23 Ağustos 2025 Cumartesi

Ne Zaman Rahatlarım ya da Rahatlamalı Mıyım?

Cumartesi akşamı saat 20:30 civarı… Laptop’ta Haydar Acun’un son videosu açık, bir yandan YouTube’da gezinirken diğer yandan elimde telefonla doom scrolling yerine “maaş yattığında neye yatırım yapabilirim?” diye düşünüyordum. Tam o sırada bir iş maili geldi.

Cumartesi gecesi laptop başında iş maili okuyan Volkan, kişisel zaman ile iş sorumlulukları arasında denge kurmaya çalışıyor.

Videoyu durdurdum, telefonu kenara koydum. İçimden “yine terletecek bir konu” diye geçirerek maili birkaç kez okudum. Sonra araştırmaya başladım. Örnekler, finans standartları, eski yazışmalar derken… Maili okumamla cevaplamam arasında geçen sürede tam 2 saat ara vermeden çalıştığımı fark ettim.

Halbuki bu akşam kitap okumayı ya da blog yazmayı planlamıştım. Belki yine yaparım ama hakkını veremem. Bu gibi durumlarda hep “benden gitmesinin” sonunda bana kazandıracağını düşünüyorum. Motivasyonum, bugünün geleceğe yatırım olduğuna kendimi inandırmak. Heyecanımı korumaya çalışıyorum.

Zamanında kolay demotive olurdum, insanları sorumlu görürdüm. Artık bunu yapmıyorum. Faydası olmadığını biliyorum. Bu farkındalık belli bir kıdemle geldi.

Ama bu kazanımla birlikte kendime sorduğum bir soru var: Hep gelecek için yatırım yaparken, o reklamdaki gibi “gelecek de bir gün gelecek” derken, ben ne zaman rahatlayacağım?

Mesela bu maili Cumartesi gecesi değil de Pazartesi yanıtlasam, kim ne der? Büyük ihtimalle kimse bir şey demez. Belki sadece önceliklendirmemi rica ederler. Zaten bu maili Cumartesi atan kişi de o gece cevap beklemiyordur. Ama elimde değil. Kendimi övmek için söylemiyorum. “İşimi ve şirketimi sahipleniyorum” boyutunu çoktan geçtim. Reklama ihtiyacım yok.

Ama neden bir türlü eskiden çok sevdiğim o tabiri kullanamıyorum: “rahata bağlamak”… İşte bunun cevabı bende yok.

Bir yanım “bu beni diri tutar” diyor. “Seni diğerlerinden ayıran kasın bu” diyerek motive ediyor. Ama bir yandan da belli bir yaşa geldiğinde ulaşılması gereken o rahatlık seviyesine ulaşamamanın bir eksiklik olup olmadığını düşünmeden edemiyorum.

Bu gece cevabını veremem belki ama bu soru, cevapsızlar listemde üst sıralardaki yerini sağlamlaştırdı.

Ekstra Okuma: İş-Yaşam Dengesi Nedir?

Bu blogun temelinde yatan “rahatlama zamanı” ve “denge arayışı” gibi kavramları daha derinlemesine incelemek istersen, şu yazıya göz atmanı öneririm, ben bir göz baktım ama kaynaklarla beraber bir kez daha mutlaka inceleyeceğim:

İş Yaşam Dengesi Nedir? Nasıl Kurulur? | Vitocco

Bir de bu durumun bende daha önceden de varolduğunu ve benzer sorulara önceden de yanıt aradığımı belirtmem de fayda var:

https://volkanyorulmaz.blogspot.com/2023/07/yoksa-ben-iskolik-mi-oldum.html



14 Ağustos 2025 Perşembe

Değer mi Kalp Kırmaya?

Bazen üzerler seni, 

Gözlerin dolar, sesin titrer.

Gözündeki yaşı da,

Dilinin ucundaki kelamı da dizginlersin.


Kırılsa da kalbin, 

Yansa da için,

Atıp içine yüklenirsin derdini…


Bir of çeksen o an,

Titreyen dudakların gibi titretirsin

Ama büyütmek değil, unutmaktır amacın.

Bitsin, gitsin şu an bi dersin.

Gözünü yumar, yutkunursun. 

“Allah Büyük” dersin…


Ve o an biter, o gün geçer.

Tıpkı daha öncekiler gibi.

Peki değer miydi kalp kırmaya?

Ne dersin?



10 Ağustos 2025 Pazar

Recharged with Inspiration: Lessons from a Short Break

Today marks the 27th anniversary of my father's passing—a moment that always brings reflection. It also coincides with the end of my 2025 summer break. While I’m not someone who fully disconnects during holidays, I deeply respect those who do. Protecting one’s well-being and making time for loved ones is something I admire and support.

This summer was particularly challenging due to health issues within the family. Yet, I’m grateful to have carved out five days in my favourite coastal retreat—Teos, Seferihisar. Here, I return to routines that ground me: early morning walks, sunbathing, swimming, and most importantly, reflection.

Morning Walks & Mindful Listening

One of my routines is walking before breakfast while listening to podcasts. On the first working day of my vacation, I tuned into Bumuyani – Episode 203: Zehirli Dayanıklılık (“Toxic Resilience”). For those unfamiliar, toxic resilience refers to the tendency to overextend oneself in the name of dedication and loyalty—often at the cost of personal boundaries.

Listening to this episode made me realise how often I stay “always connected,” expecting the same level of responsiveness from colleagues. But through reflection and a meaningful conversation with a close friend, I’ve come to appreciate the importance of empathy—especially towards those who protect their time and energy with intention. Going forward, I aim to honour these boundaries more consciously and understand the drivers of those colleagues.

Summer Reading: Trust & Inspire


My summer read was Trust & Inspire by Stephen M. R. Covey. I’ve read over 200 pages so far, and it’s been transformative. Trust was a key theme I wanted to develop this year, especially as part of the PMI DNA. (Our PMI DNA—We Care, We are Better Together, We are Game Changers—defines how we work, lead, and engage with each other every day. For more: Culture & Diversity at PMI | PMI - Philip Morris International) One quote stood out:

“The very first job of a leader is to inspire trust. The second job is to extend it.”

Not trusting is a lonely, stressful, and joyless way to live. This book reminded me that leadership is not just about control—it’s about connection. I’ll continue dedicating time to reading and writing, and I welcome any book recommendations that support personal growth.

The Gift of Family Time

Of course, no summer is complete without family. During the hustle of back-to-back meetings and endless emails, it’s hard to find quality time. But on vacation, I can be fully present—and that’s the true gift. I’ll close with a family photo from the summer of 2025, a reminder of what truly matters.




#Leadership #PersonalDevelopment #TrustAndInspire #Resilience #Empathy #WorkLifeBalance #VacationReflection #MindfulLeadership #TeosSeferihisar #Summer2025 #GrowthMindset #SelfAwareness #EmotionalIntelligence #ToxicResilience #Inspiration #ProfessionalGrowth #ManagerLife #TreasuryAndTax #PMIDNA #ReflectionTime #PurposeDriven #BusinessLeadership #AuthenticLeadership #LinkedInBlog #CareerJourney #SelfImprovement #LeadershipJourney #TeamCulture #WorkplaceWellbeing #HumanCentredLeadership #EmpoweredTeams #LeadWithTrust

1 Ağustos 2025 Cuma

12 Years at Philip Morris International: A Journey of Purpose, Progress, and People

This August marks a personal and professional milestone — 12 years at Philip Morris International. It’s a moment that invites reflection, gratitude, and a renewed sense of purpose.


When LinkedIn reminded me of this anniversary, I didn’t expect the wave of support that followed. Over 75 colleagues, peers, and friends took a moment to react, comment, and share kind words. Among them was a message from Edvinas Katilius, VP Global Business Solutions at PMI:

“Congratulations Volkan! It is a real pleasure working together.”

To which I replied:

“Thank you so much Edvinas for the nice message! It truly means a lot and I appreciate the opportunity to work alongside you. Your support and leadership make a real difference — looking forward to many more milestones together!”

These interactions are more than digital gestures — they’re reminders of the relationships, trust, and shared ambition that define our work culture.


Over the past 12 years, I’ve had the privilege of growing through diverse roles, culminating in my current position as Manager, Treasury & Tax. Each chapter has brought new challenges — from navigating regulatory shifts to driving financial transformation — and each has been an opportunity to learn, lead, and contribute to PMI’s bold vision of a smoke-free future.

What makes this journey meaningful isn’t just the milestones — it’s the people. The mentors who guided me, the teams who inspired me, and the leaders who empowered me. To all of you: thank you.

As I look ahead, I remain energised by the road still to come. The transformation we’re driving at PMI is historic, and I’m proud to be part of it.

Here’s to the next chapter — and to continuing to grow, challenge, and inspire.


#12YearsAtPMI #WorkAnniversary #Leadership #TreasuryAndTax #PhilipMorrisInternational #Gratitude #CareerJourney

20 Temmuz 2025 Pazar

Unlived Lives and Late-Night Walks: A Personal Journey


The hum of the road, the clutter of the home, and the fog in my mind all converged on this warm July evening. I sat alone on the balcony, sipping tea, thinking: Even if no one reads this, maybe one day I will. So I began to write—something to leave behind, a quiet legacy of thoughts.

I’m still in Bursa Güzelyalı, and this might be the last time I write from this house. Next week, the chaos of moving will begin. I’ve never been the leader in such things—always one of the cogs in the wheel. I’ll do my part, then quietly slip away. I’m tired. Worn out. My soul is craving change.

After work on Friday, I wrapped up some errands and jumped in the car, hoping to clear my head. As always, I kept things simple: a six-pack (just kidding, only one) from the supermarket, a bag of salted peanuts, and a discreet parking spot under a tree where I wouldn’t bother anyone. Headlights off. Music playing softly. Me, scrolling through LinkedIn, trying to shake off the week’s weight. It wasn’t half bad, actually.


As I ran my hand across my face, I felt the stubble I hadn’t shaved in days. Tomorrow’s Monday—I’ll need to tidy up. I checked my calendar. Fewer meetings during the holiday season, but still a few I need to attend. I’ll deal with it in the morning. No need to steal time from the weekend.

Speaking of holidays, I’m glad I didn’t set my hopes too high for a summer getaway this year. The heat, the work, the endless scroll of friends travelling on social media—it’s all a bit much. Not being able to repeat the rituals of past summers stings. But what hurts more is watching dreams slip by, unrealised.

That thought brought me back to last July. Back then, my mind was tangled with questions during morning walks: Will it happen? Will promises be kept? And then, in the first week of August, a piece of good news arrived—unexpected, but deeply welcome. I hope this year brings something just as surprising. If it does, I promise to look back with gratitude.

So let’s live these days fully, without picking and choosing which burdens to carry. Let’s collect memories, so when we listen to podcasts about lives unlived, we won’t feel guilty. Funny how I ended up here...

After my little car ritual, I responsibly disposed of my trash, popped in my earbuds, and headed to the seaside. A five-kilometre walk to stretch out, burn some calories, and hit my daily exercise goal. My favourite podcast (Bu Mu Yani?) kept me company. The latest episode: "Lives We Never Lived". It was a perfect match for my mood—a chance to reflect. Did I find any answers? Not really. But being on the journey, especially when you can feel the sweat on your back, is something in itself.



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