Stop. Step Back. Shift. What's Your Work Optional?

I talk a lot about making work optional. But I'll be honest.  That phrase is pretty vague. On purpose.

Because work optional isn't one thing. It's a spectrum. And where you land on it is different than where I land, or where your neighbor lands, or where the person you follow on LinkedIn lands.

You might want to stop. You might want to step back. You might want to shift direction entirely. All three count. None of them require the same amount of money, the same amount of time, or the same big leap you're probably picturing right now.

Stop, step back, or shift. What each one actually means

• Stop. This could mean fully retiring. Or it could mean stopping for a period of time - a sabbatical, a season off, a pause with an end date already in mind.

• Step back. This one gets misread the most. It doesn't have to mean less title or less pay. Sometimes it's fewer hours. Sometimes it's simply putting real boundaries around your workday so the stress comes down, even if everything else stays the same.

• Shift direction. A different role. A different company. A different career path entirely. Or finally starting the thing of your own you've been considering for years.

It looks different for everyone. Before you keep reading, take a minute with this: what have you been considering? Not what you think you're "allowed" to want. What's already been sitting in the back of your mind? Write it down.

Now picture five years from now

Take that a step further. Sit with a five-year version of your life.

What's happening in your career? What's happening with your health? What does life look like with your family, your friends, whatever feeds you spiritually?

Get specific: name two things you're doing every single day in that picture, and two things you're not doing anymore. Write those down too.

Then read it at least once a week. It's useful to remind yourself what you're working toward, so that it stays front of mind. You'll notice that you start to make choices that will move you closer to that vision.

Once you have that five-year picture in your head and on paper, the real question becomes: what has to happen for that to become true?

Brainstorm your options and don't filter

Here's where most people go wrong: they land on one plan and treat it like the only path. Life throws curveballs. Having more than one real option isn't a backup for when you're unsure. Having multiple options means you can choose the best option for you.

So brainstorm. Write down every path that could get you toward that five-year picture. This is not the time to filter. Don't cross something off because "that's never going to be possible for me" or "that would take more than five years." Let it flow. Write down all of it.

Start today

Now look at that list. Somewhere in it is something you could start today or very soon. What is your first, small step to the 5 year vision? Just imagine what it will feel like to get started!

Choose

I tell my clients this often: making these changes gets both creative and uncomfortable. Look at the options you brainstormed side by side.

Which ones get you closer to your version of work optional faster?
What has to be true, financially or practically, for each of those to actually become real?

Confidence comes after, not before

Here's something I've watched happen with almost every client I've worked with: the hardest part isn't making the decision. It's taking action after you've made it. Everyone wants to feel certain before they move. In my experience, it works the other way. Action comes first, and the confidence follows it.

Having a guide, or people around you doing something similar, makes that first uncomfortable step a lot easier to take. I'm not just coaching this. I'm living it. I "stepped back" earlier this year by reducing my hours.

And confidence isn't only about the math working. It's also knowing you won't have to give up the life you've built to get there - no white-knuckling it. Real financial runway means your lifestyle stays intact while you make the change.

Where to start

Join me for a FREE workshop - "How to Make Work Optional".

On August 31, 2026 at 6:00 PM CT.

Whichever direction you're considering - stop, step back, or shift - this is where you get clear on what it would take.

[Save Your Seat → go.janetdejager.com]