New here? This is the first edition of Making a Living, a newsletter that explores our changing relationship with work. Head to the About page to see what you can expect for future editions.
Old subscriber? This newsletter used to be ‘Paintbrush Philosophy’. But my trajectory has changed since then. Feel free to unsubscribe at the bottom of this email if it isn't your jam.
“Take four puffs in the morning, and four puffs at night. If you’re not better in a week, I need you back here.”
The nurse had that matronly air about her that immediately made me feel safe. It was the first time in a long time that I felt like I was going to be okay.
I left the doctors with a medication plan that sounded extreme, but it was nothing compared to the 50 steroids I’d powered through in America.
Strep. I got absolutely battered by strep. While on holiday, of all times.
A rash like a big ripe strawberry, my partner had rushed me to a walk-in centre in the US, and I got treated before returning to the UK.
As a result, my usually mild asthma became severe to the point that I couldn’t walk for 10 minutes without getting out of breath. I’d wake up in the middle of the night gasping for air.
Leaving the doctor’s surgery after my asthma check, all I could think was: I can't wait to be well again.
This was December 2022. When I realised my relationship with work needed to change. I’d been heading in this direction for quite some time.
In the second half of 2022, I:
Started a once-in-a-lifetime role with a Y combinator company.
Said goodbye to most of my freelance clients in pursuit of the new role.
Quit the role because I was unhappy.
Scaled up my freelance business to full capacity in the space of a month.
Got really sick with strep.
Strep led to long-term health complications.
I’d pushed myself to the edge, and paid the price for it.
So if your relationship with work is changing, I hear ya. Boy, do I hear ya.
For the past five years, I’ve worked with tech start-ups, journalists, authors, founders, and major software companies. I’m a regular contributor at The Next Web, and landed my biggest-ever software client, Xero, in the last 12 months.
I’ve ghostwritten content for industry leaders, and interviewed countless founders and CEOs. And they all know business as usual is over for good.
Work is changing. Not just for me – for everyone
Going back to my old freelance business at the end of last year was like going back to an ex after they’ve cheated. Except, I was the one who cheated. And I wasn’t actually sure what I wanted from the relationship anymore.
So, welcome to Making a Living. A newsletter that explores our changing relationship with work. We’ll cover questions like:
Does my job need to be meaningful?
Is it okay if I have no desire to climb the career ladder?
Would I still do my job if I wasn’t dependent on it for income?
Every month, I’ll share research, news, and carefully curated content about how work – and our relationship with it – is changing. Plus, I’ll write a little think piece sharing my current and innermost thoughts about work.
~ Ebony-Storm x
The resource section
✍️ Efforts to treat employee burnout aren’t working because they focus on the individual, instead of the systemic issues that lead to burnout. That’s according to this piece from the McKinsey Health Institute.
📰 Project management platform Asana just launched a new publication about how work is changing. I’ll be diving into this one for goodies to share with you folks!
🗳️Dropbox has just released its first-ever company-wide survey on virtual work. Loads of ideas you can poach from here to make the remote lifestyle work for you.
🏠 How are housing and productivity linked? This piece in the Economics Observatory brings together a plethora of studies to illustrate how where we live impacts what we’re able to do. Be warned: it’s a lengthy read, so pop the kettle on.
Obviously, I love this