This is the biggest lesson ever learnt in the history of lessons. And why it is not taught at school is beyond me.

The simple fact is ….. it is down to us and if we are not looking after ourselves then nothing can work properly.

Welcome to the catchily named series of: “Lessons I’ve learnt in business, running a business and working with other businesses in 2021.”

I thought about an advent calendar of goodies and then all of a sudden it was December and here we are – no advent calendar.

So; what’s a girl to do other than gift you the lessons I have learnt in business over the last 12 months.

Sometimes it does not matter how hard you plan. It does not matter how many ducks you have in a row. It does not matter how sorted you are in life and how many wellbeing tactics you have in your personal toolkit. Sometimes things just go to shit. The universe has other plans for you and you have to work really feckin hard not to have a right big tantrum before you can even delve into your wellbeing toolkit to right the balance again.

Take last week as an example.

It’s here, September, the official start of Autumn. All of a sudden you look outside at 6pm and realise it’s blinking dark. Maybe a little Christmas thought pops into your head, maybe you’ve already seen the sodding Christmas decs mingling with the Halloween dresses of dreams in the supermarket.

I can feel it, that ticking time bomb inside me, every click of time reminding me of stuff I should be doing, could be doing and definitely am not doing; because oh look at that reel on Instagram.

Individuals are often promoted without essential training in human skills. Training in active listening, in empathy, in perspective, in patience, in conflict management – all the skills needed to be a great leader.

Introducing the Agency Support System

Employee wellbeing is low. People are struggling. Struggling with the working from home, the work/life balance and they are missing the support and camaraderie of the office. In this new world order we need to put our people first.

It’s World Mental Health Day tomorrow and more than ever the conversation around wellbeing needs to be normalised. So let’s use this awareness day for good. Let’s stop talking about self-care as if it’s a something we can choose whether we invest in - and let’s talk about looking after ourselves properly.

It’s time to care - and by that I mean care for yourself a bit better. Give a bit of time back to you.

We spend so much time running around like lunatics we so often forget to check in with ourselves. Wellbeing is becoming that word that everyone mentions, everyone knows we need to do more of (especially in these bonkers times) and yet we don’t do it. I still think that sometimes we are all a bit TOO British to turn the care on ourselves.

Well that’s training learning and care.

What morning did we forget to look after ourselves. When was it that we started to wake up at stupid o clock thinking of all the things we needed to do, all the plates we have to spin. What year was it when we decided running a business was a good idea.

As a freelancer, a consultant, a small business owner (whatever you want to call me) there’s been many a time when people have said; ‘oh you’re so lucky to work for yourself, you’ve got it so good’ (or words to that effect).

Many many moons ago when fax machines still roamed the comms room and we all spent days waiting for the contact sheet to be delivered to the agency to crowd round a lightbox before choosing the best image, I was given the nickname Cartman who apparently is the big sweary one in Southpark. It was not a compliment.