Posts Tagged ‘Christmas’
Day 10: All Change Please
Posted on: December 10, 2011
- In: Advent | Blogs | Business
- 4 Comments
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And of course, there are the other things which we have to find time for at this time of year. Writing cards, putting up decorations, attending school plays, and of course Christmas shopping, all come within the ‘Mummy’ remit. So December for me usually means stress and anxiety, at least until Christmas Day itself, when I finally allow myself to relax.
This year is slightly different though. A number of things which have happened in 2011 have made me reflect on my life and my career, so I am in a rather more thoughtful mood than you would normally find me in at this time of year. The main trigger for all of this reflection and ‘navel gazing’ is the sudden realisation that I am getting, well if not old, at least middle aged.
The festive season also marks my birthday, and this year it is a significant one. I have drifted through my 20s and 30s without thinking too much about my age, but now I am uncomfortably aware of getting older. The other major change this year has been my son starting at secondary school, which marks a new phase in all our lives as he and my daughter both get older and the household dynamics change.
All of this has made me stop and think about the direction my life is taking. This has resulted in a change in my working hours which is allowing me more time with the children in the evenings, but making better use of the time when they are at school. It has also resulted in re-examining my duties at work so that I can delegate more and make better use of my time and my skills. Delegation is something that I am traditionally quite terrible at, but I am forcing myself to do it. Hopefully the new year will bring more progress on this, but I am very aware that it will only happen if I make it.
So all in all, I think that 2011 has been a good year for me. As my 30s draw to a close, I am pleased with what I have achieved so far, proud of my children, and looking forward to helping to drive my business forward in the future.
But enough of this self-indulgence, do you know how many tax returns I still have to do?!
2011: Highlights and Horrors
Posted on: November 28, 2011
- In: Blogs | Engagement | HR | Values
- 16 Comments
So, believe it or not, we are now in Advent. Now, I’m not going to start getting all Christmassy on you…yet!…but I would like to share a challenge with you and invite some guest posts on this blog.
I heard a lovely thought for the day on the radio this morning, about how Advent is traditionally the time of waiting, of starting to think and prepare for Christmas and of reflecting on the year that has been. The speaker likened the openinng of each window on an Advent calendar to letting light in…whether that is the light of hope of better things to come, the light of love of spending time with those closest to us, or simply the light at the end of the tunnel to what, to many, may well have seemed like a tough year.
What I would like to do during December is to share some guest posts on this blog about some of the great things that have happened in 2011, some of the learnings that you can share from your year and perhaps some hopes for 2012. They don’t have to be HR related, they can be about anything at all. And they don’t have to be melodramatic horrors…although equally, feel free if you want to share!
I’ll be sharing my highlights and horrors of 2011 and writing some of my usual blogs too during this time, but I’d love to have as many guest bloggers as possible during December sharing their throughts and learnings. Experienced bloggers, novices or simply someone who has always thought about writing a blog post and never got round to it. Believe me, it really isn’t as hard as it looks… 😉
I’d love to hear from you.
The HR Juggler 