I totally agree the "balance" practice. It applies to any activity, even food choices, to say the least. Career & income are major factors for stability of life. Without the stability, traveling is not going to be considered.
Austrian here. I have 27 vacation days a year and I am pretty happy with that to be honest. In 2024 I was in Shanghai in spring, in Kyoto in November und and in Chongqing in December. In the summer I often take a friday off and do some long weekend trips within Austria or to neighbouring countries. To sum it up: i don't need a sabbatical of several months to be able to see the world. Having 5+ weeks of vacation is pretty great already.
That's amazing! Yeah 27 vacation days is quite a lot. Also because you're in Austria, you're pretty central so you can fly to Asia or North America or Africa without having to spend a day on the plane. So you don't need as much time off to justify flying to these places. Plus other European countries are so accessible, and you can travel abroad during a long weekend. For me, with 10 days off per year and only taking 5 days off at a time, I couldn't justify flying from the US to Southeast Asia, for example. Could you take a sabbatical and go back to your job, if you wanted?
@ all correct. Yes, Austria is a very convenient location. Maybe think about moving here ;) I could take a sabbatical, yes. For my company the rule is having worked there for 6 years, then 1 year sabbatical. I could return to the same job, yes.
@@Curzon1999vie wow unbelievable. So even better than France, where after 7 years you get 11 months. If I knew I would return to my old job at CNBC after my sabbatical, I would be CHILLINGGG during the entire trip. Instead, the uncertainty def affected me
@ totally understandable 😐 we Europeans know that Americans are way richer than we are (on average), but money is not everything. You guys live to work, we work to live. And we all live just once. We have to make the most of this limited time. I hope you will find a new job that lets you enjoy live as well. I wish you all the best!
@ ahaha i have to admit earning American dollars can be very nice when you're traveling and need money. The problem is we don't have enough time. We all need time and money. The way Europeans balance the two is healthier and I think what makes them happier. Thanks so much - you as well! I've actually been working a new remote journalism job since last August, so great flexibility and pretty good work life balance. But then I decided to start making videos for youtube and IG, so there goes my work life balance 🙃🙃🙃 I mean I am American and a Capricorn 🤷♀
10 days of PTO is criminal. What do parents in the US do with their kids when they have their long summer hols? You shouldn't have to choose between work and life, and work should definitely not be your life. I always stare incredulously when people talk about how great the US is and how they want to move there to work or study. Absurd uni tuition fees, no universal healthcare, piss-poor work-life balance, meager PTO among other socio-political issues...American Dream? More like nightmare. I like visiting the States; I'd never in a million years move there.
Yeah it's really very little. Before I left my last job, they increased it to 15 for everyone. Also, you can accumulate more vacation days, the longer you stay at a company. But it typically starts at 10. I think the US is the land of big dreams - the upper limit seems to be much higher than in most other countries, in terms of how much money you can make and what you can accomplish. But it can be a huge grind and struggle trying to get there. A lot of people don't make it. So it's a very idealized place, but the reality can be more bleak for most people. Omg that's a good question about what parents do during their kids' 3 month summer holidays... I always had one parent who worked from home. But if you don't have that, maybe you have to put your kids in daycare or have help from grandparents or something, if your kids are still too young to be home alone. O_O Where are you from? How are your sabbatical policies there?
So, the solution is... finding a job at one of those 7% companies that offer paid sabbaticals in the US haha. You get the high wages, less taxes, and free vacation woohoo!
I wonder how many of those 7% jobs are actually tenured professorships at universities? The only jobs I have come across that have sabbaticals are those jobs but sometimes they were research sabbaticals as well so there was still some work or sometimes the sabbatical wouldn't be until decades into their career.
@ decades into the career 🙃🙃🙃 I see thanks for sharing that tip! Maybe this is more commonly the case for professor jobs. What’s your take on sabbaticals? Would you quit your job to take one?
I totally agree the "balance" practice. It applies to any activity, even food choices, to say the least. Career & income are major factors for stability of life. Without the stability, traveling is not going to be considered.
very true! But when you are too invested in career and income, it can also be hard to find time to travel! (hint hint)
Austrian here. I have 27 vacation days a year and I am pretty happy with that to be honest. In 2024 I was in Shanghai in spring, in Kyoto in November und and in Chongqing in December. In the summer I often take a friday off and do some long weekend trips within Austria or to neighbouring countries. To sum it up: i don't need a sabbatical of several months to be able to see the world. Having 5+ weeks of vacation is pretty great already.
That's amazing! Yeah 27 vacation days is quite a lot. Also because you're in Austria, you're pretty central so you can fly to Asia or North America or Africa without having to spend a day on the plane. So you don't need as much time off to justify flying to these places. Plus other European countries are so accessible, and you can travel abroad during a long weekend. For me, with 10 days off per year and only taking 5 days off at a time, I couldn't justify flying from the US to Southeast Asia, for example.
Could you take a sabbatical and go back to your job, if you wanted?
@ all correct. Yes, Austria is a very convenient location. Maybe think about moving here ;)
I could take a sabbatical, yes. For my company the rule is having worked there for 6 years, then 1 year sabbatical. I could return to the same job, yes.
@@Curzon1999vie wow unbelievable. So even better than France, where after 7 years you get 11 months. If I knew I would return to my old job at CNBC after my sabbatical, I would be CHILLINGGG during the entire trip. Instead, the uncertainty def affected me
@ totally understandable 😐 we Europeans know that Americans are way richer than we are (on average), but money is not everything. You guys live to work, we work to live. And we all live just once. We have to make the most of this limited time. I hope you will find a new job that lets you enjoy live as well. I wish you all the best!
@ ahaha i have to admit earning American dollars can be very nice when you're traveling and need money. The problem is we don't have enough time. We all need time and money. The way Europeans balance the two is healthier and I think what makes them happier. Thanks so much - you as well! I've actually been working a new remote journalism job since last August, so great flexibility and pretty good work life balance. But then I decided to start making videos for youtube and IG, so there goes my work life balance 🙃🙃🙃 I mean I am American and a Capricorn 🤷♀
I think they drink more tea!
10 days of PTO is criminal. What do parents in the US do with their kids when they have their long summer hols? You shouldn't have to choose between work and life, and work should definitely not be your life. I always stare incredulously when people talk about how great the US is and how they want to move there to work or study. Absurd uni tuition fees, no universal healthcare, piss-poor work-life balance, meager PTO among other socio-political issues...American Dream? More like nightmare. I like visiting the States; I'd never in a million years move there.
Yeah it's really very little. Before I left my last job, they increased it to 15 for everyone. Also, you can accumulate more vacation days, the longer you stay at a company. But it typically starts at 10. I think the US is the land of big dreams - the upper limit seems to be much higher than in most other countries, in terms of how much money you can make and what you can accomplish. But it can be a huge grind and struggle trying to get there. A lot of people don't make it. So it's a very idealized place, but the reality can be more bleak for most people.
Omg that's a good question about what parents do during their kids' 3 month summer holidays... I always had one parent who worked from home. But if you don't have that, maybe you have to put your kids in daycare or have help from grandparents or something, if your kids are still too young to be home alone. O_O
Where are you from? How are your sabbatical policies there?
So, the solution is... finding a job at one of those 7% companies that offer paid sabbaticals in the US haha. You get the high wages, less taxes, and free vacation woohoo!
Sounds like you’ve figured it out 😜
I wonder how many of those 7% jobs are actually tenured professorships at universities? The only jobs I have come across that have sabbaticals are those jobs but sometimes they were research sabbaticals as well so there was still some work or sometimes the sabbatical wouldn't be until decades into their career.
@ decades into the career 🙃🙃🙃 I see thanks for sharing that tip! Maybe this is more commonly the case for professor jobs. What’s your take on sabbaticals? Would you quit your job to take one?
What the hell is 0.5 Australian? lol
😂😅