Sara from Switzerland Got Tired of the Office, and Now She Herds 700 Sheep 0 44

Changing professions is not the easiest decision. But 42-year-old Sara Müri from Switzerland could no longer withstand the pressure of office routine. It seems that a stable schedule should provide a sense of security. However, constant time monitoring and monotony of work led her to stress. As a result, she abandoned her previous profession and chose a completely different path.

Now a flock of 700 sheep follows her. Her day starts before sunrise and continues until late evening. The usual weekends and holidays that many are accustomed to simply do not exist in her new schedule.

According to the Tages-Anzeiger newspaper, about 30 nomadic shepherds pass through the Swiss regions of Mittelland and Jura each winter. Mittelland is a densely populated plain region, while Jura is a mountainous area in the northwest of the country.

How Nature Helped Her Feel Freer

Despite the cold and loneliness in the vast space, Sara Müri says that it is here she feels the calmest. In noisy and crowded places, she felt more alone than while working among the fields. Life in nature became a way for her to restore her inner balance.

Sara grew up in an ordinary high-rise building and worked as a draftsman for a long time. However, the necessity to be at a desk from 8 to 5, she says, weighed more heavily than physical labor. After leaving the office, she tried various activities: teaching skiing and snowboarding, helping on ski slopes, and working in a rescue service. In the summer, she increasingly took on the care of goats and sheep—and gradually realized that she wanted to make this her main profession.

What a Nomadic Shepherd Does in Switzerland

The work of a shepherd involves constant movement, focus.de reports. In winter, shepherds move with the flock across plains and hills, choosing optimal grazing locations. In summer, they ascend higher into the mountains, where the animals spend the warm months grazing.

The Swiss career guidance service explains that with a flock of up to 400 lambs, a shepherd usually works with two dogs. There is no mandatory special education required for the profession. However, knowledge in agriculture simplifies entry into the profession.

Training consists of 4 modules and includes practical experience. The program lasts 2 years, and upon completion, a state certificate is issued. Therefore, the path to becoming a shepherd is open to anyone willing to learn and accustomed to physical labor.

Who is Suitable for This Job

Working with animals requires patience and attentiveness. Additionally, a person must be ready for solitude—most of the time, a shepherd spends alone. The profession is suitable for those who value silence, nature, and a free working rhythm.

Nevertheless, the workload is serious: weather conditions, long transitions, and responsibility for the life of the flock make this work truly challenging. Despite this, people like Müri find meaning in it and the freedom that urban life did not provide them.

Why Müri's Story Resonated

Sara Müri's story attracts attention because many residents of Europe are increasingly seeking ways to escape the stressful office environment. In particular, interest in alternative professions related to nature and manual labor is growing in Germany. Müri's case shows that changing professions is possible even at a mature age if a person is ready for change.