Demise of the Road Warrior
When people ask me how I got into the field of workplace well-being, I quickly reply “I was a burned-out road warrior.”
In the early 2000s, I was living on the road 100% of the time, for almost two years. I had 3,000-mile weeks and I had 6,000-mile weeks. One of the projects was an 11-month stint as a contractor at Microsoft. I traveled from Boston to Redmond, WA and stayed for 10 days. That was a 3,000-mile week. One week a month, I traveled from Boston to Dublin Ireland, and returned the same week. That was a 6,000-mile week.
When I got home, after nearly two years of this type of travel, I said “This life sucks.”
I knew that there were many things missing from my life. I missed having connections in the community in which I had lived for nearly a decade. I missed seeing my friends on a regular basis. I missed having a dog 🦮 (my previous dog passed away during the Microsoft project). I missed meaningful work.
The pandemic has grounded many people who could easily describe their business life as one of a road warrior. It has given them time to reflect on how they do their work, and the satisfaction it provides. For many, it has given them time to reflect and reassess the choice to be away from home on a regular or extended basis. The time at home supported many people in reconnecting with their family and reprioritizing based on their values.
I’ve had numerous conversations with colleagues and friends who say “No more. I’m not going back to that lifestyle. It was unhealthy and diminished my well-being.”
I have no doubt that the demise of the road warrior is contributing to the great resignation currently happening in the business world. I applaud anyone who is prioritizing their personal well-being over career trajectory, future promotions, or an account full of frequent flyer miles.
Prioritizing your well-being is the best choice you can make in life.
