Wait a minute, weren’t we just in the middle of the weekend? As the sun blazes down alluringly outside, I’m stuck in an airless office with the air conditioning making as futile an attempt as me to be productive. It’s useless. The hands on the clock are teasing me, barely budging an inch. Flipping heck, I want to go riding! My concentration evades me and stress levels shoot up. Does it really have to be like this?
As we drive back to the office after lunch at the local Chinese, I almost choke on the arid desert-like fortune cookie. ‘BIRDS PREFER FREEDOM TO SAFETY,’ glared back at me in capital letters. As I digested the words, they struck a chord, making me wryly aware of their resemblance to my current situation. With each scroll on Instagram, my envy towards entrepreneurial ‘oh-yeah-I’ve-got-a-start-up’ friends grows; they’re the ones gravitating from coffee shop to beach bar, referring to themselves as digital nomads and needing nothing more than high-speed internet to work. My own working week was already bringing me down – was there any way to get some respite? What happened to well-intentioned flexitime and trust-based working? And does ‘home office’ really mean that you have to work from home?
Against the tide
I think about the two potential routes of safety and freedom, and wonder: if not now, when? I decide to adopt a counter-cyclical routine. No more 9-to-5, the new routine will see me work until midday, then hoist the sails for the afternoon until the evening comes and I’ll dedicate another few hours to the screen. Going countercyclical brings other benefits too: no rush hour, no stress, and no hurry. I’ll drive when the roads are at their quietest, and have fun when the others are all working. Giddy inside, I feel like a rebel and full of motivation.
Re-energised, I load the bike, pack the car and hit the motorway. Next stop: Heidelberg. The beautiful town on the Neckar River promises not only better weather than Stuttgart, but also a mass of amazing trails and laidback student vibes. My plan is simple: pull up, grab a snack and hit the trails. However, I’d overlooked certain key features of Heidelberg, one of Germany’s oldest university towns. For starters, it is actually a real tourist hotspot, the students are anything but nine-to-fivers, and there’s a whole lot going on in the town. I pedal through the throngs of people and make my way to the trails. My eMTB was a mean choice! I’m going full gas, without actually having to give full gas. Getting up the Königstuhl mountain with the Specialized Turbo Levo and full pedal-assist is something else – if only my colleagues knew! The views, the trails, the excitement; it’s all there for me to enjoy right now. What a dream. Of course, I’ve had to forsake the sort of romantic sunsets that you can indulge in on a post-work ride, and make do with the harsh beam of the midday sun, which is currently doing some sort of cryptic dance with the thick canopy of trees. My eyes have to work a little.
After two descents I head to work. A table in a cafe morphs handily into a substitute desk. I reckon that Heidelberg’s Coffee Nerd has the credentials to render my hip Instagram start-up friends a little bit jealous.
Having ridden an eMTB, I still get the same post-exercise high as any ride, but without the exhaustion that would see my slump over a computer. In fact, my motivation is higher than ever and I’m so productive that I get three hours’ work done in two! Trust-based working hours eat your heart out. The ride had been so good; I decide to sneak out for another loop before an ice cream on the riverbank. There, you see, I get my romantic sunset after all. Riding, followed by work and simultaneous battery charging, followed by yet more riding: an escape day done right!
Are you worried about the envious looks from your colleagues, or doubting whether you could take on a day like this? Completely natural to second-question such an act, but communication is everything: discuss it with your colleagues in advance so they’re aware of your provisional plans for a brief absence. Confronting the topic head-on means they’re likely to understand it. The challenge, however, only really applies to planning the day well and knowing when to time your return to the desk. Choose correctly, timed to perfection, and you could spark new acceptance for flexible working hours.
In the event of doubt, best to leave the envy-inducing Instagram post aside. It won’t help your case.
Does it all sound a long way removed from your world of work? Give it a try, we urge you. Without bravery, you’ll never learn to fly. The safe route isn’t predestined – especially not if you add in the luxury of flexitime, home offices and trust-based working. Forget René Descartes, live by this motto: I do, therefore I am.
This article is from E-MOUNTAINBIKE issue #013
E-MOUNTAINBIKE Magazine is published in a digital app format in both English and German. Download the app for iOS or Android to read all articles on your tablet or smartphone. 100% free!
Did you enjoy this article? If so, we would be stoked if you decide to support us with a monthly contribution. By becoming a supporter of E-MOUNTAINBIKE, you will help secure a sustainable future for high-quality cycling journalism. Click here to learn more.
Words: Carina Faißt Photos: Robin Schmitt
