This last year has brought change to the way many of us travel, work, and spend time with one another.  For me, life began to change dramatically three years ago with military retirement (Go Air Force!). I had a picture in my mind of how that might feel and found myself entertaining thoughts of how my life would be framed going forward.  Leaving behind one way of living and being given the opportunity to create another. 

Like many of you, I had a love of the outdoors and the roads less traveled.  The serenity found there and the opportunity to slow down was calling me, daily.  I just had not figured out how to answer the call.  So, I started with a jeep, a Gobi rack, and a tent. I really did not know what it all meant at the time, but I was moved by the thought of journeying to parts unknown.

It was not an easy change.  I was working the equivalent of two full-time jobs leading up to that time.  I was a glutton for punishment with working for the military and owning a contracting business.  In short, I had surrendered to shelving my time in nature.  The gear sat on shelves, the poles tucked away, the books of places I wanted to visit collecting dust.  I would walk out of my house or off a job site to find my jeep staring at me, literally.  I swear it was trying to tell me to “just go already” but I was not listening.  At least, not as often as I should.

The shift or epiphany, depending on which way you look at it, finally happened for me about a year ago.  I was out with a buddy sitting around a campfire when he asked me, “What's next?”

As if he knew something I had not yet figured out. He and I have traveled to tropical spots, but I could tell he was not asking about planning another trip.

He looked at me and said, “How is your KPI this year?” He saw the puzzled look on my face, so he helped me out. He said that he measures life balance by his main Key Performance Indicator (KPI), meaning how much time he spends away from home each year. It was as if a light went off as his number crushed mine.  I am a bit competitive, so I looked at his number as a challenge.

He looked at me and said, “Your jeep is under-utilized” and then he asked, “How many days a month do you actually need to be in front of clients?” Slowly over a couple of nice hazy IPA`s, we discussed this subject. He recommended the book, The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss and so I began to entertain the possibilities.

With some careful planning and some thoughtful organization, it became clear that many days all I need is a laptop and two bars on my cell phone coverage meter.  It is possible! To be remote and still rock crawl.  It has its limits, as I still need to be reached by clients or employees during working hours, but there are ways to explore and feel confident.  Using Gaia with my cell coverage overlay has allowed me to traverse old mines, study petroglyphs, sharpen my skills with black and white photography, and renew my love of history. 

Usually, I will start my workday by setting my intentions and utilizing my time wisely to ensure the bulk of the labor-intensive work is accomplished early.  Some of the little things that I have found helpful to aid in my escape include gear prep (recovery gear is essential), food prep (with MREs for backup), a reliable steel horse, and my electronics charged (Garmin for emergencies included). This allows for easy road trips so that I can explore the Southwest and Pacific Northwest, depending on where I hang my hat.

Many of my clients are working remotely now.  Think of the possibilities. Is it possible that you can expand your KPI by working and enjoying sunsets?  To take in the sound of howling coyotes, travel to wide-open spaces, and find the serenity found in nature? 

Maybe you will need to bring a collared shirt, suit jacket, and backdrop to hang from your vehicle.  Perhaps you will need to keep a stash of MREs and camping grub at the ready.  But it is worth it!  I can say from doing this now for a year consistently, it has brought so much joy to my life.  I have new experiences, friends, and skills that I might never have had the opportunity to experience.

One of the things I have started to enjoy more than anything is cooking in nature.  I have had to get creative and that is never a bad thing. The most important part of cooking has been sharing meals with new friends and taking in the beauty of the surrounding areas.  The more time I am out there, the more like-minded people I meet.  Often making new friends willing to share ideas and laughter are part of my travels.  Many of them have way more gear than me but I prefer to keep things as light as possible.  Usually, I can be seen with a simple MacBook, Jackery power unit, and of course my favorite office chair, a hammock. 

This year I have been fortunate enough to enjoy most of Oregon, parts of Southwestern Utah and a good deal of the desert from Death Valley, California to Sedona, Arizona. That feeling of sitting high above the red sandstone vistas of Sedona and getting work accomplished is priceless.  It reminds me of how important that balance truly is.  Choosing to invest in time well spent is what life is all about.

I do realize how fortunate I am as my kids are at an age which allows this to be a reality, but I hope sharing my story might inspire someone reading this to find ways to enjoy the immense beauty of our great nation while sitting in shorts and flip flops down a forest road or on BLM property. No need to be confined by four walls or tied to a desk. If anything, getting creative with my workday provides me with business opportunities, connections, and time to be forward-thinking. 

Creating community and inspiring others to have these experiences has led me to writing this article.  So, if your circumstances have changed enough in the last year to allow you to ponder an expanded KPI, I encourage you to give it a try.  Seek the bliss and follow the trails that lead you to new paths.