Recent articles

news - September 11, 2005

news - September 6, 2005

resources - September 6, 2005

news - September 1, 2005

news - August 31, 2005

stories - August 27, 2005

news - August 26, 2005

news - July 24, 2005

news - July 24, 2005

news - July 24, 2005

resources - July 20, 2005

Posted by Mitra Ardron at 10:38 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

The downshifters of Buderim

by Jan

We first purchased in Buderim on the Sunshine Coast 14 years ago when our modest Queenslander priced at $150K was one of the few homes available for sale on the mountain just west of Mooloolaba.

Having been a visitor to the Sunshine Coast for at least 15 years prior to that we naively never expected that a sleepy village such as Buderim, that had remained the same for decades and decades, would ever get carved up into a suburb resembling any other in trendy parts of Brisbane by the year 2002.

Still we kept with our original vision and decided to downshift in 2003 reasoning with ourselves that whilst Buderim was no longer the yesteryear village we first bought into in 1991, we would still have the close proximity to the beach that we’d always dreamed of.

Besides, the move from Brisbane to Buderim came with some other irresistible benefits.

Continue reading "The downshifters of Buderim"

Posted by Mitra Ardron at 11:24 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

ABC: Places in the Sun: The Move to the Coast

ABC Background Briefing: 9 Feb 2003

Mick O'Regan: Small coastal towns in regional Australia used to be better known for dairy products than designer homes. Agriculture is still crucial in many such places, but now farmers are having to contend with another local growth industry: people.

Population grown along the coastal strip is transforming regional communities in a number of ways, and prompting debate about regional development.

Hallo, I’m Mick O'Regan, and this week Background Briefing is heading for the coast to explore what’s going on.

Read the rest of Mick O'Regan's program, from a couple of years ago, which looks at the impact of downshifting and sea-changing on both the people and the communities here.

Posted by Mitra Ardron at 9:08 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Downshifting research references

The list below are some of the sources in the research reports presented here.

Continue reading "Downshifting research references"

Posted by Mitra Ardron at 1:21 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Social Implications of the Downshifting Phenomena

(Source: Australia Institute: Downshifting in Australia)

The decisions of downshifters are taken under the influence of powerful social and cultural currents, shaped to an unprecedented degree by the symbols provided by the market and the ideology underlying modern consumer capitalism. Evidence suggests that the decision to downshift requires a process of unshackling oneself from overriding social expectations which are manifested at the broadest level of society and which seep down to the personal reactions of intimate friends and family.

Since downshifting is now such a numerically significant phenomenon − it is a choice made by nearly a quarter of adult Australians (23% of those aged 30-59), and similar proportions in the USA (Schor 1998; Ray and Anderson 2000) and Britain (Hamilton 2003b) − it has become a social force. Already, marketing companies are advising their clients on how best to pitch their messages to these ‘anti-consumers’. In recent years, several books have appeared to cater to the downshifting trend, mostly ‘how to’ manuals, but also some serious social analysis (e.g. Drake 2000; Etzioni 1998). Downshifting is not yet a conscious political force, although the shift in priorities of this segment of the electorate must be beginning to influence voting patterns.

Perhaps before it becomes a political force, the social critique adhered to by most downshifters, whether explicitly or after some consideration, will need to be debated more widely. There is no doubt that aspects of this critique are widely held in the community amongst those who have not contemplated downshifting. For example, 83 per cent of Australians agree that our society is too materialistic, with too much emphasis on money and not enough on the things that really matter (Hamilton 2002) and most would recognise, with resignation, the Deferred Happiness Syndrome described earlier (see Others’ Reactions under What Pressures Have to be Overcome).

In a sense downshifters differ because they have taken this critique and acted on it in their personal lives by reordering their priorities. In other words, rather than society perceiving the notion vaguely as ‘out there’, downshifters think about what it means for their own decisions. Thus, in the words of one downshifter, Franco:

I think that because of the changes I have gone through I live more consciously and I believe that this will help my transition into living with less money. I have thought a lot about marketing and consumerism and I am now more conscious of the effect that these have on me. This in turn has affected my politics [emphasis added].

In a world where we are unconsciously, or semi-consciously, influenced by powerful forces to behave and think of ourselves in certain ways, living more consciously is a radical act. It is clear from the research that for most downshifters the change is one which involves taking control of one’s life and living more consciously, and that making the change takes courage. This is paradoxical in a society that celebrates individual freedom and which, over the last two decades, has been dominated by the politics of neoliberalism that deifies consumer choice. Why does it take an act of courage to choose to devote less time to earning money and acquiring things and more time to other pursuits?

If people today are the authors of their own lives, why do they hesitate for so long before writing the next chapter? The answer is that, despite all of the rhetoric, only certain forms of choice are socially permissible, those that are consistent with acquisitiveness and the desire to get on. The result, as we have found, is that downshifters lose friends and lose status and their relationship to society changes, sometimes in a fundamental way. This is why it takes courage to decide to work less or take a lower-paying job. At the same time, downshifters often forge stronger friendships with supportive others and create lives that, for them, are more autonomous and fulfilling.

We know that downshifting is already widespread in Australia, and it appears that downshifters are more willing to ‘come out’ and defend their choices, suggesting that soon downshifting will no longer be seen to be an act of defiance. It will become an ordinary decision rather than a daring one. At that point, we will know that modern consumer society has undergone a far-reaching change.

Posted by Mitra Ardron at 1:17 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

In search of better health

(Source: Australia Institute: Downshifting in Australia)

Jane (44) worked long hours as a senior manager in policy development in the public service. A single parent with two young children, she never seemed to have enough time to do either job properly. ‘I just felt my life was constantly on the run, never enough time for the kids, no time for myself’. Eventually, Jane developed chronic headaches and she took extended sick leave. It was while she was on leave that she had the opportunity to assess the state of her health and the way she was living.

I’d been feeling for some time that my life was too stressful and I wasn’t getting much out of life. I had tried to do something about it, requested part-time work, five days a week until 3pm. But it didn’t work, you just couldn’t get out of the place by then. There was always so much to do. The headaches were getting worse. I don’t know if it was because of the stress or being in front of a computer screen for so many hours a day. Probably both.

Jane’s health deteriorated to the point where she went on workers’ compensation, which provided a time to reflect on why her health had failed. Shortly afterwards, she decided to resign from her job and return to her original profession of nursing, but on a part-time basis.

Fiona (52) from Sydney experienced exhaustion and anxiety after years of supporting her partner in his own business. At the end of 2002 they decided to close down their business as both felt they desperately needed a change.

I felt an absolute stressed out mess, as if I’d lost my whole personality and self completely. … We both wanted to do something different. Bruce wanted to work fewer hours and have less work stress. We’d paid off our house, our kids were grown up, so we felt we were in a position to live on less.

Posted by Mitra Ardron at 1:13 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

In search of fulfillment

(Source: Australia Institute: Downshifting in Australia)

Franco (29), who downshifted from a highly paid job in corporate finance, thought a lot about the failure of material possessions to bring him any sense of fulfilment.

Once when I was negotiating with my boss about work, I realised I didn’t want more money to motivate me. I was looking for more challenges, more responsibility, a certain type of work, and I was more than willing to sacrifice money for it. I worked this way for quite a few years and felt much better. I wasn’t interested in the power politics and the money-making parts of work.

Another, a 59-year old senior public servant, felt unfulfilled for many years in both his work and personal life. After much searching, questioning and reflection he concluded that:

I no longer wanted to live in the milieu of high income, high expenditure, owning all sorts of things; of getting up in the morning to load yourself with the electronics and technology and getting out there and networking for whatever purpose … and the long hours.

Once she had left Sydney and settled gradually into a different, simpler way of living in a small, rural town, Zelda talked of how much happier she felt.

Living up here, I’m much more aware of the weather, of how significant droughts and floods are, how the garden is affected. I’ll never forget the excitement of growing our own vegetables − picking, cooking and eating them. I now have time to ‘smell the roses’.

Other interviewees echoed similar struggles to find a way of living that allowed more contentment and self-acceptance.

Posted by Mitra Ardron at 1:11 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Downshifters’ Retrospective Reflections

(Source: Australia Institute: Downshifting in Australia)

Are downshifters happy with the change? (%)

Difficulties

The early period of adjustment to the new financial situation was difficult for some, for example the inability to indulge in certain forms of ‘luxury’ spending, such as, in one case, being able to buy presents for friends, or to have the occasional ‘splurge’. The spontaneity that having plenty of money permits is replaced by greater financial discipline, requiring downshifters to change the way they think about household finances.

The only real difficulty is when bills come in and you think: ‘How am I going to juggle this one?’ I wouldn’t actually say it was a difficulty, rather something that has to be managed. It’s become easier and easier as I’ve become better at it (Andrea, 46).

These anxieties are often more acute if the downshifter moves to a position without a regular salary. Timothy (33), who resigned from a highly paid corporate position and plans to work in the not-for-profit sector, said:

I miss the regularity of income; not so much the amount but the fact that it was there every couple of weeks, without thinking too much about it.

Most downshifters find that they have to be more careful in their spending, to plan more effectively and to exercise more discipline over that part of their lives. It is true to say, however, that the anxiety they feel about a substantial reduction in income is remarkably mild given the extraordinary emphasis society places on financial security. Downshifting represents a psychological transformation in which money and material things are relegated to a greatly diminished role in life’s priorities. In other words, adopting a different relationship to money is an essential part of the ‘contract’ that downshifters have with themselves.

Other changes present challenges too. While many found instant liberation, for some casting off an entrenched work ethic and adjusting to a different pattern of daily life was difficult. Andrea was interesting on this subject:

Perhaps the only difficulty has been stopping the sense of guilt, because when we made the change we both felt huge guilt about sitting and having a cup of coffee at 10.30 in the morning. … Allowing yourself to be who you really are took a lot of doing, shedding all that indoctrination and the social expectations, that was probably the toughest.

Others have trouble adjusting to a new daily pattern. One reported that he wanted to take the opportunity to sleep in but that ‘wasn’t easy to do’. Another had the opposite problem: without the discipline of regular work he has to force himself to get up. In the case of those who give up regular full-time work, some report missing the social interaction of their former jobs and often seek alternatives through seeing more of their friends or working in community organisations. Others miss the intellectual stimulation. Patrick, who had resigned as a political adviser at 46, observed:

I get intellectual stimulation from discussing things with my friends, keeping my ears open, listening to the radio and reading. I make a conscious decision to dig out friends for some dialogue over lunch. I have lost a lot of intellectual discipline and some other things, but I don’t consider that those things make me a worthwhile human being.

Benefits

When asked to reflect on the benefits of downshifting the responses were dominated by references to relief and a new sense of personal freedom. Several talked of rediscovering the ‘joy of living’. Fiona (52) described the experience as ‘exciting rather than frightening’ and, although she sometimes feels exhausted, most of the time she feels ‘exhilarated’. ‘The sense of relief has just got better and better’ (Andrea, 46). ‘I don’t have to wear ties anymore’ (Timothy, 33).

Many returned to the theme of taking control of their lives, of being able to make real life choices.

We now live by choice. What time will we get up? What shall we do today? We’re not driven by external events’ (Andrea, 46).

It’s a more relaxed lifestyle, less stressful. In many ways, you’re in charge of your own destiny (Paul, 44).

Downshifters often observe that the change opened up their lives to new opportunities that would formerly have been closed off to them. A few find the responsibility that goes with the freedom hard to cope with, although if this sense is too strong it seems to deter people from opting for the downshifting path. Many talk of changing sleep patterns and most talk of the slower pace of life.

People don’t have time to chat anymore, and we used to be like that too. But our whole pace of life has slowed down. I even drive more slowly now. I don’t know how I ever had time to work. Now I can listen to the birds, smell the roses (Andrea, 46).

For others the slower pace makes life less stimulating, although the time freed up can be devoted to creative and healthy pursuits such as being in nature and fulfilling musical ambitions.

Regrets

A uniform chorus of ‘no’ was the response from downshifters when asked if they had any regrets. Some wished they had done it earlier and most believe it’s not for everyone, so prospective downshifters should think carefully and honestly about what’s important to them before attempting to downshift.

Continue reading "Downshifters’ Retrospective Reflections"

Posted by Mitra Ardron at 1:06 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Australia Institute Report on Downshifting

Most of the research on this site comes from an Australia Institute report authored by Clive Hamilton and Elizabeth Mail: Downshifting in Australia: A sea-change in the pursuit of happiness January 2003, The Australia Institute.

The summaries here are written by Samantha Graham of Stormlight Consulting.

Much of this material, and similar work, is available in Clive Hamilton's most recent book Affluenza.

Posted by Mitra Ardron at 9:00 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Change in status and identity

(Source: Australia Institute: Downshifting in Australia)

Loss of status is a complex issue and something many downshifters must deal with, particularly those who make far-reaching changes to their lives. Franco, who had a promising career in the finance industry before quitting to work in a developing country, said:

My friends often question my decision and don’t seem to understand how I can be comfortable with stopping my career to do something different … I am affected by what people think and say, but at the same time I am very confident of my own views.

Many of the interviewees seem to have prepared themselves for the loss of status; after all, one of the obstacles to making the decision to downshift is the fear of losing standing amongst one’s peers and the community, and income and associated lifestyle are perhaps the most important markers of status. When our interviewees were asked if they had experienced a loss of status and how they coped, Andrea summed up the feelings of some.

Only in the eyes of people who don’t matter. There are certainly people who now look down their noses at us, but in terms of our real friends and ourselves quite the opposite. I think we’ve actually gained a lot of respect from people who’d love to do the same thing but haven’t got the guts. Certainly in our eyes we’re prouder of ourselves because we’ve done what we really wanted to do, not kowtowed to society.

Continue reading "Change in status and identity"

Posted by Mitra Ardron at 9:49 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

How do other people react to downshifters?

(Source: Australia Institute: Downshifting in Australia)

Deferred Happiness Syndrome

Some downshifters identified what might be called the Deferred Happiness Syndrome, a state where people persist for years in miserable and stressful jobs while always telling themselves they are preparing for a later time when they will be able to find a way of life that will make them contented and fulfilled. For most, the rewards never come. Downshifters may be thought of as those who have decided to defer their happiness no longer. Understood this way, it is not surprising that some downshifters attract resentment for ‘bailing out’ early.

The accusation of selfishness from some is in sharp contrast to the beliefs of downshifters themselves who see their decisions as motivated by the desire to give more to their families rather than less. But they are giving more time and affection. In one focus group, a downshifter who had been accused by friends and focus group members of ‘bludging’ put it this way:

‘A BMW won’t give you a hug or draw you a picture’

So while many downshifters say they made the change in order to spend more time with family and friends, some friends and family members are skeptical and even antagonistic. This difference between downshifters’ motives and some of the reactions of those around them reflects the most fundamental feature of the downshifting phenomenon, a change in personal values in which financial and material success is no longer the dominant motive. It spills over to everyday reactions. A young mother at one focus group told of how her friends are ‘amazed’ when they find that she does not own a microwave oven. There is a powerful, indeed overwhelming, assumption that everyone is committed to acquiring the best material lifestyle they reasonably can. The feelings of bewilderment and derision are typical responses to downshifters’ decisions to flout this convention.

This is a fascinating commentary on the nature of the ‘market society’ that has developed over the last three decades. The spread of market values and consumerism reflects and reinforces a wider social shift towards individualism. Political leaders have promised more ‘choice’ and say they want to transfer responsibility from government to individuals. But it seems that only certain forms of individuality are acceptable, so that those who make individual choices to reject the dominance of market values in their own lives are characterised as ‘crazy’ or irresponsible. This attitude is also held by many who recognise the more intense pressures people are under today, yet there is a view that people should be stoical and put up with the stresses for the sake of others. Some critics of downshifting argued that people should not reduce their incomes deliberately because they will pay less in tax.

Continue reading "How do other people react to downshifters?"

Posted by Mitra Ardron at 9:37 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

What pressures do downshifters have to overcome?

(Source: Australia Institute: Downshifting in Australia)

In contrast to the pressures in favour of downshifting, several factors make the decision to downshift more difficult. Many parents are anxious about providing adequately for their children to give them a head start in life in ways that are expensive. Some feel obliged to work long and hard in order to afford private schooling and to put their children through university without a HECS debt at the end. This factor may work at a subtle level as occurs when parents feel they want their children to be able to match their peers in living standards and access to ‘stuff’ (see the analysis by Pocock and Clarke 2004).

Another subtle but persistent pressure to overcome is the common perception held by those who have not made a change, that downshifting is a ‘selfish’ act. However, the research shows that people’s hostility and incomprehension towards downshifters are mixed with envy and, in some cases, a hidden resentment because, in the words of one critic, they ‘have the courage to change’ while their critics do not. For them the decision is seen as one taken for one’s own sake, to give oneself an easier life. (See more on Others’ Reactions).

Continue reading "What pressures do downshifters have to overcome?"

Posted by Mitra Ardron at 7:18 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

How are we downshifting?

(Source: Australia Institute: Downshifting in Australia)

Downshifters adopt a number of strategies that include:

• Reducing the hours of work
• Changing to a lower paid job
• Stopping paid work or
• Changing careers

Women are more likely to stop paid work and men are more likely to change careers while downshifters with children are more likely to reduce their hours of work or stop paid work altogether. Changing careers sometimes follows unsuccessful attempts to reduce hours in a previous job, and may mean moving from a high-pressure corporate environment to the non-profit sector, or to running one’s own business.

How are Australians downshifting (%)

Continue reading "How are we downshifting?"

Posted by Mitra Ardron at 5:12 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Why are people downshifting in Australia?

(Source: Australia Institute: Downshifting in Australia)

Why are we downshifting?

The research suggests several primary motivations for downshifting, which combine to provide the impetus for change:

• Balance A desire for a more balanced life with more time for family.
• Values The wish for greater congruence between personal values and those of the workplace.
• Fulfillment The search for a more fulfilling life, one that provides inner contentment and self-acceptance
.
• Health The search for a healthier lifestyle, precipitated by ill-health, resulting either from accumulated stress over time or a sudden health failure
.

Individuals who make the choice to downshift usually stress that they are not dropping out of society. Nor do they see themselves as part of a movement, but simply as individuals who want to make a change to the balance of their lives.

Householders with children are much more likely to downshift in pursuit of more time with their families, while those without children are much more likely to be motivated by the desire for more balanced and healthier lives. While all income groups stress more time with family, high-income downshifters are much more likely to mention the desire for personal fulfilment, and those on low incomes are more likely to stress a healthier lifestyle.

Why Australians downshift (%):

Typically, downshifters make the decision for a combination of these reasons and for most it was a considered and gradual process involving an array of factors. None stated only a single reason for their decision.

Continue reading "Why are people downshifting in Australia?"

Posted by Mitra Ardron at 7:31 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

What really matters?

Posted by Mitra Ardron at 7:02 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

ABC: Millionaires can't get no satisfaction

Is there any point really in pursuing great wealth, when even the wealthy aren't content?

ABC News: Wednesday July 6, 2005

A study has found that only 5 per cent of Australian millionaires regard themselves as prosperous.

The Australia Institute has surveyed 12,000 people to determine their attitudes towards income and wealth.

It found that for those with household net worth of more than $3 million, only one-in-five regards themselves as prosperous, while 7 per cent say they are poor or "just getting along".

In households with incomes of $100,000, only 5 per cent described themselves as prosperous.

At the other end of the spectrum, only 9 per cent in the lowest income group of less than $25,000 say they are totally satisfied.

The same percentage in the highest income group or more than $100,000 say they are totally satisfied.

Institute executive director Clive Hamilton says the report also examines the relationship between wealth and overall satisfaction with life.

"It seems that the richer that we become, the less satisfied we are with our incomes - it's as if our levels of desire always stay ahead of our actual levels of income," he said.

"The Government says it wants a prosperous nation, but as long as success is measured by money, Australians will always feel deprived."

Mr Hamilton says 21 per cent of people in the lowest income group say they are totally satisfied with life, with only 13 per cent in the highest income group feeling the same way.

"You really have to ask why it is in our society that we pursue financial success more than anything else, when all of the evidence suggests that it is other aspects of life which really contribute to our sense of well being," he said.

Posted by Mitra Ardron at 3:55 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Who is downshifting in Australia?

23% of Australian adults aged 30-59 have downshifted over the 10 years prior to 2003, which equates to nearly 2 million people. The proportion rises to over 30% (2.5 million people) if those returning to study or setting up their own businesses are included. Men and women, people in their thirties, forties and fifties, and families with and without children are just as likely to make the life change (Hamilton and Mail, 2003).

As part of their study, Hamilton and Mail commissioned Newspoll to conduct a national survey to determine the extent and nature of downshifting in Australia. Undertaken between November 29th and December 1st, 2002, a representative sample of 981 respondents between the ages of 30 and 59 were surveyed. The study found that downshifters were as likely to be blue-collar workers as white-collar workers. Proportionally, there are more downshifters on low incomes (less than $30,000 following their transition) than on high incomes (over $60,000 following their transition), however in absolute terms, there are more high-income downshifters than low-income ones.

Proportion of each income group who are downshifters (%)

(Source: Australia Institute: Downshifting in Australia)

Posted by Mitra Ardron at 5:05 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

The fisherman's story (a downshifting proverb)

An American businessman was at a pier in a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellowfin tuna.

The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them.

The Mexican replied only a little while.

The American then asked why didn't he stay out longer and catch more fish?

The Mexican said he had enough to support his family's immediate needs.

The American then asked, but what do you do with the rest of your time?

The Mexican fisherman said, "I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siesta with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos, I have a full and busy life, senor."

The American scoffed, "I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should spend more time fishing and, with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat. With the proceeds from the bigger boat, you could buy several boats, eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the processor, eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then LA and eventually NYC where you will run your expanding enterprise."

The Mexican fisherman asked, "But senor, how long will this all take?"

To which the American replied, "15-20 years."

"But what then, senor?"

The American laughed and said that's the best part. When the time is right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich, you would make millions. Millions,

"senor? Then what?"

The American said, "Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos."

"But Senor, I am doing that right now !!!!! Why should I waste 15 or 20 of the best years of my life going thru all this ?????"

Posted by Mitra Ardron at 12:40 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

What pressures do downshifters have to overcome?

(Source: Australia Institute: Downshifting in Australia)

In contrast to the pressures in favour of downshifting, several factors make the decision to downshift more difficult. Many parents are anxious about providing adequately for their children to give them a head start in life in ways that are expensive. Some feel obliged to work long and hard in order to afford private schooling and to put their children through university without a HECS debt at the end. This factor may work at a subtle level as occurs when parents feel they want their children to be able to match their peers in living standards and access to ‘stuff’ (see the analysis by Pocock and Clarke 2004).

Another subtle but persistent pressure to overcome is the common perception held by those who have not made a change, that downshifting is a ‘selfish’ act. However, the research shows that people’s hostility and incomprehension towards downshifters are mixed with envy and, in some cases, a hidden resentment because, in the words of one critic, they ‘have the courage to change’ while their critics do not. For them the decision is seen as one taken for one’s own sake, to give oneself an easier life. (See more on Others’ Reactions).

Continue reading "What pressures do downshifters have to overcome?"

Posted by Mitra Ardron at 10:48 AM | Comments (0)

voluntary? downshifting

Posted by Mitra Ardron at 7:52 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Looking for Balance

(Source: Australia Institute: Downshifting in Australia)

Paul (44) worked very long hours in television in Sydney and was often overseas for weeks at a time. When his first child was born he realised the incompatibility of his job with his desire to spend at least some time with his family.

With the birth of our first child I realised there was much more to life than just working non-stop. But the job demanded being available 24 hours a day seven days a week. … I could see colleagues’ marriages breaking up. I didn’t want this to be me. So I made the decision not to apply for positions like these again.

Craig (44), also in the media industry, echoed Paul’s experience of the conflict between work and family commitments. Marriage and parenthood led him to resign from television work in order to pursue a more balanced life as a chiropractor.

Leah (50) asked for more flexible hours at the art gallery where she worked as a curator to enable her to care for her two young children. But she was refused.

These policies were only rhetoric and I couldn’t negotiate a flexible work arrangement with them and keep my job… Their so called ‘family-friendly’ approach was illustrated when I had to bring my children in to a staff meeting called unexpectedly only to be told children were not allowed in the staff room. So after 18 years of working there I’d had enough. Because of this and other reasons I decided to leave.

Continue reading "Looking for Balance"

Posted by Mitra Ardron at 7:48 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Going part time

Posted by Mitra Ardron at 10:37 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Gross National Happiness - Bhutan's story

The following article by Simeon Michaels first appeared in the Australia Institute's Magazine.

GDP vs GNH – through the looking glass

“Gross National Happiness is more important that Gross Domestic Product” said His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck upon his ascension to the throne of Bhutan, a tiny Himalayan nation nestled between India and Chinese Tibet. Simeon Michaels visits Bhutan to investigate

Research on human happiness shows that past a certain point, more wealth does not equal more happiness. We in the developed world, while experiencing levels of wealth unprecedented in human history, are simultaneously experiencing unprecedented rates of suicide, depression and loss of community.

In that context, Bhutan’s focus on Gross National Happiness (GNH) shows a rare willingness to re-think the paradigm of economic growth advocated, and often imposed, by the governments and institutions of the global North.

If more wealth equals does not lead to more happiness, then what does? In the words of Dasho Meghraj Gurung, it is ‘a vision that puts the individual’s self-cultivation at the center of the nation’s developmental goals, a primary priority for Bhutanese society as a whole as well as for the individual concerned’.

Continue reading "Gross National Happiness - Bhutan's story"

Posted by Mitra Ardron at 9:22 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Camping - downshifting style

Posted by Mitra Ardron at 9:20 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Cutting back working hours?

Posted by Mitra Ardron at 7:40 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Conference Flyer

You can download a flyer to print and use for publicity here.

Posted by Mitra Ardron at 4:26 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Flat Screen TV anyone?

Posted by Mitra Ardron at 8:29 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Clive Hamilton's new book Affluenza

'Affluenza' by Clive Hamilton and Richard Denniss, argues that our whole society is addicted to consumerism. It tracks how much Australians overwork, the growing mountains of stuff we throw out, the drugs we take to 'self-medicate' and the real meaning of 'choice'. Rates of stress,depression and obesity are up as we wrestle with the emptiness and endless disappointment of consumer life. By contrast, more and more Australians are deciding to ignore the advertisers and recapture their time for the things that really matter.

Posted by Mitra Ardron at 10:05 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

High Rise with Bush Views?

Posted by Mitra Ardron at 9:24 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

UK: Prudential launches a new guide to downshifting

Even the big institutions, like the UK's Prudential (insurance giant) are starting to notice Downshifting. 50Connect reports on their new guide.

A place in the country, a less stressful job, more time with the kids, or an olive grove in Italy.

“Downshifting” is the name given to it, and savings giant Prudential has launched a free guide on the subject after conducting a major new study into the nation's changing work/life patterns that has revealed the extent of Britain’s downshifting dreams.

At a time when our television screens are awash with programmes like downshifting icon - Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's - Tales from River Cottage, Pru’s shocking new research reveals that many people plan to follow suit. Almost one million people in middle age (35-54) are making serious plans to take their foot off the gas with 600,000 of those planning to downshift by 2006.

To help people make the leap – or even just to provoke serious thought about what they are doing - Pru's "Guide to Downshifting" aims to highlight the serious nature of what happens when people face a drop in family income, or plans are made to invest lifetime savings in a brand new rural business venture. The Guide offers helpful tips and advice for people who want to downshift, either now or in the future and is available on the website.

...

See the full article.

Continue reading "UK: Prudential launches a new guide to downshifting"

Posted by Mitra Ardron at 11:26 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

SMH: A serious bout of affluenza

The SMH has an article on Affluenza

SMH 28 May 2005: Once the battler, now the whinger. Kirsty Needham reports on rampant consumerism and its corruption of the Australian character.

Clive Hamilton wants to knock down Westfield Bondi Junction. More controversially, he claims most people would quietly agree with him that this "temple of affluenza" is the ultimate expression of an epidemic of overconsumption, debt and stress that has seen Australian society go to hell in a shopping bag.

"Far more so than the Opera House or Ayers Rock, Westfield Bondi Junction is the quintessential icon of modern Australia," he says.

And Sydney's favourite dinner party moan, mortgage stress? "Self-induced," says Hamilton, claiming no sympathy for families who cry poor at the threat of a quarter of a percentage point rise in interest rates.

"Affluenza has been more intense in Sydney than anywhere else in Australia. Sydney has always had a love affair with money."

Read the rest of the article here.

Continue reading "SMH: A serious bout of affluenza"

Posted by Mitra Ardron at 11:45 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

SMH: It is high time we realized that less is more

The SMH's Heckler section has an appeal for frugality.

SMH 22 May 2005: The human species will only survive if we embrace frugality, says Andrew Dalton.

I want my children to have less than I ever had. As chief executive, it's my job to shrink the company. Honey, let's sell the car and buy a smaller one. I'm long overdue for a pay cut.

What's wrong with these statements is why we're in so much trouble - environmentally, socially, politically - and why, unless we change our thinking, it's going to get worse. At the root of our problems is that we can't accept less.

For a few million years it didn't matter. Wanting more meant warmer clothes and sharper spears, things that didn't have much impact on resources. Back then, it was our lust for more that made us the most successful species and defined us as civilised. Yet even with our first, humble desires we were on a road that would lead to our destruction.

See the whole article.

Continue reading "SMH: It is high time we realized that less is more"

Posted by Mitra Ardron at 11:58 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

SMH: Frugal consumers make up one of the last great unconquered markets.

The Sydney Morning Herald has an article on "Frugal Consumers" and Voluntary Simplifiers.

SMH 22 April 2005. Frugal consumers make up one of the last great unconquered markets. But not for long, reports Matt O'Sullivan.

When Alan Jones (not the radio jock) shops for clothes, the last place he goes to update his family's wardrobe is a department store.

Instead, he walks into a Salvation Army or St Vincent de Paul second-hand clothing shop. "I can buy decent clothing for $2 or $3 an item," he says.

It's not that he lacks disposable income. Jones, a scientist at the Australian Museum, and his wife, Peggy O'Donnell, also a scientist, earn well in excess of $100,000 between them.

In an effort to reduce their "ecological footprint", the couple and their two children - Rosie, 14, and Brendan, 11 - sprinkle bathwater on their garden in the northern Sydney suburb of Narraweena. They are thrifty "largely for environmental reasons, although I have to admit it does seem ridiculous to spend $70 or $80 on a pair of trousers", Jones says.

Some would call the Joneses penny pinchers. To Sarah Todd, a marketing professor from the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand, they are "frugal consumers".

See the full article here.

Continue reading "SMH: Frugal consumers make up one of the last great unconquered markets."

Posted by Mitra Ardron at 3:48 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

The Wellbeing Manifesto - you might like to be a signatory

The Manifesto for Wellbeing is the foundation of a new politics committed to promoting our wellbeing rather than relentlessly focusing on the economy and money.

We can direct the benefits of economic growth towards renewing our society rather than encouraging ever more materialism.

We can build a society