Ode to the Office Job

A brilliant article by Adam Riser from Backcountry Beacon:

Drying gear and working hard (or at least appearing to) after a morning of face shorts.

I have an office job. I sit in a cubicle and spend most of my day typing on a computer and looking at spreadsheets. It wasn’t always like this; I used to be a river guide. I worked rivers all over Washington and Oregon while living in my truck. I climbed 200 days during my first year as a river guide. Then I became a climbing guide on Mt. Rainier. What could be better? I got paid to climb and climbed all day. Well, in theory anyway. Really, I got paid to carry a big pack and walk slowly in dangerous places while tied to clients who were seemingly trying to kill themselves (and, by extension, me). When I did finally have a day off, climbing was the last thing I wanted to do. Eventually, and entirely by accident, I landed a “real” job. I hear a lot of people blaming their office jobs for their failure to get out and get after it. However, I find that my desk job hasn’t killed my climbing; it’s actually given me the freedom (and rest) to do more.

 I get more climbing, biking, and skiing done now than I ever used to. The reason is simple: I don’t have a job that requires me to carry heavy packs, roll up rafts, or generally stress out about my clients’ safety. So, when I want to get after it on my own terms, I’m actually rested and ready to go. So don’t discount the office job; instead,  learn how to get things sussed at work so you can get in more play time.

Read the rest of the article here including these main points:

Buy a Good Headlamp

Buy a Good Alarm Clock

Pack the Car Beforehand

Work Hard to Play Hard

Brunch

Recruit Co-workers