Manual Mode: a guide to building meaningful careers in a world of disappearing desk jobs.
Hi, I’m Rory.
After years in tech that left me restless, I started asking a harder question:
What if I’m not supposed to sit at a desk forever?
So I’ve been exploring a different path.
A more manual one.
Work that’s done with hands, heart, and presence.
Builders shaping timber into cabins.
Gardeners restoring soil and soul.
Plumbers, joiners, electricians, welders.
Foragers, craftspeople, off-grid hosts.
Jobs that don’t disappear with the next AI update.
Jobs that actually matter to the people around you.
Manual Mode is for you if…
You’ve left (or want to leave) a knowledge job that no longer fits.
You’re craving real work - something you can touch, build, fix, or grow.
You’re unsure where to begin, but know the office life isn’t it.
You’ve thought about carpentry, farming, conservation, trades, or something more rooted.
You want to find work that feels useful and meaningful.
What you’ll get
Every week, I’ll share:
🛠 A story of someone who made the leap
🧭 A simple exercise or idea to help you explore the shift
🤝 Tools, tryouts, and community pathways for getting started
This isn’t about quitting your job overnight.
It’s about switching off autopilot and finding your own way into work that’s real.
Why now?
We’re living through the biggest shift in work since the Industrial Revolution.
Millions are quietly questioning the point of what they do all day.
AI is replacing knowledge work faster than we expected.
But nobody’s coming to guide the transition.
Manual Mode exists to change that.
Because the future won’t just belong to coders and founders.
It’ll belong to people who can build, fix, grow, and care in the real world.
