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Sorting life, one speech bubble at a time
As a small business, if we can take one positive from the last many tedious months, it might be that we have really noticed an increase in the number of collaborations taking place within the local community.
I work in a semi-rural area, which has many voluntary groups and organisations. And there is no doubt that they, along with local small businesses, came together as one to support their community from the very start of the pandemic. And this support continues, perhaps on a more reduced level, but from it has also come new connections and initiatives as everyone tries to work out what the community will need when we are on the road to recovery.
This is probably one of the very few things I could honestly say I hope we keep post-covid. Power to the people of Blairgowrie and Rattray!
July 2021
May 10 - 16 Mental Health Awareness Week
The platitude that a problem shared is a problem halved may not be quite literally true, but there's no doubting that talking to others about what's going on in your head can help to give perspective, recognition of a problem, and sometimes even a solution.
Surround yourself with friends, colleagues, peers and mentors who you can can talk to. It's good to talk.
May 2021
April 2021
"Hi Alison. I’ve circulated the minutes of the last meeting ... the panel commented on how good they were, thank you."
Minutes of a meeting are more than just a boring admin job. It's important that they are an accurate and balanced record of a meeting. There's no right or wrong way to draft minutes, but there is a bit of a knack to preparing them - by reading the papers ahead of a meeting, listening carefully, having an understanding of what is being discussed, and documenting clearly the decisions and action items covered at a meeting.
It can often take longer to draft minutes than the length of the actual meeting itself! But it's worth it to ensure that they are fit for purpose - and that your client is happy.
March 2021
It's hard to believe it's a whole year since we went into lockdown. It has felt like the longest of years, but also the quickest of years. Does that even make sense?
Work wise, I've been lucky. Never busier - some work tailing off as events are cancelled, but much of it increasing as a response to the effect of the pandemic. Used to working from home, being online. Zoomtastic... But there have been challenges too. And it's all made me feel a bit maudlin and reflective.
So where do we go from here? (those of my vintage will say "is it down to the lake I fear?") I've had my first vaccine - yaay for my next big birthday beginning with a '6'.. So whilst that gives hope for the future, there seems still to be so much to worry about. Will we ever get back to where we were? Do we even want to? And yet, we have so much to be grateful for. So we will keep going, and we will get there - whatever 'there' might be. Because that's what we do. And just as importantly, how are you?
After a hectic few weeks, the word of the moment is "focus". How do you keep your focus when you are busy juggling multiple clients and demands?
We're focusing on working smarter not harder - by planning ahead, diarising, and taking a moment to regroup when the pressure starts rising. Although it's definitely a work in progress!
February 2021
That's the first few days back at the coal face sorted, but it wasn't quite the week that any of us were hoping for.
The calm week, planning and organising, easing gently back into reality, went awry with news of the latest lockdown. This led to plans changing, reactive working and a feeling of "here we go again". And anxiety levels are creeping up in the knowledge there's quite a way to go yet before we can all breathe easy.
Meantime however, we will keep planning, organising, sorting and delivering for clients who are themselves working hard despite the challenges they too face. Stay safe, and cling onto thoughts of better times ahead.
January 2021
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