Weeknotes #20 — Lassie is coming up for air
Yup, it’s a been another long time since my last weeknotes*. Not finding (making?) the time to write them — alongside a few other things going on — told me I had my head-down too often. I’ve fallen into the trap of being busy, not saying no sometimes (or trying to say ‘yes later’) and not prioritising what I was doing with my time.
There was a week where, despite the sun shining warmth, I didn’t feel it. Stuff to do, a dash of imposter syndrome, extended family situations (I know how it feels to truly despise someone who isn’t even worthy of that effort) and the kindness of someone I work with — all resulted in me briefly crying in a client’s meeting room. Only my colleague knows this and, after a good chat with a hug (thank you), I was back again.
In my first weeknotes I shared that I cry easily — even an episode of Lassie would set me off as child. But to get upset whilst on a client site — even I was surprised.
As a result, I’ve just amended my working pattern with my main client (remember I’m a freelance business analyst) which they very kindly agreed with. This’ll give me more time to do other things I want (and sometimes need), allow weekends to have space to do ‘my-version-of-doing-nothing’ and hopefully write regular weeknotes again. Winner. I know I’m lucky to be in this position and I want to use my time wisely. I started using Todosit which is already helping.
Talking of using my time wisely…. #ShfWIT is here.
I wrote last time that a group of us have set up a Sheffield women in tech group and it was our first drop-in event last month. I’m saving this until I’ve had chance for a separate write-up — suffice to say it went really well. About 80 people came along and this summed some of the evening….
I absolutely loved it. I ate lots and lots — as per the tweet below.
Writing this I’ve realised I had, alongside working full time and extended family hassles, a run of events over the last few weeks and maybe hadn’t given myself enough balance? Is that too hippy?
I designed and delivered some new agile training to Good Things Foundation…
…and was kindly invited to the digileaders awards evening (next year Sheffield will win something). Since I’ve been self-employed I’ve not gone to many events like that and it was great to see the delight and pride the winning teams had.
I co-hosted agile Sheffield. Though I didn’t actually do any prep this month and just turned up (thanks Tom) I always do my ‘everyone will have someone to talk to’ and I ‘must say hi to new people’.
Throw in family angst, getting excited about the first and future ShfWIT events and starting a couple of back-burner things (eek!) — I’ve thought sod it, what can I do less of?
I’ve just realised I was having too many of the good things. What a great problem to have? Getting too hippy now…
And finally…
Sheffield continues to be in the news ‘cos of our Lord Major. His wanting to meet everyone and actively go to where people are (rather than leaning back) strikes a chord with me so let’s close on a musical note.
If music isn’t for you then try this instead:
There’s a gentle power in this….
“He also invited the letter-writers who condemned his appointment in the local press to a round-table meeting, because “I believe we should be having uncomfortable conversations, rather than sweeping things under the carpet”. The man who had complained that the city’s people were “losing their identity” didn’t show up. “But others did and they came around to it at the end of the day.” Really? “Yes, genuinely, they did.”
*My next weeknotes had better be in a weeks time when normal service should resume. Kudos to those who share their weeknotes regularly. When I don’t publish mine I still read yours — thank you.
