The whole point of Slow Down and Save is to encourage you to live a more intentional, meaningful life – truly living a life of joy – by reducing your spending and focussing your time, energy and money on the things that bring you joy. You will discover that these things are rarely material possessions, and are often the simple things in life. They usually cost little to no money.
But how can working bring me joy, you might ask? I slog it out for 40 hours a week to save money so I can retire and stop working. The truth is, work doesn’t have to be something you dread. With the right approach, you can design a life of joy where you never want to stop working – and I’m going to show you how.
Your grandparents
Imagine you’re talking with your elderly grandparents, inside a cosy room on a cold and rainy day, with the heating set just so and a warm drink in your hands. You ask them what they wished they had spent more time doing through their lives.
They give answers like: We wish we’d… spent more time with our children and grandchildren, run that marathon, climbed those mountains, gave that speech I was invited to give but declined, volunteered at that charity which meant so much to us.
The rolling theme here isn’t money or material possessions – it’s that they wished they had challenged themselves more in any number of different ways, both mentally and physically.
This brings us to the fundamental root of what it means to be human. As humans, we are designed to do difficult things – and then to receive satisfaction from accomplishing them. This is one of life’s deepest, most fundamental desires. We are all designed to work.
What is work, anyway?
Ah, now this is the question you should be asking. What does it mean to work? For most people, this means their 9 to 5 job, a necessity to provide income to sustain their lifestyles. Some people are lucky enough to have a job they genuinely enjoy.
Hopefully, most of us get some form of enjoyment from our 9 to 5 – after all, this is one of the reasons why people choose a certain career. But job roles can change over time, and often career advancement means taking on more management responsibilities, moving your job away from the career you studied for.
There are even a select few people who take high-paying, often stressful jobs (I’m thinking trading, finance/ insurance jobs) which they may not like at all, and are only in it for the money. Fair enough – these people want either: a) to live an expensive lifestyle that requires a high income to maintain, or b) to save as much money as possible and become financially independent quickly.
However, ‘work’ can be many other things. Most people measure ‘work’ by the size of their paycheque. But what if we measured it by some other means… how much satisfaction we get out of it, or the benefits that it provides to ourselves and to society? This opens up a whole new dimension of what ‘work’ can be.
Build FU money…
For those of us not in high-paying roles, it will take longer to reach financial independence and ‘retire’ if we want to. Whatever your situation, focus on building your wealth as quickly as possible. Get promotions at work, start building a side hustle that you can turn into a business, work overtime for extra pay. Whatever you need to do to build your wealth, do it.
The more money you have, the greater your ability to decide your own destiny rather than letting external influences (work and life) decide it. With FU money, you get to decide when to say ‘yes’ and ‘no’ to your employer.
You may not yet have enough money to be financially independent, but you do have enough to give the finger to your employer if they ask you to work on the weekend (for example). You have a financial cushion that will support you for several years if you lose your job. Your money allows you to more relaxed with your employer… which will probably lead to increased productivity and enjoyment at work, positively influencing career advancement.
Unlike the person who lives paycheck to paycheck and fears losing their job, you have no such fear because of your FU money. If you’re a valuable employee, it’s unlikely your employer would fire you over refusing to do extra work. Money is power.
… and become financially independent
When you continue to build wealth, your stash of FU money grows more and more… until you eventually become financially independent. At this stage, your investments produce enough income through dividends and growth, to sustain your expenses forever. Work becomes optional… but not working does not become compulsory.
I’m sorry, what?
Let me say it again. Not working does not become compulsory. If you enjoy your job, then you may decide to keep working. Or you may decide to work part time. You may even quit completely… and then come back to work some time later when you get bored. Just because you have enough money not to work, does not mean you should never work again. We all have a moral responsibility to make society a better place… this should be your motivation to find something useful to do with your life, and to never stop working on it.
Live to work, not work to live
When you become financially independent and ‘retire’, make sure you have something to retire to. You can’t retire to nothing – this just encourages laziness and complacency. You need to have some hobbies, some form of work to retire to. I consider the following question when I write out my goals for my free time: how can I become a better version of myself and contribute to society? You should ask yourself the same.
The process of self-development should not wait until financial independence. You should aim to build your skillset, improve your fitness and become a better you every day of your life. You should never stop learning.
Being financially independent gives you the freedom to do what you want with your time. You need not continue working your day job if you dislike it. Find something to do that gives you a deep sense of satisfaction, and do it well. Start to measure your work in terms of how it benefits you mentally and physically, how it benefits society and how much joy it brings you.
Ahhh. Now you’re beginning to see the light. Financial independence allows you to live to work, not work to live. You enjoy your work so much that you genuinely want to get up in the morning and get on with the next project.
Redefining work: how to keep living a life of joy
For me, ever since I quit my full-time job in early 2025, my definition of work has changed. Consistently going to the gym and running every day count as work to me. I’m exercising to improve my own quality of life, and to live a longer, healthier life. I understand that regular exercise has a number of other benefits, including improved sleep, concentration and work ethic.
Developing this website also counts as work to me. It takes a lot of time and effort to write high-quality articles and to design a good website. It’s my way of giving back to society, by providing free knowledge in my area of expertise. I even consider organising my life by keeping an updated diary and list of things to do as ‘work’. This ensures I can live a productive life with as few unpleasant surprises as possible.
I’m not measuring this work by how much money it produces for me – rather by the health benefits I derive and the satisfaction I get from knowing that I’m contributing to society in a meaningful way. These things provide me with a deep sense of joy – not superficial happiness that you might receive from binge-watching your favourite TV program.
You’ll never be fully retired
Work doesn’t have to be something you dread – and financial independence doesn’t mean never working again. By intentionally building FU money, pursuing work you love, and committing to self-development, you can create a life of joy where you never want to stop working. Humans are designed to challenge themselves, contribute to society, and find satisfaction in meaningful work. Live to work, not work to live – and make every day count.
Continue being a productive and useful member of society throughout your life. Save enough money to find work that brings you joy – not more money – and never stop working.
FAQ
Yes. Work can bring joy when it aligns with your values, strengths, and interests. Meaningful work — whether a job, hobby, or personal project — challenges you, allows you to grow, and contributes to something bigger than yourself. In this way, work can become a source of fulfilment and joy rather than just a chore or a means to an income.
FU money is a financial buffer that gives you the freedom to say “no” to unwanted work or obligations. It reduces stress, empowers you to make intentional choices, and allows you to pursue projects or jobs that bring joy. Essentially, FU money turns work from a necessity into a choice, helping you live a life aligned with your values.
Not at all. Financial independence means your investments or savings can cover your living expenses, giving you the freedom to choose how you spend your time. Some people continue working in part-time roles, passion projects, or volunteering because they enjoy it. Retirement becomes optional, not compulsory — the focus shifts to working on what you love, not merely for money.
Work doesn’t have to be a job. Redefining work means measuring it by the satisfaction, growth, or impact it provides. Exercise, creative projects, volunteering, learning, or even organising your life can be considered work. By focusing on purpose, contribution, and personal development, you transform everyday efforts into meaningful work, giving your life structure and deep, intrinsic joy.
Intentional living while working means prioritising activities that bring joy, growth, and contribution. Minimise time on tasks that drain energy or offer little value, and maximise opportunities to learn, improve, and challenge yourself. Financial independence amplifies your choice, letting you focus on projects that matter, pursue hobbies that enrich your life, and work in ways that bring satisfaction every day – helping you live a life of joy.
I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it! If you did, here are some other posts you may like:
- State of the UK’s electric charging network in 2025.
- You need to be more disciplined to increase productivity.
- A day in my life of intentional living.
- Why you need to consume less.
You can follow me on X, and find me on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook.
Leave a Reply