Today is my last day working at OOHology. It took a lot of time and consideration, but I decided it would be best in both the short and long term if I left the company.
Starting tomorrow I’ll be a full-time dad, and I’ll be focusing on that at a minimum until we feel like we can safely send her back to preschool. But part of what precipitated this change is also that my relationship with Grace has continued to change. We’re in a time of life where we really get a lot out of our hours together and I want to make the most of it. Whereas the early years were… not my favorite… I can see where this time of life might be what I’ll remember most fondly. Removing my work obligations will only help me continue that.
Professionally, I think I’ve settled that client work just isn’t for me. For nearly three years it’s been my job, at two different agencies and freelance. All of those opportunities were the right thing for me at the time, and I have no regrets. I also learned so much! But when I’m ready to work again, I know it needs to be in a different kind of role.
Lastly, Ber is working full-time now. Our family needs to adjust to her odd hours, but we also have her wages and health insurance so this move is not as risky as when I went full-time freelance in 2018.
This confluence of short-term and long-term isn’t always so clear, but it is this time. It’s scary to leave a job where I was doing well during such an unsure environment, but it really seems like the right move for my family now and later.
If you’ll excuse me, the four year old seems to have an issue with some Lego.
Alex Gustafson 