I Left My ‘Addicting’ Job for the Work-Life Balance of a European Firm

• Madison Taylor is a millennial living in Las Vegas and working in marketing.
• She works for a French company because she prefers its policies on travel, education, and time off. 
• Her boss’ support of work-life balance was something she’d never experienced before.

This is an as-told-to essay based on an interview with Madison Taylor, a millennial living in Las Vegas. She works remotely for a US office of the Paris marketing company Publicis Groupe. Taylor said she appreciates its “French policies” and the ability to work from home. The interview has been slightly edited for length and clarity.

I used to work in politics, where work consumed my days and nights. 

My career was rewarding and I felt like I was making an impact on everyday lives. But it was also addicting, and I got stuck in the cycle. 

People constantly told me, “Everything you’re doing is so important.” I started to put so much pressure on myself to keep going. My roles, often requiring 70 hours of work each week, made me neglect every other aspect of my life. 

After multiple jobs with political campaigns and nonprofits, I realized that life is not just about work. A job should be something that works for us. 

The realization pushed me to move to France for three months — a country I’ve loved since I studied there in college. When I returned to the US, it was a coincidence that a friend of mine was working for a French company, and they referred me to an open role at the company’s Chicago office.

My initial idea was to start with the US branch and eventually internally transfer to the Paris office. Visas and work laws have made transferring more difficult than I expected, but the role has come with a lot of benefits in the meantime. 

My boss’s support of work-life balance was something I’d never experienced

After my political career, I knew I wanted a job that gave me more flexibility. But even after the COVID-19 pandemic, it was difficult for me to find a fully remote opportunity. 

When I found my current role, I knew it would be a great fit: I’d earn $80,000 working remotely while still having 401(k) benefits and healthcare, similar to what American companies typically provide. I also have extensive time off and frequent holidays, which many French companies expect. 

There’s so much support from the company; my mental health has never been better. 

Everyone at the company knows that you are not on this planet to work. I’ve never had a boss who wanted to give me time off before, but our managers truly do respect our work-life balance. 

I actually cried a little bit on my first day because my boss told me, “We’re not out here saving lives — log off.”

My new job offers benefits I’ve never seen before, such as six-week travel opportunities

Another workplace benefit I’d never had before is continuing education. This company allows employees to take classes relevant to their job or field and will reimburse them for a portion of the cost. 

The company also offers a policy called “Work Your World,” with which employees can work from anywhere in the world for six weeks every year, and the company helps facilitate an apartment exchange with others in the program.

My home base is in Las Vegas, but I used the work-anywhere program, company holidays, and time-off policies to visit Canada, France, and seven US states last year. 

It’s been hard to tell myself that it’s OK to take that time away from work because I’m so conditioned to think otherwise. But in reality, we’re not just here to work our lives away, so I just keep telling my brain to shut up.

I finally don’t feel like work is my first priority in life, and it’s a freeing feeling.