two careers; single-hand juggle
in collaboration with BODEN
As I mentioned a few weeks back, I was going to take a break from this internet space of mine. A break with more permanence. Since seeing this space as more like a business, I saw the benefits and soon found the capacity to profit. Marry this space with my day job of being a consultant in the luxury industry, things can become a bit overwhelming. Yes, there are times where I’m a bit over-scheduled. Yes, I have multiple outfit changes in a day because what I wear to a client meeting is not the same as a press event. Yes, mornings are incredibly early and nights are just as late. Yes, I love every single second of it. So I thought I would share with you, a bit of transparency, as to how I handle it all. I’m, by no means, a professional-but it’s a start, a learning experience, a continued struggle.
time-management
I can’t stress the importance of having an efficient scheduling system. There was a lot of trial-and-error going on for a good few months before I found something that worked for me. I used to be the person that wrote everything down in a diary, but realized too quickly that I forget to put things in as I usually read emails as I’m commuting and sometimes just think, “I’ll put it in my diary when I get to the office.” Next thing, I forget about an event. Since then, I found iCal incredibly helpful and it syncs up with my consultancy’s workflow system embedding deadlines and reminders + any dates and times in my email and/or texts. It may be overwhelming to have every aspect of your life sync up, but I find it very helpful. You can find a list of my favorite productivity apps here!
recharge
Since May, truly when I expanded my business to include more help, I started taking weekends off. That first weekend since hiring on help was a euphoric feeling. The feeling of waking up on a Sunday without an alarm was so gratifying! Summer was equal parts fun and busy. Expanding allowed me to take on more work and thus more disposable income to go out and travel. My schedule was still busy, but it was all worth it. Then come November, before a massive press and client trip to India, I took a weekend off to enjoy Paris without the intention of doing any blog work. It was truly exceptional. I found that balance was very important for my well-being and productivity.
marry your worlds
When I tell anyone what I do, my story of how I got to London, and my future plans they usually tell me how impressed they are that I was able to combine my professional career and passion project. I found a way of creating a career out of my hobby and its networks and takeaways in turn feed my the consultancy. Having your worlds combine can do so much with alleviating stress or work build-up and everyday feels productive.
