again.
Portrait of Downshifter
Downshifting is a manifestation of strength or weakness? What managers tend to change their lives? Psychologists and sociologists distinguish three groups.
The first includes managers who have become hostages of parents' installations. Say, a girl, obeying mother and father, entered a law school to become a "sought-after specialist" or simply an ordinary manager, got a job that she does not like, but performs in good faith, for which she regularly receives promotions and an increase in salary. She after all perfectionist: parents, school, institute, the chief - all taught her to carry out the duties only perfectly well. And they taught ... But suddenly she realizes that she is not happy, neither work, nor job, nor increase in salary, and marries to ... become a housewife, and thus falls into absolute dependence on the spouse!
The second group resorts to downshifting, because it can not cope with physical and psychological stress. To daily get to the traffic jams for two hours from home to work, and then back, and be content once a year with a two-week vacation, you really need to have remarkable health.
The third category of downshifters consists of those who already played enough expensive watches, cars and decided that the earned money will be enough even for future grandchildren and it's time to do something for the soul. Such people leave the business for art, charity or counseling.
Quite often the decision about downshifting coincides with the crisis of middle age. Close people do not always support the philosophizing careerist and consider his emotional torments as a matter of bitterness and laziness. However, the desire to relieve the heavy workload and shift the emphasis in favor of internal development or health is just a manifestation of an active attitude towards one's life! But to sacrifice oneself to a social stereotype that requires something to constantly prove to others is ordinary conformism.
Who more often becomes downshifters - men or women? There is no exact information. It would seem that this strategy suits the fairer sex: to abandon a career for the sake of the family and children. Another "female" reason for downshifting is that loving wives do not want to earn more than their husbands. Although, on the other hand, men who are originally brought up as "miners" easily join the competition for the title of "Owner of the most expensive car" and in the end ... go from a distance from fatigue.
However, today, downshifting has become a fashion trend, and, perhaps, some careerists will follow it just because it's fashionable.
Be ready...
What do you need to know about a person planning to become a downshifter? First of all, he must decide for himself whether he wants to retire forever or plans to return. After all, the seemingly rosy prospects with time may fade ... Or there will be new items of expenditure: it will be necessary to pay for the education of children, for which it will be necessary to again engage in a career race.
Keep in mind: most employers are suspicious of downshifters. If a person once abandoned a career, where is the guarantee that he will not again change corporate values? It is better to make every effort to maintain a professional reputation and, if possible, disguise the zigzag in his career. Respectful reasons are illness or family circumstances.
You can not impulsively make a decision about downshifting on the background of nervous stress or severe fatigue. It is better to take a vacation and carefully weigh the pros and cons. It would be nice to make a table by inscribing the pros and cons of the current and proposed work in different graphs. Instead of common phrases you need to use specific language, for example the sentence: "I will have more free time" is better replaced by another: "Every day I will have six hours of free time." To assess new financial prospects, it is useful to equip yourself with a calculator and to correlate the level of expected salary with the possible costs.
But the most important thing is to listen to the inner voice and understand your true needs, answering the question: "How do I see my happy life?" Then it is important to believe in yourself and overcome the fear of the unknown. Thousands of people are engaged in an unloved business, for example, management, simply because they are not sure that they will be successful and happy, doing what they dream about their whole life! You do not want to join their ranks? Fantasize, try to imagine yourself in the future, when the desired state will be achieved.
And, of course, be prepared for unexpected effects. For example, wanting to devote more time to friends and family, you will suddenly find that this is impossible. Because when you are free, everyone else ... is busy.