I will never forget the moment it hit me. I was at a family barbecue, and a relative I hadn’t seen in years asked me the question I’m sure you’ve been asked a thousand times: “So, what do you do?”
I gave my standard, rehearsed answer about my job title and the company I worked for. And as the words left my mouth, I felt a strange hollowness. That was it? That was the summary of me? My worth, my identity, my entire being, distilled down to a corporate position I had stumbled into after university. The conversation quickly moved on, but the feeling stuck with me. It was a feeling of being trapped in a box labeled with my job description.
It was around that time, while falling down a rabbit hole of internet forums about burnout and alternative living, that I stumbled upon a word I had never seen before: manyroon.
At first, I had no idea what it meant. It sounded like a fantasy creature or a forgotten city. But the more I read, the more it resonated with that hollow feeling I had at the barbecue. Manyroon, as I discovered, isn’t just a word; it’s a quiet revolution against a world that asks us to live to work, instead of work to live.
So, what exactly does it mean? In the simplest terms, a manyroon is a person who finds their primary joy, purpose, and identity in the parts of their life that exist outside of their paid employment. Their job is a thing they do, not who they are. It is a tool that funds their real life—their passions, their hobbies, their relationships, and their community.
Let me be clear, this is not about being lazy or unambitious. In fact, it requires a great deal of intention and ambition to build a rich life beyond the office. It is about consciously deciding that your value as a human being is not determined by your productivity, your job title, or your salary. It is about reclaiming your identity.
Where Did This Strange Word Come From?
You will not find “manyroon” in the Oxford English Dictionary. Its origins are murky, seeming to sprout from the fertile ground of online communities, likely a blend of internet slang and a playful portmanteau. Some speculate it could be a twist on “many moons,” suggesting a life full of different phases and interests beyond the single “sun” of a career. Others see it as a unique coinage that simply felt right for the concept it describes.
The beauty of it being a grassroots term is that it belongs to the people who live it. It is not a corporate buzzword or a self-help guru’s branded philosophy. It is an organic label for a feeling that millions of people are experiencing but did not have a name for. So, while it might not be a “real word” in the traditional sense, it points to a very real and growing shift in how we think about work and life.
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Manyroon vs. Work-Life Balance: A Critical Difference
When I first explained this concept to a friend, they said, “Oh, so it’s just a fancy term for work-life balance?” I told them that is a common misunderstanding, but the two ideas are fundamentally different.
Work-life balance implies a scale. On one side, you have “work.” On the other, you have “life.” The goal is to keep them equally weighted, separate but equal. The problem with this model is that it still places your job at the center of your universe. It is the giant weight you are constantly trying to counterbalance with “life” activities. Your job remains the primary reference point for everything else.
The manyroon mindset completely dismantles this scale. It does not seek to balance work and life. Instead, it places “Life” at the center, with work as just one of many spokes on the wheel. Your job becomes a single component of your life, not its opposing force. It is a resource—a source of income—that enables you to live fully. Your purpose, your identity, and your primary focus are rooted in the other spokes: your family, your hobbies, your community work, your personal projects, your health.
Think of it this way: a person seeking work-life balance might leave the office at 5 PM sharp to go to a yoga class, but they might still be mentally composing emails in their head during the downward dog. A manyroon, however, sees the yoga class not as a counterbalance to a stressful day, but as a core part of who they are. The workday is simply the thing that happened before they engaged in their true passion. The mental shift is everything.
The Core Pillars of the Manyroon Mindset
Adopting a manyroon lifestyle is built on a few key principles. These are not rigid rules, but more like guiding philosophies.
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The Job is a Tool, Not an Identity. This is the most important pillar. A manyroon views their job pragmatically. It is the mechanism that pays the rent, funds their hiking trips, buys art supplies, or allows them to provide for their family. They may do their job well and take pride in their work, but they do not tie their self-worth to a promotion or a positive performance review. When someone asks “What do you do?”, a manyroon might answer with their job, but they are more likely to lead with a passion: “I’m a rock climber,” or “I run a community garden,” or “I’m really into building miniature models.”
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Passionate Pursuits are Non-Negotiable. A manyroon actively cultivates and protects their hobbies and interests. These are not frivolous pastimes; they are essential activities that provide meaning, joy, and a sense of accomplishment. This could be anything—woodworking, volunteering at an animal shelter, learning a new language, playing in a local band, or being a dedicated parent. The key is that these pursuits are pursued with intention and are given high priority in their schedule.
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Community and Connection are Central. Your coworkers do not have to be your primary social circle. Manyroons often build strong communities outside of the workplace. These are the people who share their values and interests, who support them in their non-work endeavors, and who relate to them as a whole person, not just a colleague. This provides a vital support system that is independent of professional politics.
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Intentional Boundary Setting. To protect their “real life,” a manyroon is a master of boundaries. This means not checking emails after a certain hour, not taking work calls on weekends, and using their vacation days—actually disconnecting during them. They understand that their job will always demand more if they let it, so they consciously decide where the line is drawn.
Is the Manyroon Mindset Right for You? A Self-Reflection
You might be reading this and feeling a sense of resonance, or perhaps you are skeptical. How can you tell if this is a path for you? Ask yourself these questions:
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Do you feel a sense of emptiness or a lack of purpose when you think about your life being defined by your career?
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Do you have hobbies or passions that you neglect because you are too tired from work?
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Does the question “What do you do?” make you feel uncomfortable or inadequate?
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Do you feel jealous of people who seem to have rich, fulfilling lives outside of their jobs?
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Do you suffer from “Sunday Scaries”—a feeling of dread as the weekend ends and the workweek begins?
If you answered “yes” to most of these, the manyroon philosophy might offer you a new way of looking at your life. It is not about making a dramatic, overnight change like quitting your job to live on a farm (unless that is your specific passion). It is about a gradual, internal shift in perspective.
How to Start Cultivating Your Inner Manyroon
Becoming manyroon is a journey, not a destination. Here are some practical steps you can take, starting today.
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Redefine Your Personal Definition of Success. Sit down with a notebook and write your own obituary. Morbid, I know, but it is a powerful exercise. What do you want to be remembered for? I can guarantee it will not be for hitting your quarterly targets. It will be for the kind of friend you were, the art you created, the help you gave, the adventures you had. Let this new definition of success guide your decisions.
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Conduct a Life Audit. For one week, track how you spend your time and energy. Be brutally honest. How many hours are you spending on work, commuting, scrolling mindlessly on your phone, versus on activities that truly light you up? This audit will show you clearly where your life is out of alignment with your values.
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Reclaim Just One Hour. You do not need to overhaul your entire schedule at once. Start by reclaiming just one hour per week. Use that hour, without fail, for a non-work activity you love. It could be reading a novel, going for a long walk without your phone, cooking a new recipe, or calling an old friend. Protect this hour as if it were the most important meeting of your week—because it is.
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Find Your People. Seek out communities that align with your interests. Join a local hiking group, a book club, a pottery class, or an online forum about your hobby. Building connections with people who share your passions reinforces the idea that your identity is multi-faceted.
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Practice Talking About Yourself Differently. The next time someone asks you what you do, try leading with a hobby instead of your job. It feels awkward at first, but it is a powerful way to rewire your own brain. Instead of “I’m an accountant,” you could say, “I’m a huge history buff,” or “I spend most of my free time exploring local trails with my dog.”
I have been consciously walking this path for a few years now, and the change has been profound. I still have the same job I had at that family barbecue. But I am not the same person. My job no longer feels like a cage because I have built a life outside of it that is so much bigger and more colorful. I am a writer, a cyclist, a partner, a friend, and a member of my local community. The part of me that is an employee is just one small piece of a much larger puzzle.
The manyroon movement is a quiet protest against a system that wants to consume our entire identities. It is a choice to find joy in the margins, to build a life so rich and full that your job simply becomes the thing you do to afford it. It is a reminder that you are not what you do for money. You are what you love.
Conclusion
The concept of manyroon offers a powerful and liberating framework for anyone feeling trapped by the modern cult of work. It is not about rejecting hard work or ambition, but about redirecting that energy towards building a meaningful life defined by your own terms, not your job title. By shifting your mindset, prioritizing your passions, and building a strong external community, you can reclaim your identity and find profound joy and purpose beyond the 9-to-5. The journey to becoming manyroon starts with a single, simple decision: to believe that you are more than your job.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1: Is being manyroon the same as being lazy or unambitious?
A: Absolutely not. In fact, it often requires more ambition to actively build a fulfilling personal life alongside your professional responsibilities. Manyroons are highly ambitious about their hobbies, relationships, and personal growth. They are ambitious about living, not just about climbing a corporate ladder.
Q2: Can I be a manyroon if I am a freelancer or business owner?
A: Yes, but it requires extra discipline. When your work is more closely tied to your personal finances and identity, the boundaries can blur. The key is to apply the same principles: set strict working hours, cultivate a strong identity outside of your business, and remember that your company is something you built, not who you are.
Q3: My job is very demanding. Is it still possible to adopt this mindset?
A: It is challenging, but possible. It starts with a mental shift. Even in a demanding job, you can begin by consciously separating your self-worth from your performance. Use your limited free time with intense intention. Protect your weekends and vacations fiercely. A demanding job makes the need for a manyroon outlook even more critical for your mental health.
Q4: Does this mean I should not enjoy my job?
A: Not at all! It is wonderful if you enjoy your job. The manyroon mindset simply ensures that if your job situation changes—you get laid off, the company culture shifts, you burn out—your entire sense of self does not crumble with it. Your job can be a source of enjoyment, but it should not be your only source.
Q5: Where can I find other people who live like this?
A: Look for communities based on your specific interests, both online and in your local area. Platforms like Meetup.com, local hobby shops, community centers, and even specific subreddits are great places to start. The goal is to connect with people based on shared passions, not shared professions.
