Leaving Spotify

5 September 2022

Friday was my last day at Spotify. Today marks the first time since graduating in 2003 that I don’t have a plan for what to do next. I’ll be journaling on some of the reasons I decided to leave in a separate entry, but for now let’s just say it in the simplest form - I needed a break.

The courier company called last week to schedule a pickup of my work equipment (computer, monitor, phone etc). To my surprise, they really seemed to really care. More than any courier company I’ve ever had to deal with in the past. They seemed to be aware that this was not only about shipping a lump of electronics. This was about letting go. About a life decision that meant letting something go in favor of something else, something new. The courier just came by and picked up my equipment. That’s it, I guess.

Leaving a job can be emotional. It doesn’t matter if you’ve enjoyed or loathed the experience. It’s about closure, it’s about saying goodbye to the people you’ve come to know and appreciate.

Leaving in a remote world is different, much different to any experience I’ve had in the past. The people I work with the most are scattered across the globe, so even when I’ve gone into the Gothenburg office, I won’t meet any of them. Instead we said our bye-byes over email or in the best case over a Hangout chat.

On my last day I decided to go into the Gothenburg office to get to hang out with the amazing people there and see the office one last time. Despite not having any of my closest colleagues there, that turned out to be a memorable experience. My team had ordered a cake (Princess cake) to the office that I got to share with the Gothenburg folks, chatting and laughing.

Leaving the office that last time was with little fanfare. Closing the laptop, packing up to leave. Just like any other day, with the exception that I would no longer have access to come back in.

What’s next? We’ll see. I’m going to try and take things one day at a time. Resisting the urge to immediately want to be useful and jump into anything new too quickly. Reflect and document the process. Let the thoughts and emotions come as they please.