there are a lot of ways to "not work so hard" other than "just quit and go backpacking". I share your utter lack of interest in backpacking. to me, "not work so hard" means picking a good job, but not the most ambitious one possible. it means closing my IDE at 5:30 and finishing that last bug the next day. this leaves me with more time and energy to spend on non-work-related people and activities that I value.

and in a way, I suspect that backpackers and intense travelers have traded one form of "working too hard" for another. "making the most of your youth" is a FOMO perspective. I prefer to focus on appreciating what I already have.