Thursday 28 February 2013

Improving our working life

This is a new blog, that started as a result of another blog I write, about what knitting and my hobbies have taught me. I started a new lunchtime group at work recently, and decided I wanted to share what I have learned about the world of work.

It's ideal, because I divide my life up into personal and professional, and so it makes sense to do the same with my blog too.

The new Work Smart lunchtime group started as a 5 minute slot in the Publishing Editor meetings in 2012. The group is intended to bring together new starters and old hands, from both Books and Journals, to share ways of working smarter to free up their time to focus on what is important.

Then at the start of 2013, our Managing Director invited us to meet him in his office. And I took up the opportunity to get to know him better, even though his office is two doors down and I sit at the desk next to his PA. 

When a colleague told me she can't come to the knitting group I run because she doesn't have the time, I made a joke and said I should become a life coach, and she looked me in the eye, and said "you should start a lunchtime group for that." 

So I did! I took it to our Sports and Social Committee, who voted it in and then designed a poster and started telling people about it. 

The first meeting went well with a mix of colleagues, old and new, from our books and journal sections, and all departments. 

And just this last weekend I went on a life coaching taster course, and found it so inspiring, I decided to apply for the Personal Development Diploma. Facilitating a workshop at work may have planted the seed of this idea last year. I had read the book before I heard about the workshop. 

I put in my application on Sunday afternoon, before I left the course. Wednesday morning I had my phone interview before work, and sent them examples of my blog and the Work Smart newsletter. Thursday afternoon I had confirmation that I have been accepted onto the course.

And as I had mentioned the group to everyone I met, and have sent out a newsletter, a blog seemed the best way to bring this all together. 

So I hope you will find a community of like-minded people, people who want to make the most of their working life, in the same way they do their home life. 

Because you don't need to leave your heart at home, or your head at work, every day! 

Arctura