(DOWN.shif.tur)
n.
A person who quits a high-stress job in an effort to lead a simpler life. Also: down-shifter.
— downshift v. — downshifting pp.
Example Citation:
"Smalley is part of a small, but growing movement toward downshifting. The trend has been described as spending less time thinking about income and work and more time rebuilding communities and the environment. Twenty-five percent of downshifters say they did it to reduce their workloads, and almost 90 percent are happier having made the change, says a study by the Merck Family Fund."
— Bev Bennett, "Downshifting Provides a Chance to Rethink Lives," The Arizona Republic, September 26, 1999
Earliest Citation:
Several of our writers are finishing books for 1991. Down-Shifting: Reinventing Success on a Slower Track, by Associate Editor Amy Saltzman, will be published in February by HarperCollins. It examines the idea of success in American culture and how many professionals are finding satisfaction by taking things easier. The book includes profiles of a number of down-shifters.
— "Between hard covers," U.S. News & World Report, November 19, 1990
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New words. 2013.