Designing A Work Life That Fits: Silvia’s Story

Season 3

4 Feb

Rather than a dramatic career shift, Silvia’s story reveals the work-life lessons that now guide her decisions — and how she knows when work truly fits.

One of the reasons I invite former clients back into conversation is not to revisit their journey — but to listen for what lasts.

After the work is done.
After life continues.
After decisions have been made and remade.

When I asked Silvia Rossi to reflect on her working life now, I asked her a very specific question:

What are the things you never want to forget about how you choose work going forward?

What she shared weren’t goals or aspirations. They were decision anchors — the kind you return to again and again as life changes.

Lesson One: Time Is the First Decision Filter

The first thing Silvia named was time.

Not productivity.
Not ambition.
Not opportunity.

Time.

She knows now that being time-rich — having space to think, prepare, and be present for her relationships — is not a bonus. It’s precious. And it shapes every work decision she makes.

That clarity shows up in practice. Silvia recently chose a three-day-a-week role that pays her enough to support herself and her family, while deliberately leaving room for other parts of her life.

What matters here isn’t the structure itself.
It’s the principle behind it.

Time will always be a deciding factor for her — not something she hopes to earn later, but something she protects now.

Lesson Two: Environment Is a Baseline, Not a Nice-to-Have

The second thing Silvia will not forget is how deeply her work environment affects her.

The people she works with.
The quality of relationships.
The feeling of being respected and valued for her skills.

She knows that when those conditions are present, she can perform under pressure in a completely different way — with more confidence, calm, and capacity. When they’re absent, even good work becomes hard to sustain.

That awareness now functions as a baseline.

She doesn’t treat environment as a perk or an afterthought. It’s a non-negotiable condition for doing her best work — and she makes choices accordingly.

Lesson Three: There Is No Final Destination

The third insight Silvia named is one I hear often from people who have done this work well: the release of the idea that work has a final destination.

There is no perfect role that solves everything forever.

Instead, she values movement — the freedom to experiment, adjust, and redesign as her life evolves. That mindset gives her confidence. It removes pressure. It allows her to choose work that supports what she cares about, even if it isn’t the thing she loves most.

Work doesn’t have to be the center of her life to be good work.
It needs to provide enough energy, money, and time to support the life she wants.

How She Knows When She’s Experiencing Joy at Work

At the end of our conversation, I asked Silvia how she knows when she’s experiencing joy at work.

Her answer wasn’t abstract.

She described a version of herself who is relaxed.
Communicative.
Smiley.
At ease.

She talked about creativity and connection — about having the energy to share ideas, talk with people, and show up fully.

That description matters, because it turns “joy at work” from a vague aspiration into something observable. Something she can recognize. Something she can return to as a compass.

What This Story Shows

Silvia’s story isn’t about where she started.

It’s about what she carries forward.

Clear principles.
Stable decision criteria.
A lived definition of what joy at work actually looks like for her.

This is what remains after the work is done.
And this is the kind of clarity that keeps paying dividends — not once, but over time.

Curious What Joy at Work Might Look Like for You?

Whether you’re wrestling with loyalty, craving a change you can’t yet name, or simply wondering if it’s too late to do something more meaningful—this story is proof that clarity is possible.

🔗 Explore how you can begin your own career redesign journey: Work With Lucia

Related:
🔗 Midlife Worklife Satisfaction Report

[00:00:00] The Quiet Question That Started Everything
Lucia Knight: Hi, I'm Lucia Knight and this is the Joy At Work Podcast. Today I'm joined by one of my former clients, someone who, like so many of us, had a moment of weight. Is this what work is supposed to feel like? And instead of brushing it off and cracking on, they paused and they chose to design their work life differently.
I've asked each guest to share the three most important insights they learned about their future work life that they never ever want to forget. And these aren't just light reflections. They're the result of three, six, or 12 months of deep work together, and now they're in a position to capture those timeless notes to their future selves.
For some saying yes to my invitation, took a little bravery. A lot of what I call powerful vulnerability. Some had to dig deep because they really value their privacy. Some said yes because they understood the potential power of having a touch point to return to every year. But mostly they said yes as an act of kindness gifted to me and to you.
Let's dive in.
[00:01:16] Time Became Non-Negotiable
Lucia Knight: So Silvia, I'm so curious, what is the number one thing about your future work life that you never ever want to forget?
Silvia Rossi: Yeah, great question. It's time. Time to do these things I love. Time to think and prepare. I like planning. I like to prepare things before moving. So for me, being time rich is very precious and also have time to dedicate to my relations and to have the right balance at this time of my life midlife looking 10 years from my retirement probably.
Time will always be a factor in choosing what I do. And recently I've decided to go three days a week to take a job that is a part-time job. It is paid enough to, being able to support myself and my family for three days.
And that will leave me time to dedicate to other activities that I've started in the meantime. And since we've done the fierce emporium together, that was probably can't remember, 4, 3, 4 years ago.
Lucia Knight: Something like that.
Silvia Rossi: Yeah.
And it was really pivotal. Since then I've took on a job that really ticked all the boxes we have identified through the course, and now I'm changing again to, to free up a bit more time.
Lucia Knight: Lovely. And it's really lovely that you said that. 'cause sometimes people. Come to work together expecting one big change, but actually it's likely over a decade long period that there will be multiple change. So that's why it's really important for you to make sure that time is some how precious and you find a way to do it to get paid enough to support you and your family and do all the fun things, but in a three day work week. Oh, so fantastic. Thank you. Okay, so what else?
[00:03:31] Realising the People Around You Change Everything
Lucia Knight: What's the second thing about your future work life that you never, ever want to forget?
Silvia Rossi: Yeah. My work environment, the people I work with are very important to me. People who I know, I like and that they respect and value my skills. That is a baseline for me. Kryptonite for me is being in an environment that doesn't support this kind of quality and relationships. So this is really important and my current job, this three days a week, I'm going back to a team that is really supportive and I've been known and worked with and are welcoming me back. So it's, it is, it's great. It's great to come back to them.
Lucia Knight: So what difference does it make when you work within a team? And respect them and they know and respect and value your skills. What difference does that make to the quality of your work or to how you feel at work?
Silvia Rossi: yeah, I think for giving the best to a job, I need to feel that. Calm and nourishment in a work environment. That will also make me perform under pressure in a very different way. And give me the strength and confidence, to feel that I can do anything. The mutual support for me is the most important thing.
And if that is, lack in, in a work environment is really impossible really feel at ease and and do my job.
Lucia Knight: And that seems critical for you. I think it is somewhat important to all of us, but you figured out that was absolutely critical. It was your baseline. And when it wasn't in existence at exactly the right level you needed to be, it just doesn't work for you.
Silvia Rossi: Yeah.
Lucia Knight: Lovely. Okay.
[00:05:29] Releasing the Need for a Final Destination
Lucia Knight: Dying to know what is the final thing that you would love to remember for the rest of your work life?
Silvia Rossi: Yeah. I think I want to remember that there's no, and at least in my case, probably there's no final destination. But the important thing is movement and do experiments. And the freedom to do that is one of my biggest values. Together with time, this means that I can find work that is good for me.
Give me the confidence to do that. And as long as it gives me enough energy, money, and time, it might not be the work I might love most, but is what allows me and support me to do the things I love with the people I love. So that is probably the most important and having fun in doing it is the greatest thing.
Lucia Knight: having fun. Okay,
[00:06:37] What Joy at Work Actually Looks Like in Real Life
Lucia Knight: so what, how would I notice that if Silvia was experiencing joy at work? What would I see you doing, saying being, how would I see this?
Silvia Rossi: You will see a relaxed Silvia. Very communicative smiley and happy and really, at ease and able to be creative and yeah. I'm very happy to talk and to share with people. This is my desire really in work, creativity and communication. I think you probably will see that person.
Lucia Knight: Silvia and I work together on the six week work life redesign program called The Fierce Emporium. Check out the episode notes to get details of the three programs I offer so you can choose the right one to fit your appetite for change, your desire for speed of change, and of course your budget so that you can find the joy at work that you deserve.

Season 3

Lucia Knight https://www.midlifeunstuck.com