Howdy,
It is has been a while since I posted anything and when I sat down today to watch the Arsenal game I decided to make a few notes of things that I wanted to write about. Interestingly, for me, there were 3 topics that I had an immediate urge to write about, and none of them were specifically related to the grad programme. So, with that in mind, i have had to expand the scope of my blog, and this is the first of 3 posts, and it is the most simplistic....
Things I currently like
1. Tea - what a great drink
2. Chelsea's 4-3-3 formation - lots of goals, cant complain!
3. Deadwood - makes me love the wild west
4. John Grays "Straw Dogs" - i agree with his conclusions but disagree with how he gets there
5. C - you know it!
6. Drawing - see above; got to love getting my drawing head on again after years out
7. Poker - good distraction
8. First run in 6.5weeks - felt good to be back!
Things i currently dont like
1. 350 miles - too far
2. X factor - permanently on any list of things i hate
3. the thought of a high school reunion - literally, what a horrible horrible horror show
4. Being paid a week early at x-mas - jan is a long month
5. Corporate wear - they dont make suits to fit me
6. My nokia phone - awful two year contract
7. People trying to turn snooker into something it is not - its not darts!
8. Doomswitches - they make you run bad
I dont think these two lists have anything in common (except that there are 8 entries)but for some reason they lept to my mind when feeling very reflective on a Sunday afternoon. Typical. I was drinking a cup of tea at the time, so that probably explains the first entry.
Next up... a post on Christmas.
Kindest,
DD
Showing posts with label random. Show all posts
Showing posts with label random. Show all posts
Sunday, 17 January 2010
Tuesday, 3 March 2009
Work Life Balance and Thoughts on the future.
Hello all,
This blog entry has been slightly delayed for two reasons. The first because I was back home for the weekend (stressful!) and the second because I wanted to be able to give some proper thought to this. Anyhow, this post focus's around the work life balance and the idea of a career.
Okay, so what is "work life balance". When someone asked me what sort of work life balance I had, i thought it was a round about way of asking was I on drugs. And thats the truth. I was new to London, and it struck me as maybe being like one of those weird sayings people say, just like "are you friends with Dorothy?"* Anyhow, as we all know, work life balance relates to how we balance our working and social life. This got me thinking...
First of all, I didnt know I had a work life balance. Sure I go out at the weekends and what ever, but I didnt know that this was called a WLB. Then I realised why. Most of the time, when I think of things, I think of actions, not "long term consequences". You may be able to see where this is going. For example, my social life and playing football to me were just individual activities, but ultimately they are part of a delicate balance. But Hang on! This does not seem natural. Think of the following few examples:
1. Binge Drinking: Is it actually possible to just go for a drink? Have two pints and it is a binge drink.
2. Learning something: Is it still possible to just learn something because I like to, or do we have to identify a development need?
3. Change your attitude: Do I change my attitude or do I now change my approach in order to meet my long term objectives.
Anyhow, I may be labouring a point, but essentially when I go for a drink, read a book or changing my attitude about something, I always felt these were isolated actions. But now they form part of my work life balance. Interestingly, I now minute plan my social life in outlook. I put social events, including football training in my outlook.
I find myself more effective at having fun if I plan and structure it. But does this in someway make it less fun? Or is this planning just part of the bigger picture that is necessary for me to adapt to? Like say....a Career?
This leads me on to the second part of this post. This is the first job I took as a career. Every other job has been taken out of necessity, interest or experience. However, my place on the Grad Programme is one that I took for the future and potential. This in itself is quite an alien concept to me.
My previous career planning was listening to a philosophy lecturer telling me that all the greatest philosophers were either tortured to death or committed suicide. Tough Break. But the point was I had no plan...
I had no plan and ended up here. But is that such a bad thing? I mean, I'm pretty happy with where I got to, I have had a blast at Uni and had a great time so far. So when certain important leaders in our institution and peoples whose opinion I value start telling me to get a plan for the future, the fact that my lack of planning so far has got me where I am happy to be makes me think - Do I really need a plan?
This then brings me full circle to my work life balance. I am more effective when I plan my fun side of my life, so if i plan my work side, will I be more effective at that too?
So thats my thoughts on the difficulty of carreer choice and balancing my working life. Of course, I couldnt end without a final remark.
Those greeat philosophers certainly didnt plan to be tortured, but they did plan to commit suicide. The phrase a rock and a hard place when it comes to plans springs to mind. Or as a certain actor once said " a plan is just a list of things that dont happen".
Good luck with your work life balance!
kindest,
D
---
* I usuually reply, "no, she is my ex girlfriend". Lord knows what they infer from this.
This blog entry has been slightly delayed for two reasons. The first because I was back home for the weekend (stressful!) and the second because I wanted to be able to give some proper thought to this. Anyhow, this post focus's around the work life balance and the idea of a career.
Okay, so what is "work life balance". When someone asked me what sort of work life balance I had, i thought it was a round about way of asking was I on drugs. And thats the truth. I was new to London, and it struck me as maybe being like one of those weird sayings people say, just like "are you friends with Dorothy?"* Anyhow, as we all know, work life balance relates to how we balance our working and social life. This got me thinking...
First of all, I didnt know I had a work life balance. Sure I go out at the weekends and what ever, but I didnt know that this was called a WLB. Then I realised why. Most of the time, when I think of things, I think of actions, not "long term consequences". You may be able to see where this is going. For example, my social life and playing football to me were just individual activities, but ultimately they are part of a delicate balance. But Hang on! This does not seem natural. Think of the following few examples:
1. Binge Drinking: Is it actually possible to just go for a drink? Have two pints and it is a binge drink.
2. Learning something: Is it still possible to just learn something because I like to, or do we have to identify a development need?
3. Change your attitude: Do I change my attitude or do I now change my approach in order to meet my long term objectives.
Anyhow, I may be labouring a point, but essentially when I go for a drink, read a book or changing my attitude about something, I always felt these were isolated actions. But now they form part of my work life balance. Interestingly, I now minute plan my social life in outlook. I put social events, including football training in my outlook.
I find myself more effective at having fun if I plan and structure it. But does this in someway make it less fun? Or is this planning just part of the bigger picture that is necessary for me to adapt to? Like say....a Career?
This leads me on to the second part of this post. This is the first job I took as a career. Every other job has been taken out of necessity, interest or experience. However, my place on the Grad Programme is one that I took for the future and potential. This in itself is quite an alien concept to me.
My previous career planning was listening to a philosophy lecturer telling me that all the greatest philosophers were either tortured to death or committed suicide. Tough Break. But the point was I had no plan...
I had no plan and ended up here. But is that such a bad thing? I mean, I'm pretty happy with where I got to, I have had a blast at Uni and had a great time so far. So when certain important leaders in our institution and peoples whose opinion I value start telling me to get a plan for the future, the fact that my lack of planning so far has got me where I am happy to be makes me think - Do I really need a plan?
This then brings me full circle to my work life balance. I am more effective when I plan my fun side of my life, so if i plan my work side, will I be more effective at that too?
So thats my thoughts on the difficulty of carreer choice and balancing my working life. Of course, I couldnt end without a final remark.
Those greeat philosophers certainly didnt plan to be tortured, but they did plan to commit suicide. The phrase a rock and a hard place when it comes to plans springs to mind. Or as a certain actor once said " a plan is just a list of things that dont happen".
Good luck with your work life balance!
kindest,
D
---
* I usuually reply, "no, she is my ex girlfriend". Lord knows what they infer from this.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)