- Living in the US has boosted my self-confidence, but I'm ready to move to another country.
- I grew up in the UK and find European's work-life balance is significantly better than the US's.
- I try to keep a healthy work-life balance in the US but it's a constant battle.
I'm from London and moved to the US 20 years ago. While I'm thankful for the doors that opened after moving to the US, I've never fully adjusted to American work life and culture.
The only benefit to working in the US is the salary
The work culture here, especially on the East Coast where I live, is borderline unhealthy compared to Europe and the many other countries I've traveled to for my career in hospitality marketing and travel journalism.
Work doesn't consume people in some European countries the way it does in the US.
Knowing this makes it difficult for me to return to the US every time I'm away. In fact, the only benefit of living in the US, for me, is the salaries.
The median annual salary for employees in the UK is around $30K to $40k, while in the US, I've been making between $50k to $85k in various industries.
With the high cost of living on the East Coast, it's helpful to have a little extra cash to enjoy daily luxuries like dinner with friends and family and travel.
The money comes at a high price, though.
I try to enforce a healthy work-life balance, but it's a constant battle
Sometimes it feels like my work takes precedence over everything else in my life.
For example, I once had to stay behind at work until around 7 p.m. for a back-to-school night and had to cancel my plans in the city.
To keep myself sane, my general rule is no email responses before 8:30 a.m. or after 5:30 p.m. Working hours in the UK are the same, but there's an understanding of never taking work home.
Waking up to several emails sent in the middle of the night is not something I ever anticipated when working here.
I've worked in teaching, marketing, travel, law, and it's all been the same in my experience — dozens of emails being sent out of work hours, which leaves me overwhelmed the next morning.
In the past, colleagues have even texted me while I've been out, because I didn't respond to an email in the evening right away.
I try to take leisurely lunches and often end up eating alone
Oftentimes, I feel like the work-life balance cheerleader in the office.
My co-workers seem in awe when I tell them I'm taking my full lunch hour to go on a walk or sit at a café.
Of course, I always extend an invite or usher them to do the same, but there's always "more that needs doing."
I try to get out as much as possible, but if it's raining I'm often left eating alone, which feels pretty lonely.
I've been in jobs for years and still felt like I never really knew my coworkers.
My parents worked in the UK for more than 30 years and always shared how breaks were around 1.5 to 2 hours and often included a pub trip with coworkers.
When I travel back home, I see what they mean. The busiest times in the city are during work hours when 9-5ers flock to the local watering holes for a chance to get out of the office.
Living in the US has given me confidence, but I hope to move to another country in the future
As a Brit, I love the way Americans make everything feel exciting — their outgoing nature is almost infectious.
Living here boosted my confidence and belief that I could achieve anything.
However, it feels almost impossible at times to find genuine connections.
I live in Boston — my favorite US city with its green spaces, cobblestone streets, history, and ocean views — but people rarely speak to each other on the streets.
In fact, it's so rare that when people eventually do make conversation, I'm almost caught off guard.
I yearn for simplicity and true connections. I'd love to move outside the US in the future. Looking at quality of life, culture, and retirement abroad, I see so many benefits to moving away.
In the meantime, I'll continue to be the cheerleader in my workplace in hopes of showing others there are more important things in life than just work.
