Out of Office provides experiences and tools to reimagine how we live and work in a modern world. We seek to initiate a shift from work-centered to life-centered existence, to help people cultivate engaged, vibrant – and varied! – modes of living 🌳🎨 If you’d like to support this mission, get access to our members hub including Creative City Guides, retreats and off-the-grid locations and a directory of OOO-vouched third spaces to co-work & play (+ discounts), become a member 🧡👇 Creative Living, One Day at a TimeSoaking in the final moments before becoming a mom. Holding onto the slowness and magic of every day.
I’m currently in a phase of slowing things down as my husband and I prepare for the arrival of our little baby girl in March 🌸
Moving to where life feels easier While we moved to London a little over 1 1/2 years ago, we decided to leave it behind, because it didn’t align with our energy, values, and needs. We chose to move closer to our families in Austria and Italy to have a stronger support system in place and just make things a little easier for us—especially during the final months of pregnancy and the first months with our newborn. We’re spending a couple of months in Austria and then the summer in Italy before deciding where to settle next. Life never gets boring. :)  Savoring precious moments before becoming a mom Slowing down — with tension Slowing down and thinking about mat leave has been an interesting challenge. While I feel a strong drive and momentum to continue building the next chapter of my life with Out of Office and stepping into my power to help more people design creative ways of living and working, I also am trying to find peace with pausing to engage with all the possibilities I am constantly seeing, and embracing a season where other priorities take center stage. While I had initially thought I would be stepping away from work for six months or even a year (which is quite common here in Austria), that idea now feels strange, given the energy I feel for what I'm building. Navigating the external and internal expectations around motherhood has been another layer of this transition, whether from friends, family, strangers, or the curated stories we come across on Instagram. Right now, my plan is simply to follow what feels right, whether it’s six months or six weeks. A friend recently reminded me, “Alice, you’re such an intuitive person. You’ll know what works best for you.” I’m holding onto that. One thing that helped me with this transition is putting together a transition plan, embracing trust in the talented team and collaborators I'm lucky to work with, and being okay with pausing some things. The goal is to set things up well and then let go, knowing that others can step in and lead with care and expertise. Observations & Practices from This WeekThis week, I felt a new spaciousness after wrapping up some projects and delegating more tasks. While I typically spend quite a few afternoons on calls with clients and collaborators, I've cut back on calls and reintroduced my commitment to no (client) work on Fridays—something I’d been slipping on. Over the past years, Fridays have become a small experiment in doing things differently. Instead of diving into emails or meetings, I try to use the day to step away from my usual routine. It’s a chance to reconnect with curiosity—whether through a museum visit, a long walk, or simply slowing down enough to notice the world around me. This intentional shift helps me return to my work with more clarity, ideas and creative energy, reminding me that productivity isn’t just about doing more, but about thinking differently. Sometimes this leads to me sitting down again and writing about a new idea, and sometimes it just leads to no “outcome,” simply time well spent. So last Friday, I went for a market brunch with my husband, strolled through the city, and visited a museum. I left my laptop in the cloakroom and let myself wander through the exhibition without distraction. Later, I treated myself to a spontaneous haircut and picked up a bottle of non-alcoholic Martini to enjoy with our Valentine's dinner. It was a refreshing reminder of how nourishing it is to step away from our screens and immerse ourselves in the physical world around us.  Seeing vs. Seeking I’m curious to hear about how others navigated their transition into motherhood, so feel free to share your experience or thoughts (if you’re currently going through this transition as well) in the comments! Sending sunny wishes from slow Austria, Alice You’re currently a free subscriber to Out Of Office Network. If you have been enjoying this newsletter and want to support this mission, join the network! You’ll get discounts to partner brands, free access to city guides and our directory for OOO spaces and much more 🧡👇 Looking for some inspiration for your work-life?
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srijeda, 19. veljače 2025.
Creative Living, One Day at a Time
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