If you’re reading this, it tells me you already know corporate isn’t the plan.
You just don’t want to be reckless about what comes next and that’s what this email is for.
Clear thinking, useful signals, and practical ways to get prepared.
Here’s what you can expect from Escapee Insider:
What I’m seeing before it shows up in headlines
Tools and models that actually help (not shiny objects)
Patterns from real conversations with people in transition
One short idea each week to help you stay ready for your next move
I won’t over-email you or waste your time.
If you’re still in corporate, this helps you prepare without panicking.
If you’re already out, this helps you stay sharp and adaptable.
Let’s get into it.
The Days You’re Donating to Your Job
I recently shared a post on LinkedIn about the real hourly wage most corporate jobs pay once you factor in extra hours.
But if I’m honest, money wasn’t the thing that finally got to me. It was the time.
Specifically, the time I realized I was donating to my company for the privilege of working for them.
Let’s talk about days, not dollars
Most corporate roles quietly run well beyond 40 hours a week.
Ten extra hours is common. Meetings, email, calls, “urgent” tasks, etc…
Over a year, that adds up to:
500+ hours
Roughly 12 full workweeks
About 60 days
That’s already two months of unpaid time.
Now add the commute
Even a “reasonable” commute adds up faster than most people realize.
Say it’s 45 minutes each way, three days a week.
That’s:
230 hours per year
Another 5–6 workweeks
Nearly 30 days
And we haven’t even touched nights, weekends, or travel yet.
The quiet math most people never do
Before you factor in:
Evenings where you’re half-working
Weekends you’re mentally on
Travel days that bleed into personal time
Or the constant background stress of being available
You’re already at: 90 days per year or 3 months!
Where the resentment really comes from
This wasn’t about hating work.I worked hard by choice.
What changed was realizing how much life I was giving away without ever consciously agreeing to it.
Those days don’t show up on a paycheck. They don’t vest. They don’t roll over.
They just disappear and over time, that quiet donation starts to feel really heavy.
This isn’t about quitting your job….It’s about seeing the trade clearly.
Because once you recognize you’re donating three months of your life every year, a few questions naturally follow:
How long am I willing to do this?
What am I actually getting in return?
And what would I rather do with those days?
That kind of clarity is what this space is for.
If this ever stops being useful, unsubscribe. No hard feelings.
But if it helps you think more clearly about what’s next, you’re in the right place.