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"Development"
Fab start on a to-do list (via The Organised Housewife)
- Write a detailed to do list. Make your jobs specific, like ‘finish reviewing x report, and send back for editing’ or at home ‘clean three shelves in pantry’ or ‘sort through odd sock pile and throw out/ up cycle any remaining solo socks’. Check out The Organised Housewife for some great printables and tips.
- Make sure you aim high! Write a giant list when you first get up, you can use it as a base for your next Super Tuesday.
- Do it on a day when you are going to have some energy. For me Monday is rough after the weekend, Wednesday I am well and truly into my week. Tuesday is about right. This works well for me as I work five days a week. Change it up to suit your routine.
- Ban all distractions. No social media, no TV, no time-wasting and no procrastinating. If it's not on the list, don’t do it. Push back on meetings, lunch dates, anything you can to give yourself the best chance of success.
- Tackle your most dreaded jobs first. Make the awkward phone call. Clean the crisper/ veg drawer in the fridge. Tackle the most complex report. Whatever it is, tackle the big stuff first.
- Take the time at the end of your Super day to reflect on how it went. What did you smash through? What gave you a lot of satisfaction when you finished? What took you longer that you thought? How did you go with your tough jobs? What’s left for next week?
- Reward yourself! Read a magazine, spend a bit of time on Facebook, Instagram, whatever your favourite social media time waster/pleasure is. The point is to take the time to celebrate you much you rocked it on Super Tuesday!
Thinking? Gorgeous print via artretro (Etsy)...
So very true!
- Getting the chance to spend some Q-time with the little folk in my life (and also at the same time expanding my knowledge of dinosaurs, Zelfs - more about those tomorrow, and Lego)
- Having a lovely supportive partner in life who a rock of encouragement and support this year while I pursue my somewhat lofty creative/ career dreams
- Being in good health and having a lovely family
Hello school holidays! Hello beach!
- watching the Mini Fashionista perform in her school concert (a cracker of a job as a sixties starlet), play the violin in her first string ensemble performance (where of course I got teary, because no matter what the content I seem to get teary at school concerts) and morph into a tall willowy little lady with a snappy send of humour
- Seeing Captain Jack master tying his shoelaces and hand-writing. In fact I am pretty sure this will go down as one of my highlights (for anyone else who has watched their child suffer through occupational therapy (OT), frustration, anger and every other emotion that comes with struggling to master a new skill, you'll know what a BIG deal this was). Noticing that no matter how tall and strong he becomes, his heart is still made of ice-cream and melts at the sight of a wounded bird or when someone is hurt.
- Watching Flashdance emerge from his shell, and even have the courage to speak at assembly (seriously unthinkable at the start of the year) not to mention to produce some of the most wonderful pieces of art, and continue to march to the beat of his own drum (to his credit, he did successfully pull off the 'cool Scottish man' for International Day - complete with hat, tartan skinny jeans and tuxe jacket).
- Saying goodbye to nappies for Little L, and hello to Kindergarten orientation! Where did that time go? My baby is all of a sudden a little person, with an opinion about everything, everyone and attitude to spare.
Scared of technology? Join the club…
'Our backyard!' I think I may have at least one other optimist in the family...
I have been contemplating my future, career aspirations and life in general over the past week.
Kicked off my a 360° session (where you seek out and invite your leader and co-workers to assess you - sounds like fun right?) in the office, and spurned on by a thought-provoking day at WIMWA 2013(Women in Mining Western Australia).
I have been wondering what is it that keeps me satisfied in life?
The fabulous Jane Caro, gave an inspirational and hilarious speech at WIMWA, and spoke of finding the balance between boredom and fear.
This struck a chord with me.
Feeling satisfied, and happy isn't the result of one silver bullet, one thing that makes everything right.
It's more in a constant state of flux.
When life is becoming a little stale and uninspiring, it's time to dial up the risk factor a little and try something new. Learn a new language. Apply for that job that may be a bit of a stretch. Eat somewhere new. Try cooking something different. Take a risk and cut your hair. A small change can make a big difference and be enough to get the fire burning again.
Likewise if your head is spinning, and life seems to be weighing you down, and it's all getting a little hard, then it's time to take your foot off the pedal and slow down. Get back to routine. Cut out a couple of essential activities for you and the kids (let's face it, nobody really needs to be playing three sports before the age of 5!). Go back to eating simple wholesome food. Walk instead of drive.
Which brings me back to where I am right now. For me, it's time to change it up, and dial up the risk factor a little. I have started my own blog (thank you for visiting!), started my own retail space and am amping it up a notch in my corporate life by getting more involved, joining the Institute of Company Directors and seeking out and accepting speaking gigs (my big fear is public speaking, I also happen to love doing it, after the event, when my nerves are a little less frazzled).
Where are you right now? Are you satisfied?
Enjoy xx
We got to let love rule...
Feeling like a square peg in a round hole?
I've been reading a fascinating book lately, Quiet, The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking.
This wonderful book has helped me to see (again) that we live in a world where extroverted behaviour is rewarded, whilst introverts quietly go about their business.
Ok, so maybe that's a bit of a wild generalisation, but bear with me.
At school, the bubbly outgoing kids can attract a lot of attention. From teachers, from other students, for opportunities.
Quiet kids on the other hand are kind of easy to overlook.
I've been guilty of thinking that a happy kid is a boisterous, outgoing kid. A classic example was a few weeks ago when I made the parental error of encouraging one of my boys to 'get out more' at lunch time, after he told me for the fifth day in a row that he had spent time in the library with his mates. Without even meaning to, I had assumed that he wasn't having a good time unless he was running around playing footy at lunchtime like his little brother.
Over the weekend that followed, I noticed that while he was an active little kid, he was also pretty quiet and introspective. He really seemed to be quite content lying on a beanbag reading a book. Totally at peace with himself and the world.
I also noticed that both myself and my husband, the lovely Big A, also sought out quiet space.
And that my friends is the upside of living with introverts. There are times, believe it or not, where everyone is happy just quietly reading or playing. Even with two adults and four kids, we all like to take some time out for quiet.
So I got to thinking. Maybe, by the time it gets to lunchtime, after a busy morning of PE, drama, writing, what my little boy actually craves is quiet, and peace.
I can't really argue with that can I?
Enjoy xx
