There's a slow but very steady change in the attitude of the typical American worker. They don't want to work as much, even if that means they don't make as much money.
A recent study by a New York think tank shows that 71% of men in the workplace would gladly give up some pay for more personal time.
There are also studies showing that more and more people are giving a higher value to a simple and healthy lifestyle, than financial success.
So are people really doing what they say they want to do?
News Specialist Stacey Butler is on Special Assignment to find out.
A lot of us do have that dream to give it all up.
But is the simple life as simple as it sounds?
What about retirement, or health insurance, or all of the material things we get used to in our 9-5 lives?
Is it possible to just let go?
Well, see for yourself.
Ever thought about trading in the hectic life...
"EXPECT A LITTLE BRAKING STILL OUT OF DAVIS COUNTY, WITH EVEN A LITTLE STOP AND GO AT FIFTH SOUTH."
For one that's much calmer?
Todd Gressett was so frustrated with the Denver commute and big living expenses that he and his wife, Holly, sold everything and moved to Springdale to manage a fruit stand.
Todd Gressett: "NOW MY COMMUTE IS JUST 200 YARDS THROUGH THE ORCHARD. IT'S JUST BEAUTIFUL."
"WHEN I DO OUR TAXES AT THE END OF THE YEAR, IT'S SO SCARY BECAUSE OF HOW LITTLE WE MAKE. BUT IT'S SO NICE, THE COST OF LIVING IS A LOT LESS HERE."
Todd and his wife had to cut back on the extras and sell one car. A tradeoff.
Now Holly can stay home and raise their toddler.
Stacey Butler, Eyewitness News: "MORE AND MORE PEOPLE LIKE TODD ARE TRADING BIG JOBS, BIG PAYCHECKS, AND BIG MORTGAGES FOR THE SIMPLE LIFE. THEY'RE MOVING TO TOWNS LIKE SPRINGDALE AND WITH A LEAP OF FAITH- CASHING IT ALL IN FOR A DREAM."
Sandy Bell/Graphic Designer: "I USED TO FANTASIZE ABOUT IT. I THOUGHT IT WASN'T VERY REALISTIC."
Graphic designer Sandy Bell lived in L.A. for 14 years before she found the courage to move to small town Springdale and set up a home office. She says the freelancing the first year was scary. Today, she's swamped- designing exhibition catalogs and book jackets for famous museums from L.A. to New York.
"IT'S HAPPENED. I MANAGED TO DO IT."
A Salt Lake City sales executive and her husband- a successful restaurant owner-- left it all behind to raise their three boys. They opened a B&B at the mouth of Zion National Park.
Rick O'Toole/O'Toole's B&B: "WE WERE KIND OF CAUGHT UP IN IT UP THERE. WE WANTED TO GO OUT TO MOVIES AND NICE DINNERS AND NICE A HOME. IT WAS JUST SO EASY TO LEAVE ALL THAT BEHIND ONCE YOU GET UP HERE AND JUST SLOW DOWN."
Michelle O'Toole/O'Toole's B&B: "PEOPLE THAT WORK A 9 TO 5, 40 HOUR WORK WEEK FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE TO PACK THEIR LIFE INTO A WEEKEND--MAINTAIN THEIR HOMES, THEIR FAMILIES AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS. WE GET ALL OF THAT ROLLED INTO ONE."
Even the gen x'rs are finding more in less. When a mountain biking trip led Joe Hovorka to Zion three years ago, he vowed to return. He left the L.A. scene in the dust and now he brews up imported coffee for tourists in the morning. The afternoons are all his own.
Joe Hovorka: "I CAN LEAVE HERE IF SOMEONE ELSE IS HERE WORKING AND GO ON A PHENOMENAL HIKE, JUMP INTO SLOT CANYON FOR AN HOUR THEN COME BACK AND WORK. YEAH. IT'S A GREAT ESCAPE."
Often the seeds of escape are planted in national and state parks--Utah has plenty of those-- where people vacation just once and dream of earning a living there.
And if there's one thing I learned on this assignment it's "Where there's a will, there's a way."
