As soon as I end this upcoming work call, I’m unplugging everything on my desk, putting it in a packing box and then locking up my office until Jan 3rd. I’m looking forward to zero work for almost two weeks.
Instead?
Instead, I’ll be eating my body weight in turkey, mince pies, various kinds of potato dishes, chocolate, champagne and beer. We’re spending Christmas together in London, then visiting my family in Scotland for a few days, then back in time to bring in the New Year with ‘The Council of the Gays™️’.
Just two more scheduled work calls (one today, one tomorrow) then I’m done for this year.
In terms of client work, anyway. I estimate I have about two hours' worth of office packing to finish tomorrow and then it’s holiday time until my office move on January 3rd.
And then the un-packing. But I don’t want to think about that just yet…
Just ordered all the packing materials for my office move.
I went back to this time last year in my Amazon ordering history and just bough the same stuff. Simples.
And given the upcoming holidays, I’ve worked out that everything will need to be packed up by Friday next week so I can move on the 3rd of January.
Thankfully, I have no client-facing work booked in, so I can spend my time huffing and puffing, getting dirty and sweating, while all the time cursing myself for accumulating so many books and pieces of technology.
But it’s all in a good cause and I’m looking forward to settling in to my new ‘home’. I’ll share some before and after pics in due course.
Right. I put my money where my mouth is and put down a deposit on that new office.
Looks like I’ll be moving in the first week of January.
All I need to do between now and then is pack up the entire office into boxes and have a small nervous breakdown about where everything is going to go. Plus find a moving company. And do the whole ‘change of address’ thing.
In more positive news, the new building has a most excellent roof garden. Irrelevant now, but perfect for Spring and Summer.
I’m just back from viewing a potential new home for my business.
The office looks like it ticks all the right boxes for what I need. Plus it’ll work out cheaper than the office I have at the moment. It’s also closer to home.
So I’m going to put down a holding deposit while I …
It started so well and then ended up with massive hassle and lots of additional work. None of which was my fault, but I had to do it. Feeling a confusing mix of anger, disappointment, embarrassment and resignation.
While it took an age to get home from Heathrow last night, we were super productive once we got to the apartment. All bags unpacked and laundry started with the hour, a delicious Thai meal ordered and all the post (mostly junk) dealt with.
Once I sat down to eat, the fatigue caught up with me. I didn’t sleep much at all on the 15hr flight back from Tokyo - due to a combination of being woken up by the cabin crew as they spoke to people around me, plus the incredibly uncomfortable seat. I won’t be dashing back to fly with British Airways when it comes to Japan any time soon.
On the plus side, I had a shower and slipped into bed just before 9pm. I could barely keep my eyes open and was asleep within minutes. And I didn’t wake up until my alarm at 6am this morning. Feeling great!
I had - for once - planned ahead and avoided over-committing myself on the work front today. I actually have a medical appointment this morning (wish me luck!) and a few things to do in the office this afternoon. No clients to speak to, to coaching sessions or webinars.
Looking forward to getting back into my routine today and catching up with what I’ve missed. A cursory glance at my email shows there were no emergencies, so it’s mostly just project updates and business opportunities.
While I felt the usual twinge of sadness leaving Tokyo yesterday, I’m now feeling overwhelming gratitude that I could go there once again and for the fun time I had while I was in Japan. Such lovely memories (and photos) to reflect on.
And only 90 days until I go back and do it all over again!
Productivity time!
I just have a handful of important tasks to complete this morning, after which I can start packing for Japan. I’m always amazed at what I can achieve just before I head off on a trip. The deadline-induced focus is a powerful drug!
Then a dinner of “it needs to be …
Like thousands of others, my plans were obliterated this week by Storm Ciarán. For my part, I got stuck down in Exeter, where all trains northwards were cancelled due to flooding.
I had to spend another night there, in another hotel, all the while feeling like death warmed up. A cough that was …
I made it to Exeter, after nearly coughing up a lung on the train here.
Given all the weather warnings and the predicted travel disruptions, I swapped to a train leaving London two hours earlier. I’m glad I did!
Now that I’m here, I have been given what must be the smallest hotel room in Western …
Awake before my alarm this morning, so I did the only sensible thing and started work.
(Your definition of ‘sensible’ may differ…)
So far, I’ve published and promoted this week’s podcast and compelted some YouTube admin. Heading into the office soon to write this month’s newsletter and plan some webinars.
I’m definitely planning to wrap up early this afternoon as a reward.
A very good afternoon to everyone…
…except for the woman who has spent the last hour pacing up and down the corridor outside my office on a very loud, very personal phone call.
After gently asking her to keep it down, she quite literally hissed at me.
So that was nice.
Her office is on …
Smiling to myself as my podcast got recommended in an HR blog post about the top business-focused podcasts. I don’t think I’ve ever seen it mentioned in ‘print’ before.
That’s definitely making my gratitude list for tonight’s journal.
I’m in Dublin for a very brief business trip.
And despite my high hopes, I haven’t been able to escape the noise of construction. Back in London, my neighbourhood seems to be one big building site, and has been that way for over a year. The noise is truly exhausting and I live for the …
I’m feeling productive and accomplished - just got another YouTube video out the door, and prepped the edits for two more episodes of the podcast. Did my accounts admin and even did some client admin.
But, I managed to record two episodes of the podcast, have a lovely catch-up with a colleague in Seville, write next week’s professional blog post and set up the next three months of online community meet-ups.
My little YouTube channel gained it’s 300th subscriber yesterday and I couldn’t be happier.
It’s been nothing like a full-time job, but something I fit around other aspects of work. Getting a tiny bit better with each video, still enjoying the process, and learning loads.
Having taken six flights since Sunday, I think it’s pretty inevitable to arrive home with some kind of airborne illness.
And so I greet the weekend - the hottest of the year so far in London - with the mother of all head colds. I don’t want to get on another plane for quite some time. But the damage is done for now.
Not helping this is being woken up by the smell of burning rubber at 6am this morning - I’ve no idea where it was coming from. Definitely outside on the street. My apartment wasn’t on fire, thankfully. But now I’m wide awake, sipping a coffee and planning to head to my office for a couple of hours of filming while it’s nice and quiet.
The YouTube engine stops for no man.
Let’s hope the rest of the weekend improves from here…
Morning one after returning from Singapore and I’m off again!
This time, it’s to Dublin - for work. Thankfully, I packed my bag as soon as I unpacked last night, so I’m basically ready to go. I just need to inject some caffeine into my nervous system and pop my laptop in my backpack. ✈️
I couldn’t keep my eyes open past nine pm last night, and slept the whole night through. Feeling very rested as a result. Jet lag is always less of an issue for me returning from Asia.
I have the whole of this afternoon to get back into work mode, do some writing and prepare for tomorrow’s workshop. So, flight aside, it’s a gentle return to the world of work.
Here’s hoping London City Airport isn’t a mass of delays this morning…
Ooof. That YouTube edit took significantly longer than I’d planned.
But I stuck at it, as I’m trying to make each video 1% better than the previous one. Glad I persisted. Quite happy with the final product. Now to put my feet up and start enjoying the weekend!
The building where my office is located is basically deserted at the weekend. So it’s the perfect time to record new content for YouTube, without noise in the corridor, slamming doors or accidental fire alarm activations.
Haven’t been interrupted once, which always helps. Got stuck into various admin tasks I’d been putting off, and as usual, none of them were as painful or frustrating as I’d imagined. Our old friend procrastination was leading me astray once again.
A couple more calls to do and then I can call it a day.
