Weeks #20-22: Wrapping up RC and rebooting my career break

Weeks 20 through 22

I took some time to reflect on my experience with the Recurse Center and decided to wrap up my batch early—six weeks instead of twelve. I’m thankful to the RC staff for giving me the opportunity to “never-graduate” and for connecting me with an amazing community.

Rebooting the career break

After three months, in early May, I participated in the “Volition” workshop at RC, which motivated me to do a retrospective of how my career break was going for myself and my family.

It struck me how I was trying to keep the same routine and comfort zone— which for me is “being in a Zoom call with a group of people, taking notes and discussing details”.

With a nudge from my partner, I took a break from family responsibilities and spent two days in a hostel in a small town, thinking about how I want the next three months of my career break to look. The outcome is a weekly calendar of a potential ideal week for me.

Ideal week for the next three months

The result of taking a break to think about my career break is this ideal week schedule. Legend:

• 50% (Pink) - Family & Commitments
• 30% (Blue) - Work or Focus time (e.g. writing this blog)
• 10% (Green) - Sport and Wellness
• 10% (Purple) - Hobby and Play time

Reading list

• Evolution and Tinkering, 1977 – this is what I needed to get validation ;)
• Confessions of a Public Speaker, 2011 – a blast from the past that re-ignited my interest in public speaking / teaching

Next on the reading list

• The Soul of a New Machine, 1981 – Book recommendation from Bryan Cantrill’s talk about Trust and Infrastructure